B12 is a blood level to watch, also iron storage (ferritin) and (25-OH) vitamin D.

I also need to supplement a low dose of sodium (salt, 1 g a day) and magnesium. Others have a lack of potassium because of diarrhea. You'll need to find out for yourself.

@SteveG posted:

B12 is a blood level to watch, also iron storage (ferritin) and (25-OH) vitamin D.

I also need to supplement a low dose of sodium (salt, 1 g a day) and magnesium. Others have a lack of potassium because of diarrhea. You'll need to find out for yourself.

Thanks! Did some tests this morning, waiting for results.

Magnesium was a game changer for me. I didn’t have a test, but had chronic muscle knots and tightness. I started taking magnesium supplements and it all magically went away.

Duck 11, what kind of magnesium do you take? Are you able to consume it without causing an increase in output?

I take a capsule form and I think it is powder inside. I haven’t noticed a change in output but I have an ileostomy not a j pouch now so maybe that makes it different. I use to get literally 300-400 muscle knots, like everywhere I touched hurt or was swollen. My physicians worked up all kinds of tests for rarer autoimmune muscle diseases and a chiropractor of all people mentioned the magnesium and it instantly solved the issue. 🤦‍♀️I take one capsule every morning with my Metamucil.

Am glad that your chiropractor was able to help you by providing that magnesium tip!!  --Rose--

I have a chronic low ferritin since my J-pouch surgery in 2011. At first we tried iron tablets and I was not able to sustain the ferritin levels doing that , so about 3-4 years ago,  we tried iron infusion via IV, which works wonderfully. My GI doctor monitors my ferritin level every 4 months or so. If it is low, I get a transfusion of iron. I have only needed the iron transfusion about once a year, which is good.  I didn't know about the low magnesium levels, but interestingly I take magnesium citrate (250 mg) at bedtime because I think it helps with restless legs.  I was vit D deficient BEFORE losing my colon (good ole Seattle and lack of sunshine), so I have been on vit D tablets for many years now.  I had not heard about B12 as a potential deficit. I will keep that in mind and may ask my doctor to check my levels. I learn a lot from this site and I am so grateful.

I take Ferralet. It's an iron supplement by prescription. It's expensive, but I need it because ordinary iron supplements give me stomach problems (and I'm low on iron otherwise).