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Blood test shows low protein and potassium levels



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Hi everyone... Almost six months out & my surgeon ordered blood work. My potassium is low as well as my Protein levels. I was pretty surprised about the protein levels considering I use MFP everyday to be sure I get around 80 g per day. Anyone else have these issues? Do you need to take an additional supplement?

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I had low b Vitamins and vit d. I was scolded and told to make sure I get my supplements in.

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I take additional potassium. It seems to be a common deficiency.

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I have not been tested post op yet but have never been one to take Vitamins or supplements. I struggle with how many we are asked to take as I don't know why sleevers would need more than daily recommendations for anyone? I track food and vitamins on MFP. Thoughts (p art of me thinks they just want to sell me bariatric vitamins)

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I have not been tested post op yet but have never been one to take Vitamins or supplements. I struggle with how many we are asked to take as I don't know why sleevers would need more than daily recommendations for anyone? I track food and Vitamins on MFP. Thoughts (p art of me thinks they just want to sell me bariatric vitamins)

Vitamin supplements are not as bioavailable as getting the vitamins through food.... You're not eating much food lately.... And I haven't been told to take any special vitamins per se, just "one a day" from the drugstore.... So I don't think you NEED to take special Bariatric vitamins.

I am with you soooooooo much on hating to take them tho. My surgeon asked me if I'm getting my vitamins every day and I'm like "I um... I average taking them about 4.5 out of seven days. I am trying." He gave me a look and said to take them every day....

I couldn't take prenatals when pregnant (they made me nauseated), I couldn't stomach them when breastfeeding ('til now, and Baby is almost 1.5 yrs)..... I TRY. But they're gross and my stomach turns, especially with Iron supplements (which I KNOW I need)..... YUCK!! So I get a week where I take them every day and then I forget a day and then I take them three days then forget another day..... And overall I'd say 4.5/7 is my average for the last 2 months. ;) I got a bunch of pill keepers and sorted out daily doses of vitamins for a month and I carry those little carriers around with me, and I try to remember to take them with my morning meds...

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Thanks- I do take Bariatric Fusion regularly and it does contain potassium iodide, but maybe not enough? According to MFP, my goal for potassium is 3500mg daily, don't think I could hit that mark if I tried with my diet. My dr ordered another blood test to see if the original test was a fluke so we'll see. Still wondering about my Protein levels& why they would be low considering that I get around 80g each day.

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Vitamin supplements are not as bioavailable as getting the Vitamins through food.... You're not eating much food lately.... And I haven't been told to take any special vitamins per se, just "one a day" from the drugstore.... So I don't think you NEED to take special Bariatric vitamins. I am with you soooooooo much on hating to take them tho. My surgeon asked me if I'm getting my vitamins every day and I'm like "I um... I average taking them about 4.5 out of seven days. I am trying." He gave me a look and said to take them every day.... I couldn't take prenatals when pregnant (they made me nauseated), I couldn't stomach them when breastfeeding ('til now, and Baby is almost 1.5 yrs)..... I TRY. But they're gross and my stomach turns, especially with Iron supplements (which I KNOW I need)..... YUCK!! So I get a week where I take them every day and then I forget a day and then I take them three days then forget another day..... And overall I'd say 4.5/7 is my average for the last 2 months. ;) I got a bunch of pill keepers and sorted out daily doses of vitamins for a month and I carry those little carriers around with me, and I try to remember to take them with my morning meds...

Thanks, elfnow... I decided to go with bariatric fusion because I was trying to minimize the # of pills my dr was telling me to take and the frequency throughout the day, which, knowing myself, I wouldn't keep up with. For me, keeping it simple is best but it looks like I'll need potassium unless there's another Multivitamin out there that contains more of it... My doctor's office does sell it, and although it's a lot cheaper through them. I want to trust that they are right but I did wonder if the formulation/quality was that much better, or just a way to keep patients coming back to their office....

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I also did not take prenatals due to nausea. Even with the bariatric Vitamins they want me to take 3 a day!#! Plus 1500 mg Calcium. I take the Iron before I go to bedcso thst helps.

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I had to take a liquid potassium supplement for a couple weeks after surgery (low potassium and magnesium were causing some heart arrhythmias and tachycardia). Let me just say that liquid potassium is the devil! I despised it and dreaded both times each day that I had to take it. I got retested and my levels were ok so I am hoping they stay that way until I can start eating food and getting my nutrients that way. I hope you can get yours where it needs to be without the liquid supplement.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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