Help with some lab interpreting? Iron, Ferritin, Albumin

[Taterweight]

Had my pre-op blood work done Jan 2 and just got a call from the Dr. (PCP) she said everything was good except my vitaminD (no surprise there) so I'm taking 50k iu's once a week until surgery. She's also just diagnosed me with hypothyroidism so now have 50 mcg of Levothyroxine/synthroid.

1) does hypothyroidism improve with weightloss, or should I plan on working that pill that likes to be by itself into my regimine? I'm one of those OCD planner types that doesn't like surprises!

I'm still waiting for hard copies to arrive, so no clue on the bulk of my bites yet, but I know my Iron level was 65 and my ferritin was 37. I asked what I should do about the low ferritin, she said it was fine. (!!!)

2) I was going to add some iron to my pre-op plan (as mentioned in the fantastic vitalady suggestions SouthernLady graciously posted here) - anything else I can do to bolster my ferritin?

3) Only other thing I was curious about was my albumin level at 3.3....on the low range (3.5-5.0). I know it has to do with liver function....anything I should worry about, you think?

Thanks for any wisdom you all might have!

-Resa

 

[KathyF]

Low albumin can also indicate protein malnutrition. Did your doctor say anything about the low albumin? It could indicate liver problems - they would check other levels along with that for diagnosis. If I were you, I would talk to the doctor about it.

 

[Taterweight]

I did ask her, she said it was fine, with no further explanation. I should have my vitamin breakdown tomorrow or Thursday, so I'll put together some more questions for her and ask again about the albumin.

Thanks for your reply

 

[southernlady]

Make sure you get hard copies.

Also which vit D? If it's the gel, that is okay while pre-op, dry is better. Post-op use dry cause gel is incased in fat and you end up flushing most of the D down the toilet.

My hypothyroidism did not change...I was on the same amount before my DS that I am now. One trick to help with timing...take your thyroid pill during a middle of the night pee break.

 

[SHales]

If your other liver labs are ok, it is probably low protein. Did you get Total protein and pre-albumin? When you get the rest of your labs, post them so we can take a look.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Vitamin D2 or D3? And don't stock up on anything in gel form or time-released or sustained-release...you probably won't absorb it post-op, although I had an endocrinologist who wanted to argue that until the end of time. Notice I said that I HAD that endocrinologist. That would be past tense.

 

[Munchkin]

Usually the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is good news(if a problem CAN be good news) because treatment will usually make it easier to lose for a while. It doesn't usually go away postop so plan on that little pill forever. Your levels will also need to be checked a few times to make sure your meds are properly adjusted.

Most normies I know do discover they are low D if they are ever fortunate enough to be tested. Take the D but don't worry about it too much. Just do what you are doing to raise your levels before surgery.

Do you eat a lot of meat? Eat more and boost that albumin! The DS is a surgery to go into with protein levels high as possible! Make sure you are getting a lot of protein now while it's easy!

 

[Taterweight]

I'm Scottish! Meat and potatoes are my staples and in my blood. If left to my own devices I'd eat beef every meal, bacon as a side dish, so not sure why I would be so low on protein. (My hubby is Italian so he frowns upon my meat obsession, preferring pasta and chicken) I'll look at it as an excuse to indulge my beefiness for the next couple of weeks before surgery and get those levels up! Thanks!

 

[Taterweight]

Make sure you get hard copies.

Also which vit D? If it's the gel, that is okay while pre-op, dry is better. Post-op use dry cause gel is incased in fat and you end up flushing most of the D down the toilet.

My hypothyroidism did not change...I was on the same amount before my DS that I am now. One trick to help with timing...take your thyroid pill during a middle of the night pee break.

Got 6 gel caps - enough to get me to surgery. Already ordered my dry D from bio-tech on amazon, so I'm good there.

Bummer on the thyroid, but my mother and sister have been taking it for years - and I've been jealous of their energy levels, so I guess I'm just late to the genetic party. Fitting in that lonely pill will be a pain (a very very minor one, granted) since once I lay my head down I'm out solid for 8 hrs!

Appreciate the help!

 

[Munchkin]

I'm Scottish! Meat and potatoes are my staples and in my blood. If left to my own devices I'd eat beef every meal, bacon as a side dish, so not sure why I would be so low on protein. (My hubby is Italian so he frowns upon my meat obsession, preferring pasta and chicken) I'll look at it as an excuse to indulge my beefiness for the next couple of weeks before surgery and get those levels up! Thanks!

You aren't 'terribly' low. Just a little! Where do you live in Idaho? I have had many good times there!

 

[Taterweight]

Boise, born and raised.

 

[Munchkin]

Boise, born and raised.

The only part of Idaho I don't know! But it's a beautiful state!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Does everyone understand that wls people get weird thyroid test results but, for them, it is not time to panic?!? And REALLY not time for thyroid surgery unless your doctor knows all this stuff?


Start here:


http://www.parathyroid.com/hyperparathyroidism-diagnosis.htm


Scroll down to this section:

Completed Picture of Updated Calcium/Parathyroid Hormone Normogram.


Especially read this part:

The most common people in this purple group are 1) those who have had gastric bypass surgery for weight loss, 2) those with Celiac Sprue, 3) those with Crohn's disease, and 4) those who have had a significant part of their intestines surgically removed. Patients who have had gastric bypass surgery will eat food which then is routed around most of their stomach and the first part of their intestines (thus the term 'bypass'). Virtually 100% of these patients will have malabsorption of calcium. Thus, all patients who undergo gastric bypass for weight loss must be taking calcium and vitamin D every day or they will develop a total body calcium deficit which leads to overproduction of PTH by normal parathyroid glands leading to severe osteoporosis and the problems described here. Do NOT remove these NORMAL functioning parathyroid glands even though they are making lots of PTH... they are doing so appropriately. The treatment for these patients is to fix their calcium deficit by giving them daily calcium and Vit D pills. Note that patients who have the new gastric banding do not have this problem since they do not get their stomach and first part of their intestines bypassed. Also note that it does occasionally occur that a person has a true parathyroid adenoma and has had their stomach bypassed... But, you will typically see that these patients had high calcium PRIOR to their stomach bypass.

 

[southernlady]

Would you post that information in it's own thread, PLEASE???? Very important information. I want to sticky it.

Does everyone understand that wls people get weird thyroid test results but, for them, it is not time to panic?!? And REALLY not time for thyroid surgery unless your doctor knows all this stuff?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Would you post that information in it's own thread, PLEASE???? Very important information. I want to sticky it.

Done. Main Board with a Sticky.