Feeling Great? Do You Still REALLY Need Lab work?
New Year, new calendar, time to enter in to your digital devices all those reminders and important events for 2017.
Birthdays, anniversaries, car inspection and for bariatric post-ops…don’t forget your LAB WORK!
I know this is one of the first things that gets forgotten in the avalanche of to-do’s in the first year after weight loss surgery.
As a bariatric dietitian, I try to make it easier for my clients by sending reminder emails and letters to them and their PCPs.
Many of my clients will say, “Elizabeth, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been; I feel great! Why waste time and co-pays on lab work?”
Short answer? It’s critically important—no matter which procedure you had done.
The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends lab work after bariatric surgery at 3 months, 6-9 months and 12 and 18 months. After that, an annual work-up is usually sufficient.
Here’s why:
It’s safe to say those pre-op deficiencies don’t improve with weight loss, reduced calories and smaller meals.
I send my patients to their doctors and NPs with this list of recommended labs:
More often than I like, providers will pick and choose from the list. They too, wonder if all the tests are truly necessary.
I gently push back with the research data and thankfully, more labs are ordered.
When the labs come back, make sure your bariatric dietitian or some member of your bariatric team reviews them.
Many healthcare providers aren’t well-versed in the nutritional concerns after WLS and might miss an important trend.
I know regular labs are one more thing on the to-do list, but remember, you made a life-changing investment in yourself and your health when you had bariatric surgery.
Consider all those vials of blood just part of your insurance policy protecting that investment!
-Elizabeth Anderson MA, RDN, LD
Elizabeth Anderson MA, RD, LD
Elizabeth Anderson is a registered and licensed dietitian in New Hampshire with a private practice called CrackerJack Nutrition. Elizabeth specializes in weight management with a focus in non-judgmental bariatric surgery support. Elizabeth sees patients in her office and via Skype. Email her for a 15 complimentary session to see if she can help you. eliz@crackerjacknutrition.com.
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I realize that testing hormone levels via blood tests are kind of hit and miss, but as a guy, I can tell you it was really critical. Pre-surgery my testosterone level's were really low. So I was receiving supplementation, the first few months following surgery the T levels spiked during the hormone dump (rapid fat loss led to everything stored in the fat cells to bounce into the blood stream). Now everything has leveled off. If I had just done a "one and done" blood test we would have missed this. And too much T can cause blood clots, and actually make it difficult to do aerobic exercise. If you don't have insurance, check online, there are places where you can get the blood work done affordably, and you can take the results to your doc and NUT.
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