I am and was a little surprised.

GP says all hunky dory, but my blood work at 4 years post op isn't as excellent as it has been. Examples, fasting blood sugars had been in the 70s, this time 92. My cholesterol ratio is very good, and my triglycerides remain ridiculously low, but total cholesterol is 215, higher than it was when I was obese.

So things are normal to good enough, but not as good as the last few years.

I had some physical setbacks that decreased my exercise and I was partying alot over the holidays and bloodwork was done like right after first of the year. I am eating clean again and as soon as I recover from this surgery, expect to be back working out. Hoping my year 5 bloodwork shows the trend back to excellent.

Anyone else have this experience?

I just got a "full body drain"---annual blood work-up. As usual, low Vit.D, low Vit B12, and a new low this year--low TSH--thyroid.

I will have my px on Feb 10 to follow up on the lab results.

What does it all mean?? Maybe it's just age related, or maybe just a new "Vitamin cocktail" is needed.

The low TSH is worrisome. I'll find out more on the 10th.

Our bodies are constantly changing. I guess we just have to listen better!

I am only 16 months post op and have my "body drain" done every six months right now.

Because I have had what will now be 3 surgeries post bypass I have some in between blood work done.

I also had my A1C checked in November and it was 4.8 which is great! I had it checked Friday for my pre op physical (having shoulder surgery on 12th) and my A1C is still excellent but now at 5.2.

That is very strange to me because my eating habits are the same.

I had her check my B12 because they had me stop taking it for 6 months and that is now in the normal range. I am certain in April they will have me start taking it again.

I know this blood work is key to staying healthy the rest of our lives. I cannot imagine being one of those people that simply stop follow up after bypass. Scary....

My surgeon advised they will do bloodwork at my 1 yr post op appointment. My PCP does blood work every year.

I'm only 19 months out from surgery, so I'm still having blood work done fairly frequently. I hope to settle into a routine where I alternate between my bariatric surgeon and my GP every 6 months. That would mean getting my labs drawn twice a year to try and avoid any surprises.

I hope to settle into a routine where I alternate between my bariatric surgeon and my GP every 6 months.

Smart plan sir

2+ years out here and yes! My sleeve surgeon moved on so I do it at my PCP, but I do it once per year and probably will for life!

I'm 21 months post-op, and had a full blood panel done last at 14 months out by the WLS clinic that's part of my HMO who did the surgery. It was a nasty shock to discover this followup blood work was NOT covered, and so I paid a bucketful for it. Since then I've had a partial one as part of a check up with my GP, (covered) and it showed elevated B12, so I went off the stuff with doc's agreement. I've had a history of anemia, and lately felt low energy when I shouldn't have, so am back on half doses of Iron again.

I'll test each year with my GP now, since the WLS clinic folks didn't seem to give a hang, barely scanned the results, nor were they the least bit helpful when I talked to them about my struggle to lose even though at the time I was staying strictly on plan.

My point is I was a little surprised that while my bloodwork is "good" at 4 years out, it isn't as excellent as it was in the first months, first year, years two and three.

CGJ

I've had some variation in my glucose. Mine was 92 the summer of 2014. This Nov it is back down to 80. The summer of 2014 was highly stressful. That is the only difference I can come up with. I eat and work out the same.

Cholesterol is fine. But it seems I've read others talk about having some uptick in cholesterol. I wonder if some of it is artifact of aging/genetics and not diet/lifestyle.

I'm so glad your still here and asking these questions. I like to stop in an compare notes.

My point is I was a little surprised that while my bloodwork is "good" at 4 years out, it isn't as excellent as it was in the first months, first year, years two and three.

Don't blood level expectations change as we age? Maybe it's just as simple as that.

My husband and I have a PCP for 15 years who is our lifesaver, when the sleeve surgeon failed. We have blood work every three months. I have been taking Thamine shots for three to four months or so, and still have lab work saying low in Thiamine levels. PCP says all other blood work is good, so not to worry too much. My husband and I are two diabetics and still have A1c tests that go up and down. I think blood work is critical.

Not odd at all - My doc will do blood work every year at my annual follow up - forever.

My PCP also does blood work annually (I try to get them at 6 months apart).

Bodies will change with age, and your chemistry will change with your eating habits as well as age.

As a WLS patient, each year and stage of life there will come different blood level goals/expectations and (hopefully not ...but...) areas of concern.

This was explained by my doc on my very first visit when I asked about long term maintenance. so I already know it is one of the more important follow ups I will have, for the rest of my life.

CJ,

I get my bloodwork every year. Coming up on year 5 in May. But after your post, I checked and I see I haven't had my cholesterol since 2 years post op. I'm going to request a check this year.

Lynda

PCP does it annually and surgeon annually so I space 6 months apart and results to all Dr's. At 27 months out, results continue to be very good. But, I'm so careful about eating healthy, they should be.

Sometimes I surprise myself about the huge transformation. It's turned into more than the physical restriction provided by the sleeve into a psychological transformation and I'm not sure how that happened. Possibly driven by my loving the way I feel and wanting to preserve that...

Edited March 16, 201610 yr by Andrew0929