Vitamins

Ok.... So I know I will probably get a LOT of slack for this post... But I gotta ask.
Is there people out here that do NOT take vitamins on a regular basis and still have labs within normal limits. But you must be a year plus out to respond.
Obviously, my reason for asking is I'm almost 18 months out and I do not regularly take a daily vitamin or a vitamin multiple times a day. I do however get a B12 injection weekly - but that is it. I am due to have my 18 mo labs drawn very soon - so we will see where I fall. If im on the low end of things I will clearly Pick up on the vits. If I'm average..... I probly will continue doing what I'm doin.
Just seeing others point of view on this.
Thanks.

I would be pretty surprised if there were many people that don't take vitamins after a year post op and have normal labs.  Since you have not been taking vitamins, make sure you get a full set of labs done, including things like vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, zinc, copper, B6, selenium, etc. so you really know where you stand.  Also, if you have not had a bone density scan done yet, it would be wise to get one.

No disrespect, but why would you not take the vitimans?

I am 8 years post-op. Through all my years of experience, take your vitamins! I have a very difficult time with them myself, but I can tell ya, your labs will tell the truth. Even if you think you feel ok, your labs will say another. A little trick of mine, I sit at my desk for 8 hours a day so I started leaving a set of my vitamis in my desk. That way I will take them. At home I'm too side tracked or just plain busy running around.

You didnt ask a stupid question.. I've been there and done that. Good luck!

One of the women I met when we still had our local support group through my surgeon's office stopped taking her vitamins shortly before her one year mark.  Her 12 month labs were ok, but when she got her 2 year labs, her Vit D was in single digits (dangerously low... I know because mine was that low at 3 months out), and her iron and calcium levels were also very low.  The last time I saw her, her iron was back up thanks to iron infusions, but she was still trying to get her Vit D up.  I did not ask about the calcium.

Please make sure that you also get a bone density scan because if you are not getting enough calcium, your body will pull it from your bones and the blood test can't tell if the calcium in the blood is from your bones or is from food and supplements.  More importantly, osteoporosis is not like having a low vitamin level where you can reverse the problem with large doses of supplements.

Lora

I am going to ask my friend about this. She is almost 2 years out and brags that she doesn't take the vitamins (other than a monthly B12 shot) and has NEVER had a protein shake! I can't imagine that and will continue with mine!