Low vitamin D cause to delay surgery?

anncha
on 12/8/17 9:51 pm

In the blood work I had done at the beginning of my application process it said my vitamin D level was 55 which is lower than it needs to be. I've started taking 2000ic of chewable vitamin d but the social worker said the nurse will probably delay surgery until my "slightly lower than normal" (her words) are within the normal range. She said this usually takes a couple of months.

Im now fretting that it'll be months longer than it should be for something so trivial (and that is apparently exceptionally common in m Canada!)

Referral to Sudbury: April 28th 2017, Orientation: July 19th 2017, 1:1's: Dec 14th 2017, Follow up with NP: Jan 9th OTN: Jan 18th, Pre-Op: Feb 12th, Surgery: Feb 27th - 2 weeks of Opti. Hospital: St. Joseph's TO with Dr Sullivan.

Height: 5'11, age 38. SW: 323lb CW:196lb

SweetRide1
on 12/9/17 12:35 am
RNY on 01/16/18

Most of us, and most people in the northern hemisphere, have low Vitamin D.

If you are supplementing now you will have more than enough time to get your levels up.

Typically the timeframe for surgery is anywhere from 9 months to 1 year, or a bit longer, until surgery happens.

Don't fret yet.

Referral - May 31/17; Orientation - June 15/17; First Appt Nurse - June 26/17; Bloodwork and ECG - June 27/17; Sleep Study - July 5/17; Dietician Appt - July 10/17; Counsellor Appt - July 10/17; Abdominal Ultrasound - July 10/17: Endoscopy/Colonoscopy - July 25/17; Second Dietician Appt - September 14/17; Internist Appt - October 2/17; Meet the Surgeon - November 21/17; Pre Surgery Nutrition Class - January 12/18; Surgery - January 16/18

anncha
on 12/9/17 4:40 am

I totally understand the timeframes. However, delaying for something pretty much everyone has in Canada seems pretty unreasonable.

Ii guess I'll just need to wait and see what she says!

Referral to Sudbury: April 28th 2017, Orientation: July 19th 2017, 1:1's: Dec 14th 2017, Follow up with NP: Jan 9th OTN: Jan 18th, Pre-Op: Feb 12th, Surgery: Feb 27th - 2 weeks of Opti. Hospital: St. Joseph's TO with Dr Sullivan.

Height: 5'11, age 38. SW: 323lb CW:196lb

Smoka
on 12/9/17 2:24 am
RNY on 09/12/17

I ran into the same issue and was referred to a specialist (Endocrinologist for calcium deficiency) , except in my situation my D was not even low, it was just on the lower side of normal!

It was sooooo frustrating because every health professional since has told me that most people in Canada have low vitamin D levels and mine was normal!

Anyway, the process for my surgery was delayed a few months because of it but I just kept calling the clinic and spoke to the nurse and the dietician to try to convince the doctor/internist that my appointment with the specialist could wait until after I had my surgery. It took a lot of phone calls, convincing, and persistence, but eventually I got back on schedule and had my surgery a few months later.

I still haven't seen the Endocrinologist - my appointment is this Monday - 3 months after my surgery. Long story short - After a discussion with the Internist about whether or not I really needed this surgery (because my BMI was borderline) I really feel that was he looking for ways to stall the process for me. Anyway...that really is another story!

Good luck with your journey and don't forget to be persistent when you need to be!

Barb

Referred May 2016, Orientation July 4, 2016, Pre-Nutrition Class March 31, 2017, Nurse April 10, 2017, Blood work/ECG April 13, 2017, Ultra-sound April 27, 2017, Psychologist May 30, 2017, Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy June 5, 2017, Internist June 13, 2017, Dietician June 14, 2017, 2nd Round of blood work August 2, 2017, Surgeon September 6, 2017, Surgery September 12, 2017 - St. Joe's Hamilton - No Opti

Height 5"4" HW 231 SW222 CW141

PreOp-9 lbs M1-20lbs M2-11lbs M3-13lbs M4-7lbs M5-8lbs M6-7lbs M7-5lbs M8-5lbs M9-2lbs M10-0lbs M11 - 0lbs M12 - 0lbs

(deactivated member)
on 12/9/17 5:45 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada

It really isn't up to the social worker to be commenting on things outside her scope of expertise. I'd be pissed she even brought up anything medical. As for the D, mine has never hit normal, which is 75 and I take tons more than 2000 IU. The nurse may ask you to take the useless D2 of 50 000 IU that they prescribe to some people. I wouldn't fret over what the SW said as it really isn't her call.

oneatatime
on 12/9/17 6:29 am
RNY on 09/01/17

My D was so low pre-surgery they had me on 4000 iu daily. It never came up again as a talking point, and from first appointment to surgery was less than 4 months so I know it wasn't corrected.

