Thaimine Deficiency

My Dr, just called with blood results. My liver and kidney functions are good, B12 is good, protein is a little low but still in range. My Thaimine is low, I did receive a B1, and B12 shot yesterday. He didn't seem to worried about it, he said we would talk about it on Dec 6th (my next appt.) Is thaimine def normal at this point post-op?

You should probably be taking a B-complex daily. Thiamine deficiency can be major if not treated. If can cause, Beri-Beri which is neurological symptoms. Since you received some yesterday you could be ok for sometime but I was definitely told to take a b complex daily. Good luck

Read up on Thiamin deficiency.  Just like other B vitamin deficiencies you could end up with non-reversable damages.  Yes, it is common......my suggestion is get a B-1 vitamin and take it for a while then have your labs drawn again.  Do you take a B-complex?

Mine was low, the Dr put me on a B-1 supplement along with the B complex that I have been taking all along. I didnt appreciate the taste of them while swallowing, but not horrible. Then three months later at my next appointment with lab results, my thiamine levels were fine and he told me to stop them. But I still am to take the B complex.

This doesn't really make sense to me.  If you developed a thiamine deficiency when you were  not taking a thiamine supplement, and your level improved to a normal level when you were taking a thiamine supplement, then it seems to me that you need to take a thiamine supplement.  Why stop taking it?  Is the plan to wait until you develop a deficiency again, then take a supplement until you get to a normal level, then stop the supplement and develop a deficiency again, over and over?

I understand this is what your doc has advised.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  If you know your body needs extra thiamine in order to maintain a good level, why not just keep taking it so your level stays good?  What's the benefit to having your level go up and down like that?

Thank you Kelly, I didn't even realize that. I will keep taking them. But I do have another question, PLEASE;  I have been feeling really weak at times, heart pounding, shaky, light headed, sweat flashes.  It seems to happen when I exert myself. Like moving a bale of hay, or bag of dog food. Or even carrying in the groceries. I almost passed out at work, and finally when that happened I drove straight to the Dr office. They checked my blood sugar level, and it was at 79. They said that was fine. My blood pressure was good. So they drew blood. She said everthing was good (approx 4 days later when results were in) but that "maybe " I should take an iron supplement. MAYBE???  I am really starting to not trust the Doctors. I came to this website and tried to search for posts on iron. I could not find what I was looking for. Can you please give me your opinion. I take the Celebrate multi plus with Iron every day.  my Ferritin, serum on my results page is at 39.  The range says from 13 - 150. I am 40 years old and do still have menses. I do not see anything else on the report that says iron. I did go ahead and buy an iron supplement from Celebrate. Which is Iron plus Vit. C. Its in carbonyl form, and is 30 mg. But I have no clue what to take, and when I called the Doctors office and asked how much she would recommend, I was told 350 mg. WHAT???? So I was going to get back on here and do a search, but then saw your reply to my message about the Thiamin. And was hoping maybe I could get a better information asking you. I have learned more from this site and you guys than anything the Doctors told me to read, or even from asking them. They scare me. Thank you for anything you can tell me. 

Yeah, you need iron.  The ASMBS says if you still menstruate you need a total of 54-63 mg a day. So probably one of the 30 mg tablets in addition to what's in the multi.

She said 350 mg because she was probably recommending ferrous sulfate, not carbonyl iron.  But you don't want to take ferrous sulfate, at least not if you want to be able to poop.  It is infamous for causing constipation, plus carbonyl is just absorbed better.  The dose for carbonyl is much smaller because it is all elemental iron.  Ferrous sulfate is not.  325 mg ferrous sulfate only has 65 mg elemental iron and the rest is iron salts, which is what makes people constipated.

The Celebrate carbonyl doesn't have enough vitamin C to really aid in absorption, though, so I would take some extra C with it.  You need 200 mg C for every 30 mg iron.

Kelly, THANK YOU, I really appreciate you taking time for me.  I will get some more C.   Thank you so much! Oh, I finally made it to your blog (love your new pup too!) and read about the reactive hypoglycemia. I am going to try and keep a protein bar on me always and see if this helps. And add in another meal, and see if maybe that helps too. 

Oh, you're welcome.  Any time.  I try to keep a protein bar in my purse and one in the glove box of my car.  Just don't get a chocolatey one because they will get melty and very messy if it's hot.  Even without the RH, they make good emergency snacks, better than having to try to find something at the gas station or fast food drive thru.

My doctor requires us to start taking a B-100 complex after surgery. They said if a person cant handle taking it, then to at least take 100 of thiamine per day.