Monday, April 8th, Cardio & Cafe

Absolutely!  It is something that we all need to know about.  "Knowledge is definitely Power" in this world.  

That "funny weird" feeling is what I call feeling "fuzzy". I don't like it. I am glad you posted about your ordeal with it. You're quite right - if it helps just one person it's worth it.

Thanks!!

Iris

Hi BOTTS.  Hala, thanks for the informative post.  I hope you get to feeling better real soon.

Today's eats...

Early Morning:  2 cups coffee w/SF hazelnut creamer

B:  Unjury Protein Shake, banana

S:  Unjury Protein Shake

L:  2 steak tacos, Vitatop

S:  Banana

D:  2 small slices of Red Barron supreme pizza

S:  ? (80 calories left in my daily budget)

TOTALS:  1380 Calories, 102 g Protein

VITAMINS & WATER  Every day I take 2 children’s chewable vitamins, 1 Super B complex, 2 Biotin, 1 folic acid, 1 iron, and drink 8 cups of water.

EXERCISE  Every day I walk at least 20 minutes and do 15 minutes of core strengthening exercises and stretches.  These are my “intentional exercises” I do in addition to house work, grocery shopping, etc.  (if your body is moving then it counts as exercise)

WEIGHT  Pre-Op: 302, Current: 186 (Height:  5’ 7”)

Hi Angela:

I just was noticing that you take the children's chewable vitamins.  How does your lab work show up on these?  I took them for about 4 years myself, but my labs were not doing as well as others so I switched to the Bariactric Vitamins and now my labs are awesome.

So far so good for me.  I do take extra iron but my iron has always been low even before surgery.  My B12 has been good so far but I take the Super B Complex just for extra B vits.  I take Biotin and Folic Acid just for extra too.  The doc has never suggested that I take anything other than a multi-vit and iron, and he says the childrens chewable vits are fine as long as my labs continue to be good. 

Angela - the test results can be normal - or within normal limits - but they may not be high enough for you. Also - many people post op RNy were told not to worry about calcium and they end up with severe bone - teeth issue down the road.  Many docs do not test ALL vitamins or minerals than can be deficient, and many times the doc will tell you that your D level is OK when you are > 30 but in reality - 50-100 is more that most people (not only us) needs to be aming at. Some even suggest 80-100 as to be the most optimum number. 

Another is calcium - the body will maintain "normal" calcium level by pulling the calcium form the bones.  So unless the doc test also PTH level - you do not know if your body is maintaining the calcium by robbing your bones or not. 

Vit B12 - many labs quote as normal "300-900" yet as many people would tell you - they feel best at 800-2000. I personally feel when my B12 drops to below 800... and I could not absorb even the sublingual B12, so now I get B12 shot - every week. 

And so on... 

Hey Hala:

I was going to tell you that on my lab work up that I take 50,000 units of Vit D and my labs were at 54.  My B12 is at 1318, high by their standards but okay by mine and my PTH level is 40 which is okay too.  My iron was actually a little high but was okay with me also.  Everything else was in normal range.  No lows at all.

Tess, do you know if on 50,000 Vit D daily (D3 dry ? right?) you levels are steady - going up or going down? If they are consistent  45-63 (last year or two) then you may be safe to increase - maybe add one more 50,000 pill per week?  if they are going up - then IMO - best to raise it slowly and allow the body to get to 80-100.. but make sure you don't get way above 100... too high levels of D can be toxic.  

I love your B12.. mine on weekly shots is barely 1000 ... 

FYI: when you take B12 sublingually - you may want to stop taking them for a 3-5 days before the test - so you know what is the stored levels. I typically try to make sure that my Blood draw is at least 1 week after my injection... That was I know what is the lowest level...between shots. 

Thanks for the info.  I didn't know what the actual numbers are supposed to be.  I just thought if the doc said everything is good and I feel well then I must be okay.  Oh and I do take Calcium Citrate +D everyday too...just forgot to put it in my other post.

Angela, unfortunately the docs will tell us the numbers are OK - when they may not be optimum - or even - in most cases - they don't test enough of stuff to tell us the "real picture". Ask them for copies of the last few tests results and you can post them here - or you can fax them to me or email and I can look at them for you.  There are a lot of vets - that were told "your numbers are OK" only to discover that some (like D's  or PTH) were not tested and others were just borderline "normal" . there are a lot of vets here - or on RNY forum that can look at your labs and help you understand what if any may need some extra work.

Some deficiencies you may not feel until it is to late, others - manifest them self as "other issues"