Deficiency central

[shelbell]

Well I've been feeling more fatigued than normal for a few of months now, I thought it was a fibromyalgia flare up but when it persisted I decided to get my iron levels checked as they have a habit of dropping. I asked if I was due my bariatric bloods (annual for life) while with my GP and yup, about 6 months overdue!

Found out earlier this week that as well as low iron, I have low folate and low vitamin D. Well atleast that explains the lack of energy.

So I'm back on the vitamin D tablets, I get high strength ones from holland & barratts as I can't stand Adcal. Back on the forceval (have gotten complacent with them).

But then there's the iron. Me and iron supplements just don't get on. I've tried every available prescription type available, but all of them send my IBS into overdrive. My GP had said last time that next time my iron levels dropped it would mean intravenous iron therapy. He's referred me off for that now, but in the meantime I've got one last trick up my sleeve. I've bought a pack of Spatone to try as a last resort (at £8.50 per 4 weeks supply it's not cheap!). It's often advised during pregnancy as its supposed to be very gentle on the stomach.

So fingers crossed that fixes things and I can delay the IV therapy a bit longer.

I've also started taking a vitamin B complex and a magnesium supplement to try and help with energy levels.

So just a reminder for us long termers, don't forget to have your vitamin and mineral levels checked regularly.

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[Yvessa]

Thanks for posting Hun. I do worry when I see newbies being lax with meds. Hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[wannabeminime]

Spatone is great stuff, hope it does the trick xx

 

[Caren]

hope you're feeling better now shell xxx

 

[shelbell]

Thanks all. So far tolerating the spatone, but it's early days.

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[chrisa]

Lets hope it does the trick have had my bloods checked twice since op never heard anyhting back and when I asked thye said you would only be notified if there was a problem so all must be well for now xx

 

[angiemason]

Hope you feel better soon shellxxx I'm always deficient in iron and bit d even though I take my meds religiously I have now started vitb12 jabs as that is extremely low aparantely should've had them from the start but better late than never. I hope you manage to avoid the iv

 

[shelbell]

I've had B12 from the outset so luckily that's never been a problem. I've had iron level problems for years too, and low vitamin C, but that's due to my other health problems and impaired kidneys. The IV iron was threatened pre-op so I've been avoiding it for about 10 years now!

It's hard to get everything checked, I get iron, folate, b12, zinc, & vit d done annually but not calcium or any of the other vits/mins.

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[kirstyjade]

What is folate & vitamin D I was told I'm dificiant in both but when I asked what that means she said she can't think off the top of her head lol and that's the dietician.... She just told me to go and get vitamins for it

 

[shelbell]

Folate is linked to iron, you take folic acid to restore it.

Vitamin D is normally made by your skin when you are in sunlight. It's linked to calcium, so you often get combined supplements for both such as adcal. It helps with bones etc and your immune system. Low vitamin D can cause increased parathyroid levels.

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[angiemason]

You have fibromyalgia as I do too and low iron doesn't help that either, I also have rheumatoid arthritis and restless legs ( which drive me crazy) raynaud disease all not helped by low iron and vit d I have 4 adcal d 3 a day as well as 2 forceval, 3 ferrous sulphate,4 sulphazalalazine, 1 high vit d 5000iu, 1 symvestatin, 1 amitriptyline, it's bloody hard getting that lot in and not eating with meals as some are supposed to be but hey ho keep taking the pills as they say hope you stay well x

 

[shelbell]

Yup I have reynauds and restless legs too, and systemic lupus, antiphospholipid syndrome, psoriatic arthritis and others.

I know what you mean about the pills, at present I'm on - 6 paracetemol, 3 tramadol, 3 Alverine citrate, sertraline, lanzaprazole, forceval, calcichew, magnesium & calcium combo, vitamin b complex, spatone, amitriptyline, vitamin d - and then another list of occasional meds!

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[Fat Again]

Hi Shellbell
I've been diagnosed with raynaud disease and now they think I too have fibromyalgia. My bypass was in Nov 2009.

It seems that these things are really common in bypass patients, is it because of our lack of vitamins ?

I must admit I don't and never have taken mine religiously, suppose its too late to start now !

I've followed your story since 2009 and you have been a great inspiration, really hope your feeling 100% soon x

 

[shelbell]

Thanks FA. It's never too late to start, better late than never!

My fibro etc were all diagnosed long before my surgery. There is a link between fibro/auto immune diseases and weight gain though, which I think is more accurate as to why there are high numbers of bypass patients with one or other of these type of problems. Weight loss has improved some of my health problems, but has had no effect on others including the fibro.

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