No Routine Blood Work since surgery

So I had surgery almost 8 months ago.  I have had multiple routine visits with my surgeon since, most recently at 6 months out. My surgeons office has never had me get blood work done- which seems odd to me.  I called & asked them about this & they said they do not request bloodwork done unless there is a problem and that judging by my weightloss & my telling them my vitamin intake & eating/drinking habits, everything is ok. I know every surgeon is different but does anyone else's NOT do blood work?

My surgeon changed her protocol after I was already a year out (I had my PCP draw labs at 3 months because I was anxious about some that were low before I had surgery, but my surgeon only did them at 6 months and 1 year).  She later  started not doing labs until a year out because some insurance plans were not paying for some of the tests to be done at 6 month intervals (some of them, such as the Bit D test, are several hundred dollars!) and because the 6 month labs weren't usually showing changes, anyway.  It does take a while for issues to show up as far as vitamins that our body stores, but still... 

Personally, I would not have waited a full year.  I would have insisted on labs by 9 months out.  They cannot tell ANYTHING about your vitamin levels just based on how much you are or are not losing, or the fact that you SAY you are taking vitamins every day (even if that is the truth), so that statement by your surgeon's office is a ridiculous one!

Lora

I would insist on blood work.  Or ask your PCP to order it for you.  That seems very reckless to me, and the ASMBS recommends yearly blood work (more often the first year, I think).

Thanks ladies.  I thought it was ridiculous too.  They said they do it 1 year out unless I am havign issues.  But I dont want to wait for an issue, I'd rather be pro-active. 

Ah, OK.  I thought you were saying they never ordered blood work unless you had  problem.  I still wouldn't wait one year, but that's not as ridiculous as never doing it.

Did you get a full set of labs pre op?  Many people have deficiencies in thiings like D and B12 going into WLS.  And they can't tell based on your weight loss if you have any vitamin deficiencies - most deficiencies don't interfere with weight loss.  And they can't tell based on what vitamins you're taking, because different people need different amounts of vitamins - for instance, I have to take 50,000 IU D3 three tiimes a week to keep my vitamin D level good but some people need much less than that.  I have to take 25,000 IU A three times a week to keep my A level good, but some people are OK with just the amount of A that's in their multi.

Mine does a super limited set of tests, but I did get them to agree to do additional tests for me at my 3 month visit and then annually. I think I may just have my PCP run them in the future and coordinate with the surgeon on my results.