Help me for my next 'round' of blood tests, which will either be the end of August or September....I'll probably have a comp panel + a short cancer panel done, possibly a Comp. Metabolic Panel as well, IF one doc is sharp and anticipates what another will need [one can always hope, can't one?}...IF any blood tests ARE to be done, I am assuming I should stop calcium supplements for [osteo issues] and the B-12...well, UMMM how many days before the tests?
Should I maintain my basic multi-vite for the 'duration'?
When should I stop taking each of: Calciums and B-12....how many days before the tests?
Even if the metabolic #'s are with in 'normal ranges', how do I get a handle of what my true asorbtion rates are? Somehow I fear that it's all totally hit and miss for each of us...I suspect that the 'timing' of all this is important?
Mrs. D, Rose, Consider....specific inputs/guidances in this quarter would really be of a help.
Thanks in advance! and, of course: 's - j

Regarding the nutrients in general, I would stop everything at least the day before. For instance, if you wanted to see how your body functions without some of the supplements you would have to stop a lot sooner. If you want to see whether your body seems happy with what you are doing, the day before would generally be the time, because it is usually best to fast for at least 12 hours prior to testing anyway.

Some things will probably be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Regarding the B12, I would stop at least three days before the samples are drawn. That will allow you to have some idea how strong your stored B12 is.

rose

My concerns were about the B-12 and also the calcium #'s, My last metabolic panel was done with my taking some very full doses of the calcium. While the #'s were just fine, with the 'dosing', it's just telling me how much calcium is actually circulating in the BLOOD and not necessarily being asorbed, correct?

Would I be correct in assuming that the only real way of assessing the asorbtion thru a dexa-scan? My next one will be scheduled for late winter. Sigh.

Thanks again - hope you do get a chance to enjoy some absolutely PERFECT weather! - j

Hi dahlek,

First calcium.... (Well, I wrote that and then sat here for several minutes... not knowing exactly what to put next).

Calcium is so tricky because we hear so much about how much we need it.

The thing is that years ago I subscribed to a Women's Health Newsletter that was really interesting because some of the authors were very keen on magnesium.

They wrote about magnesium a lot, saying that in other countries where people take far less calcium the rates of osteoporosis are actually lower than here in the US where people supplement quite commonly with calcium.

The authors said that our rates of headache and bone spurs were also higher, and that they were related to the high calcium intake without sufficient magnesium to balance it and make it go where it's needed.

So I started taking a magnesium tablet every time I had anything with calcium in it, and when I had a bone density test my bones were lovely and dense. (quite to the surprise of the people administering the test, who I think had anticipated selling me some drug to help with the bone density problem... only I didn't have it.)

Okay... B12. I don't know how much you are taking. But I bet that even stopping three days or a week before hand will not completely clear your blood of the B12 that is circulating due to supplementation.

I once read this really neat article about the only way to really tell how your B12 levels are, is to have a spinal tap.

Apparently the amount in our blood tends to be about 600 or so times more than in our spinal columns.... spinal cord... I forget the exact word.


Here's what I think about B12 tests... in the US the scale for B12 is pretty low. In the U.S. some labs show 180 as low "normal" -- but to me that's way to low to be normal.

In some other countries the low is 550, because at that level changes (for the worse) in mentation can be identified.

So to me, none of the tests we do here are particularly helpful because we don't have a well thought out national approach to B12 as tested in our labs...

Here's my favorite article:
http://www.health-boundaries-bite.co...B12-Level.html

While I wait for my computer to bring up the URL, I want to add that it's good to also remember that B12 tests are done on the basis of healthy people... so when we aren't healthy and need more B12, we need a LOT more in order for it to go into our muscles and into rebuilding our nerve sheaths.

It's such a good idea to keep some sort of Time Line that lists your daily (or when there's a change) symptoms, test results, supplementation. That way you have a record of how you are affected and you can use it to decide what is working and what is best.

(((((((((dahlek))))))))))

More critical for ME is about the CALCIUM? How many days before a test should that be well deferred? That and the 'd' and the 'mag' I really want to see if I do need some form of supplement in this quarter as I would certainly wish for something more definitive than blood tests? Maybe it's a overconcern due to an AI being taken for BC f/u. Since the AI, a total estrogen blocker...things have not only gone downhill...they are going down fast?
I am definitely taking more than adequate calcium, mag, vit-d and omegas....to do so, has become an all-day process, every pill[s] every hour, before/after/between what few meals I eat....
I guess I can say straight out...that this trying to be healthy stuff IS BECOMING ONE HECK OF A COMPLETE DRAG! ?
I AM NOT AMUSED - as Jarrett would say! GROWLL! - j

Wow, seriously, every hour?

That is a lot. And you aren't having major diarrhea?

I hate having to take things all day, I have to concentrate on it or I forget.

Do you just remember, or do you set your computer?

I still think that it's a good idea to keep a journal of symptoms, doses and test results... because quite honestly the tests are based on people who are well, and once we aren't well, I think a whole lot more of certain things can be in our systems, and still not be enough...

Sort of like the pain meds. If a healthy person took as much as someone in pain takes, it would be off the charts drug abuse... but when we have a need for something, then it's completely different.

So... for me the test for B12 is not a useful guide... (Did you already respond to that, and I forgot....????) I'm going to reread what you posted.

Oh, you know what, I don't know what AI is. Nor do I know what you mean by BC f/u.

Maybe with so little knowledge of what you wrote, I shouldn't have responded...