Supplements and labs

[Dee]

Hi,
My name is Dee and I've just joined. I live in the UK and had my DS in Germany eleven years ago. I've been well but lately I'm finding it difficult to convince my GP of my needs regarding both supplementation and lab tests. I've recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis and I'm worried that I may not be optimising my chances to stay well. I have looked but I can't find a link on here for direct information. I would like to find a list for both the labs and the supplements that I could print off and take to my doctor. Thank you. I would be so grateful for any help.

 

[southernlady]

, Dee...I am going to move your thread into the Vitamins and Labs section.

I am gonna tag @huneypie, @kirmy, @kirstabelle AND our newest DS'er over there @DuodenalSwitchaRoo to see if they can help you figure out how to talk to our GP and how to get labs covered. They also have good info as to where/how to get supplements.

 

[huneypie]

Hi @Dee you should check out this thread http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/uk-people-hook-me-up.517/page-2#post-7661

BTW you should only get Biotech vitamin A and not the rubbish stuff I suggested in it.

You *might* be able to get strontium on prescription, but they've semi pulled strontium due to some cardiac concerns - I still get it coz I got on repeat before the concerns were raised and I'm less concerned about my heart than my bones.

What are you doing with regard to calcium? There's nothing on the NHS other than calcium carbonate so you'll have to pay for it yourself and I use Bone Booster Complex from Vitacost.com (details are in the thread). I take 6x4 of those tablets a day for a *daily* total of 24 tablets.

I also do 600mcg of Biotech vitamin K2 MK7 and 50,000iu of Biotech dry vitamin D from amazon.co.uk (all in the link).

If you take Bone Booster Complex then you don't need to worry about boron too much, otherwise you need at least 3mg of the stuff.

Re labs, you want a bone/calcium panel, parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. I see Mr Ameet G Patel for follow even though I had my surgery in Belgium and he takes care of me. You should ask your GP to refer you to a DS surgeon (Mr Patel is the wrong end of London and it takes me hours to get there, but it's worth it IMO. Kirmy comes down from Scotland once a year to see Mr Patel.

You should also see if you can be referred to an endocrynologist. You'll have to explain to your GP and endo that the DS is similar to short bowel syndrome otherwise they'll just think it's like RNY (I've even got several notes saying that I'm an RNY patient even though I keep telling them!!).

Whereabouts in the UK are you?

 

[huneypie]

Hi,
My name is Dee and I've just joined. I live in the UK and had my DS in Germany eleven years ago. I've been well but lately I'm finding it difficult to convince my GP of my needs regarding both supplementation and lab tests. I've recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis and I'm worried that I may not be optimising my chances to stay well. I have looked but I can't find a link on here for direct information. I would like to find a list for both the labs and the supplements that I could print off and take to my doctor. Thank you. I would be so grateful for any help.

Oh and you want to do some load bearing exercise.

 

[huneypie]

And if you're on an antacid @Dee , you really want to get off that as it inhibits calcium absorption (I think I've read that cider vinegar can help with acid issues).

Plus you want to get off caffeine and carbonated drinks as they're no good for your bones either. @MajorMom had osteoporosis and now has reduced that to ostepenia by following a program similar to what I outlined above (actually my advice comes from her although she takes Biotech calcium citrate - the Biotech is double the strength of the Vitacost stuff, you only need to do 2 tablets each time).

 

[southernlady]

And if you're on an antacid @Dee , you really want to get off that as it inhibits calcium absorption (I think I've read that cider vinegar can help with acid issues).

Several have done this...trying it myself. BUT with that said, it has to be a specific type of apple cider vinegar...as in unfiltered, unprocessed, with the "mother" in it.

 

[huneypie]

@Dee BTW you want to take magnesium citrate in a 2:1 ratio, so that means if you take 600mg calcium then you want to take 300mg magnesium citrate at the same time.

 

[Sheanie]

@huneypie , if the magnesium citrate is for constipation, shouldn't it be magnesium oxide?

 

[huneypie]

Mag citrate is to aid calcium absorption.

 

[MajorMom]

@huneypie , if the magnesium citrate is for constipation, shouldn't it be magnesium oxide?

Dry mag citrate to help with calcium absorption. The liquid stuff is bowel prep. Mag oxide to help you poo when calcium makes you constipated.

 

[Sheanie]

Right. Just wanted to make sure that's what the purpose was in this particular instance.

 

[huneypie]

Right. Just wanted to make sure that's what the purpose was in this particular instance.

The OP said she has osteoporosis.