jersey0601

It's still hard to navigate. I don't ever see anyone on it.

I signed up the other day, imo the website is hard to navigate. I think this is a great concept but it needs some work as far as layout and search function. I look forward to seeing this take off!

If you'd rather vacation in a desert greenhouse this summer than get your bloodwork done, you're obviously not a fan of WLS labs. Are all those labs really necessary? Bariatric Dietitian Elizabeth Anderson helps you decide if it's time to fast or pack the sunscreen.


“Do you think I should keep taking my sublingual B12, Elizabeth?” Roxanne* is 3 years post op from her gastric sleeve and is wondering if the expense of the meltable supplement is worth it.
“I’m not sure, what does your latest B12 lab show?” I respond.
“Uh…..I haven’t had labs done in, well...years,” Roxanne admits.
And she’s not alone. Scores and scores of WLS clients intend to keep up with the required post op labs but life gets in the way.
People, I am here to tell you, if it has been a long, LONG since you’ve had your specific bariatric lab work done, run, don’t walk, to your nearest phlebotomist.
Every few years, the Obesity Society (TOS), the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) update medical guidelines for bariatric surgery patients. They have a list of labs that need to be done at 3 and 6 months and those that need to be done annually. Yes, every-single-year, after surgery.
Why? Believe it or not, vitamin and mineral deficiencies increase over time—regardless of your WLS procedure.
I know many PCPs push back against ordering these regular labs--whether it’s the cost to their practice, the patient or both, many providers don’t understand the necessity for the work-up.
What concerns me the most is that the damage from some vitamin and mineral deficiencies cannot be undone or corrected. The damage is permanent.
A psychiatrist speaker at a recent convention I attended, talked about patients he’s seen that were 6-10 years post op that were suffering from mental health issues--sometimes incapacitating problems.
When he looked at their lab work, he was shocked to see that for some patients, vitamin and mineral deficiencies were the sole cause.
If your provider pushes back against these labs, I’m happy to provide you with the link to the scientific paper citing which labs need to be done and when. You can share this with your provider and insurer.
Roxanne is off having her B12 checked as we speak. Armed with those results, we’ll be able to determine the most affordable and healthful path forward, specifically for her.
You deserve the same so make that appointment today. I thank you.
*names of clients have been changed