labs.. good bad indifferent frustrated with conflicting info

[cheryl baker]

ok well I just had my 1 yr post ds labs done and I am having a melt down right now. My PCP whom I have NEVER talked to except during my physicals called me personally twice this week.. telling me 1) I might need surgery on my parathyroid and than 2) I need infusions cause my osteopenia has turned into osteoporosis.. Not to mention that she and my surgeon both say for the most part the rest of my labs are ok I have been harrassed by another group that I am not worth helping (even though I have done as they said) because I am questioning their all mightness.. Now I understand that vets have a lot of experience and are very helpfull but that should not mean you cannot ask questions.

SOOOO here I am freaking out and they kick me out of the group.. thanks for the help jerks.... So I am here hopeing to find some kinder gentler people to help me



Here is where I am..

pth is currently 108 last reading was 18 and the reading before that was 89

pcp says I need to go to an endo and may need my parathyroids operated on. I have read on the internet and it seems that many times wls patients are operated on unnessarily. I have an appt with the endo first appt isnt for 1.5 months but on waiting list.

surgeon says I need a bone density (which I had already done but nothing was said from him after learning the results).

since my reading was high and than went to normal and back to high does that effect what one would think the problem is. I realllly do not want to have surgery if not necessary but I also realize this is stealing my bones..

my calcium is 8.6 prevous it was 9 and priot to that 8.8 so this time it is actually out of normal range but although the previous 2 readings were in range they were at the low end..

My vit D was the really only good thing it was 64 which is pretty much in the middle.. previous readings were 59 and before that 28.9. So it has continuously going up. other group says I need to increase my D but I really do not think so. it is going up just fine with what am I taking. surgeon and pcp say no need to increase.. But it bothers me that the other group is adament it needs more.. I do not see it..

My Hemocrit and hemoglobin both have been continuing downward the whole time. hemocrit going from 39.5 to 38.4 now down to out of range at 34.1 hemoglobin started at 13.4 to 12.6 and now at the bottom of the range at 11.7

my white blood count started out out of range at 3.5 went into range at 7.9 and now back out of range at 3.3

my red blood count started in range at 4.43 dropped to 4.37 and now finally out of range at 3.68

none of this seems to be following any kinda of logical pattern that I can see from what I knew about these tests..



than there is my iron and ferritin..

my iron is in range at 80 but the other people insist I need iron infusions immediatly. previous reading was done at 65 but I started out at 80. Dunno why it dropped last time but I would say 80 is a realistc number for me and is within range ...

I suspect the problem comes in with my ferritin.. My first reading 6 months ago was 41 within range albeit low.. but in 6 months it dropped to 24.. since low range is 11 it is still within range.. BUT if it drops drastically again it would certainly put me in danger of being out of range.

than my A which started out at 27 went up to 40 when I started taking 2 pills a day and than dropped down this last time to 17 after dropping back down to 1 pill cause my surgeos office was freaking out over such a high dose of vit A.. Even though even with 2 a day it didnt even come close to the high range....



I am taking vitamins for all these things..

iron 65 elemntal

calcium 630mg

A 25,000

D 50,000



currently my plan is to increase A and D to 2 tablets continue taking my iron as listed and double up on my calcium.. going to have to take a different calcium cause I cannot handle more of those horse pills. I have an appt with both the hematologist and the endocronologist. But I want to be well educated on all this stuff before I go.

If you have any experience with these please write back to me.. and if you dont I sure could use some encouragment cause I am reallly stressing out about this having mini panic attacks which is not helping

also anyone familiar with proferrin forte?? I was told to switch from vitron c to it but vitron c is 65 elemental iron and proferrin forte is only 12.. that make no sense... why would a perscription pill be weaker than an OTC..


thanks

 

[Larra]

Hi again Cheryl! Good to see you here.
You already have my 2 cents worth on the calcium citrate and D, and hopefully others will help out with the other stuff.

 

[cheryl baker]

thanks larra

 

[southernlady]

Okay, PTH is controlled BY your calcium and D amounts. To make it come down, add calcium and D. Calcium as close to high normal and D as close to 100 as possible.

Read these two threads:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/parathyroid-function-normal-and-abnormal.3095/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/parathyroid-check-your-d-calcium-and-pth-first.1065/

While conceivable that your parathyroid is an issue, it is very unlikely. And even if you do have your parathyroid removed, you would STILL be stealing calcium from your bones.

I went from osteopenia to osteoporosis and MY PTH was very low normal. Sometimes you get the bad luck of the genetic draw. There are many factors that you can not control as well as many you can. http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/i-have-osteoperosis-now.906/#post-12392

Your iron is not the issue...your ferritin is the issue. And your hemoglobin and hemacrit being low SCREAM anemia.
Take the print outs included in this post to your hema when you see him/her:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/low-iron-or-what-to-take-to-a-hematologist.1498/

Proferrin is heme iron not carbonyl (elemental) iron. I had to have iron infusions last fall. BUT I take a heme iron AND 60 mgs of an elemental iron to TRY and keep my values up now that they are back to high normal. I won't know for some time if it is helping to take the oral iron following an infusion but MAYBE I can make the time between them longer that way.

