PLEASE Learn from my mistake.

I posted this on the general board as well but since Im 5 years out - thought I should post here too!

First - let me start by saying my spelling and grammer suck so if you feel the need to correct me and point out every word I spell wrong, please just ignore my post now before you read any more.... Also - don't flame me for my post - I am not writting this to hear how stupid I am - Trust me - I have been telling myself this enough. I am writting this to open everyones eyes to how dangerous things can get if YOU DON"T LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR!!!!

I just had my 5 year anniversary. I have successfuly kept off 140lbs. I had a 15 lb bounce back at about 2 1/2 years out but have maintined since then. For the first 2 years I saw my doctor exactly as required. I followed the rules.

Over the past year, I have been very sick. I have seen 3 Neurologist and have been tested for everything from Lupus to MS. MRI's, various scans, tests, you name it - I've been through it. I have quite a few cognative problems. My short-term memory is a mess, when I speak- sometimes the wrong words come out (I know what Im trying to say - it just doesn't want to make it from my head to my mouth), I have a lot of confussion now, I get very dizzy, I can't manuver my feet well enough to even walk down a flight of steps, I have numbness in my hands & feet... The list goes on..  I have racing heartbeats, I am always freezing cold - even if its 80 degrees out. I have absolutely no energy or strength at all and I use to go to the gym twice a day. Its been one of those "I know my body - I know something is wrong - please help me" feelings but we could never find out the cause. About 6 months ago my Neurologist said that MS comes with so many different signals that he was pretty sure that was what what happening to me.

This week I had my 5 year check up with my Bypass Doc & as soon as I walked int he door, I could tell he didn't look happy. I couldn't figure why... Well --- my bloodwork was a mess!!!!
My Iron should be in the 170-28 range and it is 12!
My B-12 should be near 180 and its 42!!!!!!
My Hemoglobin should be 15.5-11.5 and its 8
My folate should be 5.2 and its 8.6

I stopped taking my vits about 2 years out. I knew how the doctors stressed that it was a lifetime change but thought I was the exception. I figured that since I had reached goal and maintined that I could follow my own rules and now I have done perminant damage to myself. Its going to take months to try to get my levels up to where they should be & to see what neurological problems correct themselves. My doctor said that he has never seen a B12 as low as mine (yipee - I win the prize) and that he is afraid that with as long as I have been without my suppliments, the damage may all be perminant.

PLEEZE PLEEZE PLEEZE -  Be smarter then me!!! Listen to your doctor. Don't feel that you are the exception to the rule. Spend the extra few dollars each month for the correct suppliments and take care of yourself.

Truer words never spoken.  Thanks for posting this.  It is one of the few assurances in life if you are a WLS and need to follow the rules.

I use to post on the boards all the time the first few years pre & post op but changed to lurking more as time passed. I saw some get flamed for mistakes that had made and didn't want to get an earful for being stupid but I want to make sure everyone knows how important it is, even being so far out, that they have to always follow the rules.

Thank you for your post, I would never flame a person for being open and honest like that. It's honesty and a willingness to share from people that have had problems that have helped me get my butt in gear.. thank you for sharing we can learn from your experience, if it wasn't for others like you sharing I wouldn't be taking my vitamins either!  I had stopped for a while, now back on them..gotta run!!

Jillian,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!!!
I'm two years out and due for my follow-up. Over the last three weeks I've gotten a bit sloppy on my calcium/D intake. God, I hate taking calcium. Thank you for reminding me to stay on track.

I hope your misfortune has a reversal and help many others. My best to you.

Kim

Jillian,

I am so sorry to read about your problems but THANK YOU for this post.

It prompted me to get in my car, drive to the surgeon's office, and get a copy of my 2 year labs to review. They look good to me but I see him next week for his professional opinion.

I am one of the people who always takes the supplements but have run into difficulties anyways! Not quite as severe as yours, but if I missed the supplements, labs and monitoring on a regular basis, it would be much worse. A frightening aspect of RNY.

The message was powerful and I hope people listen to what you have said.  It is a reminder that we must take care of our special needs or pay a very high price.

I hope you can get back to better levels and feel more healthy. Please keep us posted.

Annette

 (((((((hugs)))))))  Have you ever been tested for Lyme's disease?  I have late stage chronic Lyme's and went for years with flare-ups similar to what you're describing before finally getting diagnosed (unfortunately, too late to cure, just try to keep a lid on flare-ups).  I do understand that overwhelming feeling of trying to hold everything together AND remember to take your supplements etc...but as you have seen, it is so important.  I hope you can find some improvement and take heart, you're human and mistakes happen.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! I haven't taken a single vitamin in almost 8 months. Shame on me, i know. I ran out, which I know is a poor excuse but I just kept putting it off and never got more.  I'm sorry you have to go through this! I'm going grocery shopping in the morning and I will be making a stop at vitamin shoppe to get more.

First of all taking vitamins is really not that hard. Its basically the only job our surgeons gave us to do, and this is a prime example of why. Even without WLS its important to take vitamins and calcium as we get older. With all the testing you had done no other Dr did any blood work? seems odd. That would be the first thing I would think of would be that my levels werent in check. Dont mean to be so blundt but taking what were supose to has just become a daily routine and really not that expensive. You can get what we need at walmart or the dollar stores really cheap. Its better than none at all. I watched a program on good morning america a while back where a women that had WLS was losing her eye sight, found she was lacking vitamin K from not taking her vitamins. We are now from a special breed and our bodys dont absorb like the use to. Please everyone take your vitamins. dEB

I AM IN THE SAME BOAT. I NEVER TOOK MY VITAMINS OR DRANK PROTEIN. NOW AFTER 3 YEARS MY BODY IS ALL TO HELL. AND MY SHORT MEMORY IS FUKED. IF I COULD GO BACK 3 YEARS I WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER. BUT TO LATE FOR THAT NOW. HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER SOON.
AMY