Is it time for your annual check up and blood work? If you no longer see your surgical team, then ask your general practitioner to have your blood tested at least once a year. Something to keep in mind is that not all GPs know what labs they need to order for the proper blood work after WLS. But fear not – we have you covered! Since each country is a little different, we’ve included both the UK and Nordic guidelines as a place to start wherever you live!
Annual blood work after WLS according to the BOMSS (UK) guidelines:
Below are the bloods recommended for all patients after a gastric bypass or VSG:
- Urea and Electrolytes (U&E)
- Liver Function Test (LFT)
- Full Blood Count (FBC)
- Ferritin
- Folate
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)¨
- Vitamin B12
In addition, your doctor may recommend the following tests as needed
- Thiamine (B1)
- Zinc
- Copper
- Vitamins A, E, and K
- Selenium
- HbA1c and/or Fasting Blood Glucose
- Lipid Profile (TC, HDL, LDL, and TG)
Annual blood work after bariatric surgery according to the Nordic guidelines:
- Haemoglobin (Hb) with iron status (Serum-Ferritin or Serum-Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC); according to local routines). C-reactive protein (CRP) is needed in most cases to assess whether low values are due to redistribution of albumin caused by inflammation.
- S-Cobalamin (B12)
- Vitamin D (Vitamin S-25OH-D).
- Parathyroid Hormone (fS-PTH)
- Serum Calcium
- Serum Folate for women of childbearing age
What do I do when I get the results?
If your samples are good, keep taking your vitamins! Even if you haven’t taken them consistently and still have good blood work, not taking your vitamins can catch up you with you later. This is because many people have good stores of various vitamins and minerals before their surgery, but these stores will start depleting if you aren’t taking your supplements. That’s why it’s important to develop routines with your vitamins early! Afterall, it can be difficult to remember that you need vitamins daily when you feel better than ever. If you’re having trouble getting into your routines, download our BariBuddy app for support! Also, make sure that your supplement contains all the vitamins and minerals you need after bariatric surgery, like Baricol!
If your blood tests come back with some labs that are not optimal, be sure to work with your healthcare team to get them back in range. In some cases, this even even happen if you are taking the recommended vitamins and minerals since some people will need more than the standard recommendations for certain to keep their blood work after WLS in normal range.
Does Baricol Complete have all of the vitamins and minerals I need?
Baricol contains all the vitamins and minerals needed after a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve according to the Nordic guidelines. That said, some people need a little extra of certain vitamins and minerals (for example, if you have low vitamin D), so follow up with your doctor or dietician to be sure that you are getting what you need!
Looking for more? Check out our other blog posts!
Get complete nutrition with
Baricol® Complete
Baricol Complete is a vitamins and mineral supplement created by doctors and dieticians using to the Nordic guidelines to give you all you need after WLS in one product. Choose between powder, effervescent, chewable, and tablets. Recommended by healthcare professionals.
