"Cleaned" Repost - My Labs Suck, Advice . . .

First general question - how far in advance to stop taking your vitamins before morning lab draw?  I took my full regular doses the day before, finishing in the evening & got these drawn around 8:00am while fasting (traditional food fasting from night before through morning).

There's only vitamin B6 & K1 that I don't know the results at all.  I know that I need to increase the vitamins that I'm deficient in.  I will post my vitamin schedule first. 

As for Vitamin A, I had been taking 50k units, twice daily & I added in a 3rd 25k dose only about 1 month ago.  I still think I should increase that to 100k total units/day.  Thoughts on whether to add that in as a separate A, say first thing upon rising or to double up with a different A or possibly add it to my second batch, which currently has no A.  Advice please!

My first D draw after surgery was low at 28 when I was taking only 25k.  I then upped it to twice daily 50K & it went up to 96 in 4 months.  I then went down to 25k units twice daily and it's now 47.  I have since added in a third calcium with A dose so my thought is to add in another 25k to that dose & see how it affects the level.  Advice please!

I take 50mg (mcg?) as gluconate from Pilgrim's Pride.  When I initially tested borderline low/normal for this, I added zinc in - I hadn't been taking it prior, yet my zinc level has fallen after adding it in.  Am I taking a ****ty form of it & need to get one with better bioavailability or do I just need to up that to 2 pills/day?  Advice please!

I'm not concerned about my "high" B12.

About my CRP - I've been having inflammation episodes with both knees, particularly the right one & just saw an orthopedic for this on the 27th.  He ordered a MRI, which I did & I have a f/u this Friday.  Maybe CRP is due to this?  Osteoarthritis runs in my family & I was a very active MO person (jogging, taekwondo).  Thoughts?

My coagulation markers are all high.  I believe that suggests a low vitamin K.  Am I remembering that correctly?  Again, am waiting on K1 results.

My protein & globulin markers are almost all out of range & I'm not sure what to make of them.  Advice very much needed!

My total cholesterol has fallen to 88.  Is it even possible to have too low?

MY IRON SUCKS ASS.  They're sending me to a hemotologist for probable iron infusion(s).  I had been taking vitalady's Tender Iron (fumerate) since surgery (318mg), but had been feeling really tired for several months.  I suspected I was low on iron & switched to one Proferrin (cut in half) & one Heme polypetide about 8 - 10 wks ago.  I'm guessing I'm too low to dig myself out of it with these, but any advice on what else to take or dosages is welcome.  My ferritin is out of range high (way high) so I'm hesitant it take ferrous fumerate b/c I think that's for ferritin - yes?

My immunity CBC wasn't so great.  Not sure what to make of that.  I had been feeling fine, temp was fine.  Not greatly concerned about it, but thoughts welcome if someone else can connect dots I'm not seeing!!!

MMA was low.  I read online that high was a precursor to low B12.  Any reason to be concerned was a low MMA reading?

Vitamins I take, mostly vitalady's (except Mg, multi, calcium, B's, C):
Batch One:
2 calcium citrate, D, A, E, bcomplex, b12 sublingual (I do put it under my tongue), B6, folate, magnesium

Batch Two:
multivitamin, zinc, K1 (1000mcg), k2 (100)

Batch Three:
C, Copper (5mg), Proferrin cut in half, Heme popypeptide

Batch Four:
2 calcium citrate, D, A, milk thistle, magnesium

Batch Five:
2 calcium citrate, A


Here's My Labs!!!

Test                      L/H     Range       Value
Vit A                       L        38 - 98         23    
Vit D, 25 Hydr.                30 - 100      47
Vit B12                  H      211 - 911    >1500
Folate                             >5.4              23.1
Zinc                       L       60 - 130        55
Copper                           70 - 175      156
Magnesium                  1.5 - 2.6          2
Selenium                     120 - 200      147

Calcium                         8.2 - 10.5      9.5
PTH                               14 - 72          29.7
Osteocalcin  almost H 11.3 - 35.4    35
CRP                   H        

I tried for HOURS last night getting my labs on here before I got the rest posted . . . ALL except CRP, thus this morning, I just tried putting in my CRP as an edit at the top of this post/ reply to myself where I had FINALLY gotten the rest of my labs to actually post . . . only to have "CRP  H" appear alone & the rest that I had typed in is GONE.

I will reply to the original post again, which will appear below with the REST of the labs . . . from a different computer, I think mine may have a virus.       

Your WBC count is high, which suggests you have some kind of infection. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that can also make your ferritin levels seem to be high also.

I don't have a lot to offer you, Lisey. But I wonder if the zinc problem isn't a zinc problem, but too much copper? They play yin and yang, and copper tends to depress zinc absorption. Maybe stop taking the copper for a month and re-test?

Your protein numbers are odd. Total protein is like money in your bank account, and that's very good. Albumin is like money in a CD, and it's a little iffy but not awful. But Pre-albumin, the money in your pocket, is awful. Have you changed the type or amount of protein in your diet? Maybe that's what's going on.