On discharge, i asked if I should continue the 4000 iu because it wasn't listed anywhere and the nurse said no... there is D in the calcium. At my 3 month appointment last week I just got put back on 4000 iu daily. D is still low!!

I would not stress about it. :)

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Choose happy.

Opti -10 / M1 -25.5 / M2 -10 / M3 -14.5 / M4 -13 / M5 -10 / M6 -5.5 / M7 -9.5 / M8 -13.5 / M9 -0.5 / M10 -2.5 / M11 -2.5 / M12 +2 / M13 -5.5

Century Club and Onederland in month 7!!

anncha
on 12/9/17 7:23 am

She commented because I asked. They work really closely and she said that was the only thing she felt might be an issue. I actually meant the dietitian rather than the social worker no idea why I said sw (he was a man)

I think fretting is my middle name at the moment! I hate the unknown! I will fret less though :) thank you.

Referral to Sudbury: April 28th 2017, Orientation: July 19th 2017, 1:1's: Dec 14th 2017, Follow up with NP: Jan 9th OTN: Jan 18th, Pre-Op: Feb 12th, Surgery: Feb 27th - 2 weeks of Opti. Hospital: St. Joseph's TO with Dr Sullivan.

Height: 5'11, age 38. SW: 323lb CW:196lb

(deactivated member)
on 12/9/17 1:36 pm, edited 12/9/17 5:37 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada

I see you are going through Sudbury like I did. They are famous for putting people on D2 when their D is low. I think it's 50000 IU once a week for 6 or 7 weeks. It's actually garbage but most just get it filled and take it as our bodies need to convert D2 to D3 and essentially we get less than the 50 000 anyway but it's just another hurdle. I haven't seen anyone denied or put off until D came up, just had to take that stupid D2 for the time they say then continue on with D3. I have taken 5000 IU of D3 since day 1 and my most recent blood work it's at 69. I had surgery years ago and it's never come past 72 plus I spend all summer outdoors and still can't get it to normal. Had they made me wait, I'd still not have surgery lol

anncha
on 12/9/17 1:59 pm

Thank you for that. I do feel much better and I'm glad I asked the group now :)

Referral to Sudbury: April 28th 2017, Orientation: July 19th 2017, 1:1's: Dec 14th 2017, Follow up with NP: Jan 9th OTN: Jan 18th, Pre-Op: Feb 12th, Surgery: Feb 27th - 2 weeks of Opti. Hospital: St. Joseph's TO with Dr Sullivan.

Height: 5'11, age 38. SW: 323lb CW:196lb

RosieBelly
on 12/9/17 11:00 am

My D is always on the low side and on top of being Canadian I also work nights! lol The supplements work and it only takes a month or two. I know the vets will correct me if I am wrong but I had been told not to take the chewables but rather pill form for better absorption. Could be just my centre though. I not sure that a social worker should be advising you about your vitamins though, maybe give the nurse or your NUT a quick call? Just to ensure you get the best advice and get your levels up as quickly and efficiently as possible?

referred Jan 2016 intake May 2016 left programme returned June 2017 final pre-sx class Oct 2017 surgeon appt Oct 2017

Opti Wt Nov 4/17 226 lbs BMI 45 Sx Wt 212 lbs RNY surgery Nov 23/17 M1 -18 M2-9 M3-10 M4-8 M5-6 M6-7 M7-6 M8-3 M9-1(so far) Down to within one pound of my goal and 99 lbs down from my highest weight. I was not a fast loser but who cares as long as you get there! I know the newbies check the trackers and the signatures so although I kind of lost track of how the rest of the weight came off, you should know that it was not fast and furious but it was slow and steady!

current BMI 24.7 that, my friends, is NORMAL!!! Strong is the new pretty!

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