Honestly, as long as MY values are in range, I ignore the doctors freaking out over how MUCH I take. Apparently it's what I need to stay normal...even if it's not what they are use to seeing in NORMAL people. We aren't normal anymore. We've been surgically altered and their ideas don't consider outside the NORMAL box...

NORMAL is only a setting on the dryer.

 

[southernlady]

Oh, and I am gonna move this to the Vitamins and Labs forum.

 

[cherylbaker]

Okay, PTH is controlled BY your calcium and D amounts. To make it come down, add calcium and D. Calcium as close to high normal and D as close to 100 as possible.

Read these two threads:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/parathyroid-function-normal-and-abnormal.3095/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/parathyroid-check-your-d-calcium-and-pth-first.1065/

While conceivable that your parathyroid is an issue, it is very unlikely. And even if you do have your parathyroid removed, you would STILL be stealing calcium from your bones.

I went from osteopenia to osteoporosis and MY PTH was very low normal. Sometimes you get the bad luck of the genetic draw. There are many factors that you can not control as well as many you can. http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/i-have-osteoperosis-now.906/#post-12392

Your iron is not the issue...your ferritin is the issue. And your hemoglobin and hemacrit being low SCREAM anemia.
Take the print outs included in this post to your hema when you see him/her:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/low-iron-or-what-to-take-to-a-hematologist.1498/

Proferrin is heme iron not carbonyl (elemental) iron. I had to have iron infusions last fall. BUT I take a heme iron AND 60 mgs of an elemental iron to TRY and keep my values up now that they are back to high normal. I won't know for some time if it is helping to take the oral iron following an infusion but MAYBE I can make the time between them longer that way.

Honestly, as long as MY values are in range, I ignore the doctors freaking out over how MUCH I take. Apparently it's what I need to stay normal...even if it's not what they are use to seeing in NORMAL people. We aren't normal anymore. We've been surgically altered and their ideas don't consider outside the NORMAL box...

NORMAL is only a setting on the dryer.

Tks fir that reply. So does that mean I do not need to change my iron? Also if I did switch to Proferrin how much would be equivalent to the 65 elemental I am currently taking? Or should I do both? Does the heme iron react differently than the elemental?

 

[southernlady]

Tks fir that reply. So does that mean I do not need to change my iron? Also if I did switch to Proferrin how much would be equivalent to the 65 elemental I am currently taking? Or should I do both? Does the heme iron react differently than the elemental?

Elemental needs to be separated from calcium among other things.

Proferrin, on the other hand, can be taken with food/calcium etc. You SHOULD keep calcium away from it but it isn't as critical.

I take 1 Proferrin ES and 6 (150 mgs) of the elemental iron EVERY day...but then I am trying to keep from needing infusions again.

My thought is to take both...but then you have to decide what is best for you.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the same people read here that are also on that Facebook group. So you might want to think a little bit about what tales you carry. You could have stayed there had you not decided to have a tantrum. And now I shall block you because, as I said there, I'm done with you.

 

[chevtow]

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the same people read here that are also on that Facebook group. So you might want to think a little bit about what tales you carry. You could have stayed there had you not decided to have a tantrum. And now I shall block you because, as I said there, I'm done with you.

I was going to say something similar

 

[Larra]

@En and @chevtow I'm not on facebook so I didn't see the tantrum, or whatever happened there. I found @cherylbaker shall we say elsewhere (I know EN will know where) and badly in need of help, with at least one doctor telling her she might need parathyroid surgery, which everyone on this thread knows is not the right answer. I suggested that she come here and hope that she will get some good advice. I have already advised her at length about the D and calcium issue, an issue with which I have personal experience. If you don't want anything to do with her, that's fine. Your choice. Block away! But let's not discourage someone who needs help from reaching out and getting that help.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Larra, since you didn't see it, thank you kindly for not nannying.

 

[cherylbaker]

Elemental needs to be separated from calcium among other things.

Proferrin, on the other hand, can be taken with food/calcium etc. You SHOULD keep calcium away from it but it isn't as critical.

I take 1 Proferrin ES and 6 (150 mgs) of the elemental iron EVERY day...but then I am trying to keep from needing infusions again.

My thought is to take both...but then you have to decide what is best for you.

Wow 6 pills of elemental iron. Well bottom c Is 65 each. Maybe I will take 2.. I really hate the whole this pill can't go with that pill thing. It makes me always miss something. That's why I was thinking of switching to Proferrin. One less interaction problem. My 6 month labs were so much better was doing so well. Oh well onward and forward we go
Tks for the info. Tired of being dizzy and tired and sore all the time. Hope getting the numbers up help

 

[cherylbaker]

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the same people read here that are also on that Facebook group. So you might want to think a little bit about what tales you carry. You could have stayed there had you not decided to have a tantrum. And now I shall block you because, as I said there, I'm done with you.

No Elizabeth you took the tantrum first attacking me and I could not have stayed cause you kicked me out. Glad you block me I can't deal with your meanness at this point

 

[cherylbaker]

Tks for the help guys and would love to stay cause I really need support and help but cannot deal with rude ppl who think attacking ppl is ok. Maybe I'll catch ya on the flip side.
If anyone knows a safe place I would love to hear about it

 

[southernlady]

@cheryl baker since EN has now put you on ignore, you need to stay.