Question:
RE: Post-op Blood/Lab Test Results

I had Gastric Bypass in November of 2009. Recently I have been experiencing occasional dizziness and weakness upon standing so my surgeon recommended some lab tests to rule out possible anemia. I'm supposed to talk with him on Monday about the following numbers that apparently "stood out" a little: Hemoglobin = 11.4 (low) MCH = 26.4 (low) Calcium, Serum = 8.4 (low) Vitamin B12 and Folate = > 1999 (high) Ferritin, Serum = 6 (low) From what I can tell - of the numbers that were highlighted, any that were off were only slighly off from the "normal" range. Does anyone know if any of these numbers are concerning at all or do things look fine? Thanks for any feedback you can offer ~    — Tinderhrted763 (posted on August 6, 2011)

August 6, 2011
"Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein that stores iron and releases it in a controlled fashion. The amount of Ferritin stored reflects the amount of iron stored." "If the ferritin level is low, there is a risk for lack of iron, which could lead to anemia." "Low ferritin may also indicate hypothyroidism, vitamin C deficiency or celiac disease." Above quotes from Wikipedia on Ferritin. You can research the conditions listed above and see if you have their symptoms. Don't know what your iron levels came back as, but your Ferritin is too close to the lower end of the range (which is only part of the big picture - normal ranges are a guideline but more goes into analyzing the results than just looking at them on a line by line basis). My ferritin is too high, hence a little research has been done on my part. I can't give feedback on your other #'s except I'm told the B-12 is great to have high even though most docs don't get it. Pull up those other results you mentioned and see what the internet has to say about when they are low. Good luck!
   — Ruthie D.

August 7, 2011
Hello: Although I am not a medical expert, NUT or surgeon, I also had GBS in 12/2009 (just a month after you) and fortunately, my postop labs have been better than I could ever imagine. I don't wish to rub salt in your wounds or increase any fear or anxiety you may be experiencing, but I have followed my surgeon's advice to the "T". Now 20-mos. postop, I take a calcium 600-mg. +D 3x a day (AM, midday & PM), 1-multivitamin chewable tablet daily and try to ingest 60-80mg of protein every day. As a result, I never lost a strand of hair--if anything, my hair is even thicker and fuller than before--which just adds to my new figure. When I cannot ingest all the protein as a meat or through vegetables, I rely on protein shakes and bars. I also found this article to be regularly helpful to me in my journey as it gives a surprising number of researched resources on postop labs, intake dietary guidelines, etc.--and it is available right here on the Obesity Help forum too! If clicking on the link does not work, simply copy the following link and then paste it into your web browser: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/nutrition/cmsID,10282/mode,content/a,cms/ Good luck on your journey and remember to stay close to a well-defined support group and you too will continue with long-term success.
   — momeego

August 18, 2011
I would say that the one that is most concerning is the ferritin. When your ferritin is low you can feel weak, dizzy, short of breath, your tongue can hurt etc. When I was first diagnosed with iron deficiency and started having iron transfusions I had been so exhausted, tired and run down. Being LOW on B12 can cause neurological problems but I have never heard of having problems from having a high B12 level. Hope this helps. You can read my blog at http://healthy-wealthy-n-wise.com/blog It has quite a bit of information about my own struggles with iron deficiency, weight gain, B12 deficiency and more. Wendy Hugh Netolicky RN
   — WendyInIowa