Take Your Vitamins!!!

MizzTweezy

I just wanted to share a recent experience with all of you. I had lap band surgery in June 2011. They make you sign a paper that you will take your B complex and multivitamin for the rest of your life... Being as stubborn as I am, I thought it pertained more to those who actually had problems with absorption surgeries. So I never took my B complex at all, and on and off my multivitamin.

It all started several months ago, feeling of being dizzy. I decided to have my follow up 1 year blood work done at my primary dr, who did the pre op blood work for me, although not my surgeon. They failed to check any vitamin levels except my Vitamin D. Which was low.

Everything they tested came back fine. Soon I was feeling weird sensations like tingling numbness, which I brushed off as part of my anxiety disorder.. Then came the mood changes, irritability went to my psyc doc and changed mental health meds... Then it was my memory, I had a neuro evauation done. I was leaving the stove on several times... loss of coordination feeling disoriented. I dropped everything, couldn't remember what I was doing, Found myself in front of the shelf where I put the plates and dishes with a coffee creamer that belonged in the fridge trying to shove it in a space with the plates which wouldn't even fit. I repeatedly smashed it into the shelf as if I thought it should go there.. and then ultimately loss of stability in my legs to the point of collapse.

Went to the dr, gave me a walker, referred me to a neurologist. Didn't take any blood nothing, and the waiting list was a month and a half to get in. End up in the ER. They do nothing but tell me to follow up with my Dr. Go to the big hospital in the cities, didn't even sign the sign out paperwork for the ER because I felt they didn't do anything to help me. I ended up at a Branch of the facility that did my lap band surgery.. A fantastic hospital.. Within min of talking to the Dr he knew what was wrong. I had been suffering from a severe deficiency of Thiamine or B12.... I could of died... My neurological could be permanent. I won't know for a while. This experience has scared the daylights out of me. I want to tell all of you to pleasssssssse make sure you take the medicine your dr tells you to take.. I never thought just how important they were and what could happen if you didn't take them.. It's just a vitamin right??? Well I learned the hard way and want you all to know my story and hopefully if there is someone out there that has thought it isn't important, show them just how much damage can be done... I'm thankful they found the problem and pray that I make a full recovery. I am 34 years old and don't want to be in a wheelchair or walker for the rest of my life, or have permanent cognitive issues. Please stay safe and Healthy! Blessings

lqichick

I sure hope that things get better for you.

I have a question was your problem caused by low thiamine ( ie B 1) or low cyanocobalamine ( B 12) or was it both?

Once again best of luck >

MizzTweezy

Both can mimic each other, a lot of the same symptoms. It was the Thiamine. B12 came back fine, they can tell that even in a urine sample.

ldrosophila

Very scary. Didnt think absorptive problems were as severe with the lap band, but I guess you are proof. Another check mark for me for the hard boring work of a sensible moderate diet and exercise and why WLS is possibly not for me. I hope you are on the mend and there is no long term damage.

*Edited to clarify

MightyDomo

Horrifying! I hope you manage to get back to normal, so sorry for you to end up in that position!

I honestly stopped taking my multivitamin and zinc a while ago (from listening to those that say I shouldn't need it) but I now find myself getting very ill so often I barely remember the last time I wasn't sick in the last month. And my skin has gotten worse when I stopped the zinc. It's very true, if you body needs something and your neglecting to get it there are consequences!

princess4mimi

Thank GOD for the discovery!!! I pray that everything is reversible!!!

ldrosophila

oops

bluefrog_2001

Thanks for posting this. I work in a health clinic, and all the time we have ladies coming in complaining of various degrees of fatigue, disorientation, balance issues, etc. We do a routine blood screening, and more often than not, they have a B-12 deficiency or other vitamin deficiency. Thankfully, it is treatable. We do many B-12 injection on a monthly basis as well, depending on what their PCP prescribes.

It is vital to keep up on vitamin supplements, especially when you are exercising and changing eating habits to healthier ones.

alasin1derland

wow, I don't know whats scarier. the symptoms or misdiagnosis. good for you getting to the bottom of it. best of luck for full recovery.

MizzTweezy

It is all very scary..