I'm now a "former" blood donor

The bariatric doc says that I should never donate blood again. Actually, he said that none of us post-ops should. He prescribed Hemocyte which has 106 mg elemental iron. I also found out that being cold is an indication of low iron. I never knew that! Wanda

I started supplementing Iron *on my own* recently - even though my #'s were in range my feretin (storage for iron) was on the lower end - But in the normal range. I will get my labs done again in June. I hope to see a jump in the #'s. It is SOOOOO important. I never knew the cold was related to the iron - I thought it was because we lost a lot of our insultaion = fat hugs, Britt

I also found out that low iron can cause restless leg syndrome. I never knew that! Restless Leg Syndrome drives me insane! You are smart to be taking proactive steps now. But then again--you are just smart! Wanda

I used to have RLS before - now I haven'thad it in a while???? I am thrilled about that! Paul used to call them *crazy legs* do you eat banannas? They do help with it.

Well Hello Girlfriends, I am doing well as I had mailed to Britt, I had gallbladder surgery in Nov 07 and just had a hysterectomy Apr 22, 08. Let me tell you for this young chick-a-dee, the overhaul has just kicked my butt. I am MUCH better than I was a week ago, because before surgery I was just an awful person to be around with a prolapse uterus, and fallen bladder it WAS NOT FUN. Anyway everything has come right along, low on iron and all the good stuff that when you get to be my age that we all need. I too had RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME but I tried the ole bar of soap under you sheet and "IT WORKS, BY GOLLY" I have had the hotel size of soap in a sock, pinned to the mattress pad for a couple of years now and have not had any trouble with RLS since, I even keep a bar of soap by my chair in living and family room and if my legs start I just slip it under my knee and it stops. Call it what you want but it does work for me, I do not use DOVE OR CARRESS it does not seem to work for me and some of my friends, but try it you might like it. Blessings