Question:
What labs do I need at 2 months postop?

My PCP is taking care of my labs, my surgeon is 3 hours away, too far for me to go just for labs. PCP says he will take care of that for me but I'm not sure if he knows exactly what things should be checked. What do all of you get checked when you go for blood work? Details please so I can make a list for my PCP. I had open rny Aug.7/03 and I have lost 45 lbs. I feel good and healed up well. Thanks.    — mary ann T. (posted on October 3, 2003)

October 3, 2003
I'm scheduled to have my labs before my next appt which will be my 3mo appt. From what I can read he said CBC, CMP, B12, Iron, Lipid something, Foritin???
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 3, 2003
Mary Ann: I'm an hour away from my surgeon and I have my PCP write up the lab requests too. But I have the WL surgeon fax me the list of what he wants and then I get a copy and fax the results down. That way the WL surgeon (hopefully expert, LOL) might catch something the PCP wouldn't. Either way it's safer to have two doctors both looking after you. Also keep a copy of the results for your own records and keep track of anything that's falling even if it's still in "normal" range. That way you can add what you need before your body is totally deprived of it. I had my PCP and WL surgeon both not alert me to low pottasium until I had already been hospitalized for it. About 2 weeks later the WL surgeon called and told me I needed to add the suppliment. I said I know I already am, but I didn't know until I was hospitalized. Needless to say I wasn't too thrilled with the aftercare provided by my "expert." But I lived so it worked out. Good luck to you. S
   — sherry hedgecock

October 3, 2003
I haven't had surgery yet, but I have already got my blood work order for my 2 mths post-op check-up.Hope this helps,cbc,comprehensive metabolic panel,lipid panel,iron studies(Fe,TIBC,Ferritin)folate,vitamin B12,magnesium,TSH,pre-albumin. You'll need to fast for this.
   — Cathy G.

October 3, 2003
You need to ask your surgeon which labs you need to have done as different doctors have different ideas on this. I live three hours from my surgeon and he wrote a prescription for my labs for me to take to my PCP. My PCP orders them and faxes the results to my surgeon. I had NO labs done at 2 months. My first labs were at 8 months and then once a year after that assuming that they are normal.
   — Patty_Butler

October 3, 2003
Some things to check for would be POTASSIUM (my biggest problem), iron, and B-12. I'm sure there are many other things too. But make sure you have potassium checked well for the first year. Dang I had some close calls with it bottoming out and having to go to the ER for potassium by IV.
   — Danmark

October 3, 2003
I can send you a list if you'd like
   — vitalady