Vitamines after RNY... WHY??

Posting this question for someone else that had RNY about 5 yrs ago but does not take any Vitamines regularly apart from a Multi... Has several problems, can't eat properly has blocage. Eats only liquid-y foods.

She has severe Anemia, very low B-12 results, Hemoglobine at 80 and her Bariatric doctor is doing nothing and sending her off with a referal to find a Internal Medecin Doctor. 

What are your thoughts?? I will share the thread with her because I don't think she takes it very seriously her situation.

Thanks for your time and answers.

Oh, my---where to start?

First, she needs to get the blockage FIXED. She cannot properly nourish herself eating only liquidy foods. She needs to be able to eat dense protein.

Pretty much all humans should take vitamins. It's good that she's taking a multi---but she needs to take at least TWO a day, and NOT at the same time. After the RNY, part of the small intestine is bypassed, and that part contains a significant per centage of the receptor sites where vitamins are absorbed. This means that only a portion of the vitamins consumed will be absorbed, so it's important to consume an excess amount to compensate. Also, she's not---or shouldn't be---eating s much food as a 'normal' person, so she's not taking iin a 'normal' amount of vitamins in her food.

Now---as for B12. In normal anatomy, intrinsic factor is produced in the fundus of the stomach, and intrinsic factor is necessary in order to absorb B12 in the digestive tract. In the RNY, the fundus is bypassed, so---no intrinsic factor. RNYers should take sublingual B12 (dissolves under the tongue) or get monthly B12 injections. No wonder her levels are low! Low levels of the B vites can cause all SORTS of problems. She needs to gt her rear in gear and get this up.

Low iron is a problem of a lot of women, and even moreso for women who've had WLS. She needs to be taking supplemental iron, or maybe even getting iron infusions. She also needs to be taking calcium citrate, at least two hours apart from her iron. She needs to take calcium 3-4 times EVERY DAY, because brittle bones are no fun.

I suggest you direct your friend to http://www.vitalady.com. It's a great website for learning about vitamins. The owner, Michelle Curran, is a long-time RNYer who had to figure most of this out for herself, since most WL surgeons know didly-squat about nutritional needs of NORMAL people, let alone the special needs of the WLS post-op.

I hope she takes her bariatric surgeon advice and heads on to her internist STAT who will hopefully send her for a hematology work-up with a referral to a hematologist. Left untreated vitamin deficiencies can be potentially FATAL ...Just to name a few... niacin deficiency can lead serious conditions including dementia, beriberi and other illnesses.  Thiamine deficiency is known to cause IRREVERSIBLE nerve damage and in extremes can even lead to heart failure ...  

You friend needs to take her health in her OWN hands and be her own advocate ... a vitamin regimen is prescribed and is to be followed for life as well as strict laboratory monitoring with this and other surgeries.  At this point she needs a hematologic workup and probably would benefit from transfusions the hematologist will know best.

This is no playing matter ... her situation is serious and if she values her well-being as in her life she should take action YESTERDAY.

I am glad you are advocating for her ... and I hope she takes the responses that she will get from others that would better elaborate seriously and take herself to the professionals who can help her.

My read on the situation is that the surgeon did his job with the surgery and that was successful.  Surgeons are NOT nutritional experts.  You can read up and down this board for examples of that.  He is telling her to get some help from people who know more than he does.  It's sad that your friend didn't find this community earlier, as we could have helped before she got into bad shape.

They ladies above have explained what she needs to do.. get blockage fixed, find a General practitioner who knows bypass.  Get bypass friendly vitamins take them... NOW FOR THE GODS HONEST TRUTH AS TO WHY take them... BECAUSE IF SHE DOESN'T THE SIDE AFFECTS OF NOT TAKING THEM CAN KILL HER!!  I watched a friend not take care of herself and never take the vitamins it weakened her body and  her immune system so much when she got a basically simple illness her body couldn't fight and she died. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO TAKE VITMAINS.  I had issues with vitamins and had to get iron infusions  then when my GP did research with me we got it straightened out and as long as I take my vitamins my numbers stay good..

You friend needs to get a doctor and get started fixing things NOW before damage that can't be fixed is done.

sorry I am not known for being subtle

Jeannie

My thoughts are that she will continue to develop severe nutritional deficiencies as long as she chooses not to take vitamins.  But she's an adult so it's her choice.  I think it's  unwise, but if she doesn't mind being exhausted and depressed and developing nerve damage in her hands and feet, etc, then that's up to her.

Why is your friend not taking her supplements...is it because of the cost...or she wasnt educated enough to understand it could have fatal results. Try to encourage her to love herself enough to start doing what she should...she may have done some damage that cannot be undone. Prayers are with her.