Personally, I'd kill for your D and PTH, but that's cause mine are the suck. Adding more D certainly makes sense to me, and maybe just staying at 50K. Might be your sweet spot. You seem to absorb D just fine, so I'd throw it in with another calcium batch and call it a day.

Good luck with the hematologist. Let us know what s/he says and does!

I really haven't changed my protein too much with the exception of eating a little more cheese in last 2 months, but overall levels of protein are the same.  I average 110 - 150gm/day, virtually all of it is from meat, cheese, & nuts - all 3, everyday.  I occasionally have a glass of soy milk.

I honestly still don't undertand my protein panel too well.  Let me see if I understand from what you wrote . . . . pre-albumin is what my body most readily uses, while total protein is my complete reserves and albumin is a type of reserve that is maybe used as a last resort? 

About the copper.  I actually just increased it from vitalady's lower copper dose, which I think was 3mg (maybe 2, but I think 3).  I increased it with my last order & have been taking this higher 5mg dose for about 6 wks, I think.

I do remember the balance needed b/w copper & zinc now that you bring it up.  Maybe backing off of copper to every other day for awhile or ordering the lower dose again while keeping my 50mg zinc gluconate (vitalady's) AND adding in a few zinc lozenges like someone else suggested. 

 If it were me with a low Iron, I would go with Buffalo liver capsules,6 a day  (available at the Vitamin cottage, mail order, Denver, Made by Carlson Labs...cost about 40$ for 180 caps.)... or eat liver about an ounce at two meals each day, to a total of ten times per week.  ...  I have no protein(intrinsic factor) to allow me to  absorb any iron, and the only food it is naturally present in is Liver...... According to some surgeons who took care of me when I was in an acute phase..." Nothing else will absorb correctly with your Iron out of whack".   I was 5 years or so post op when mine  was found with a HGb of 6.3, 2 units of PRBC's brought it up to 9.2, and  Liver ten times a week brought it up to 11.3 in 8 more weeks....
       ( I eat liver regularly  four times a week now and take  the liver capsules , 3 a day to maintain my iron..).
     I would use zinc lozenge, it absorbs  sublingual....about two or three a week. cold eze@wally world 6$ for 18.
       Get some sunshine for your vitamin D.about 20 min a day......and .no sunscreen when you are getting your D!  
         I would  check my diet, make sure you are getting no asparatine or MSG....both of these substances can cause pain in the connective tissue and joints that mimic arthritis , Lupus and  other auto-immune problems....It doesn't cost much but a little effort to eliminate that possibility. I noticed a change after omitting MSG for 5 days....
        I would address the coagulation issues with some cod liver oil, 3 tbsp daily,(split in two doses) and 800mg daily of vitamin E. this will also balance out your cholesterol.
          I would take L-Lysine to boost my immunity, 500mg capsule twice a day is  according to bottle directions.  
      I am now 17 years post op...a different surgery from yours, but I have already been thru the school of hard knocks... this is my opinion and what I would do if it were me...you have the information, if there is something else I can do to help, please by all means send me a message...The information is yours.I hope it helps you. sweettater

Thank you so much for your help, this really gives me a lot to think about.  Unfortunately, this is the first time I've EVER gotten a TIBC & % saturation test, but my blood markers were always normal before surgery so I'm guessing I do make intrinsic factor.  I totally understand what you are saying about the iron, though.  My mom used to make it when I was a kid & I always thought it smelled really bad, but haven't had it since I was a kid.  I will eat it if I have to! 

What's PRBC?

  Lisey, honey,    thats why I  told you about the Liver capsules....
         ..It takes out the "I just can't get this in today"... factor..
          . Here's an extention of my  reasoning....
            It took  over 5 years before my iron dropped,..... and Mom 's surgery was 18 years ago, and she's just starting to have problem with her Iron...      
            Intrinsic factor won't hurt you, it is a natural  substance...so even if you already have some, there is no way  to know, without lotsof expensive tests, if your release of it is adequate, and it's  solution,  fairly easy ...
                  PRBC'S  = packed red blood cells.
                   That's what I wanted you to do, think!,      By posting in open forum not only did I tell you what you needed to know, I also was able to show that there are obstacles and  solutions....that are reasonalbe and   not so expensive....
 
             Thinking:That's the first step to  getting healthy, and the more info you have the better basis  you will have for that decision.... the next steps  are to make a decision and act on it.  
           Take care ofyourself, and be your own advocate... Do the research, figure your costs and if they are something you will be able to maintain....
      I made the choice to go natural as much as possible, because of finances, and the loss of my insurance several years ago... My Doctors  do not like to do anything  infusion related...so I had to go with a pill or go from Doc to doc hunting someone willing to give an infusion.. I figured if I were going to have to take or eat something every day I would  keep my little bit of money and decision out of the government and the drug companies pockets...I would not do anything to actively inflate their pocketbook above their  ability to waste...