Does anyone have a horseshoe I can borrow?

waitinggame
on 1/5/12 11:35 am - Bowie, MD

If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any. I don't know if you'll recall about a month back I saw a hematologist about my low iron. She did my bloodwork, said my hemoglobin was back up and things were looking good. Said I could stop my God awful expensive iron and take this prescription stuff (5.00 copay only--whoo hoo) and follow up in 3 weeks. Well that was today (was actually 4 weeks because they couldn't get me in sooner). She comes in the office and informs me that the evening of my last visit it was discovered that my results were mixed up with someone elses and my iron was, in fact, in the ****ter. Hemoglobin--8.9, Hematocrit 27.3, Ferritin-4. She said they didn't call me before today because they didn't want to alarm me. I was so concerned about the low iron, it didn't hit me until later what a line of bull it was about why they didn't call me. I mean how ridiculous is that? Leave me without proper treatment for 4 extra weeks? I'm beyond pissed. Anyway, it is being recommended that I have iron infusions. Well two of my good friends get infusions. Theirs take about 4-6 hours and they are done. Well this doctor has recommended I have a series of 10 days of infusions starting with a 4 hour one then down each day until they are just an hour. Huh? Have any of you dealt with tihs? I'm going to post it over on the RNY board too, but am hoping that once I get my iron back up maybe, just maybe, I'll start to feel better. Why can nothing be simple? Now I have to find a new hematologist and try to get in soon to get some freakin' treatment. Any insight any of you may have would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Denise

Check out my blog--menumealplanning.com. Tales of making meal planning managable, family fodder, and everything else under the sun.

RNY 2/3/09, LBL/BL w/Augmentation 9/16/11
Start weight: 335 Current weight: 185 Goal weight: Whatever the hell I can maintain without driving myself insane!

*6.5 lost preop

Laura in Texas
on 1/5/12 11:47 am

RNY on 09/17/08

Wow!! I'm so sorry!! And yeah, they should have contacted you sooner.

Have you e-mailed vitalady? I know she's an expert with this kind of stuff...

Laura in Texas

53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)

RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis

brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco

"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."

waitinggame
on 1/5/12 12:07 pm - Bowie, MD

That's a great idea Laura. I'll definitely hit her up. Thanks. I will also be informing the office that they can keep their bill--I will NOT be paying it. At least if they had called me, I could have made an informed decisions about whether or not I wanted to return to their office givent he mix up. I'd have probably lost confidence and not gone back anyway, but if I did, it would have been 2011 when I was getting my medical bills covered at 100% because we met our out of pocket and not in a new year with deductibles. I'll need that money to pay someone who is a compentent doctor with a competent staff! I think I will be calling the Physicians Board of Quality Assurance about this--it is simply unacceptable.

Whew. I feel better venting. Thanks!

Check out my blog--menumealplanning.com. Tales of making meal planning managable, family fodder, and everything else under the sun.

RNY 2/3/09, LBL/BL w/Augmentation 9/16/11
Start weight: 335 Current weight: 185 Goal weight: Whatever the hell I can maintain without driving myself insane!

*6.5 lost preop

godzilla
on 1/5/12 12:21 pm - Israel

Revision on 02/03/08

Low iron us a btch!
I have had iron infusions Venofer.
I have problems finding veins so was a real drag.
Your hemotologist sounds lacking in the competency department and should be reported - you should have notified as soon as!
I take a preg iron and 3pills in the hope of elevating my Hmg but all that elevates is my ferritin! Been considering switching to a Gentle Iron as it's chem compound is different but I have to convince my GP.
Good luck on resolving this medical issue.
Mikimi in Israel

waitinggame
on 1/5/12 12:26 pm - Bowie, MD

Thank you Mikimi. I wish I had known then what I know now about iron and gastric bypass. Live and learn. I'm going to research the various infusion types, but hope the group I'm going to use will be far more informative about what they use and why. This doctor couldn't even tell me what was in the iron pill she prescribed me! Should have run far and fast as soon as she couldn't answer me!

Good luck to you as well! I need to get these numbers up so I can safely have the couple revisions I need. Oh the fun of plastic surgery and iron.

Take care,

Denise

Check out my blog--menumealplanning.com. Tales of making meal planning managable, family fodder, and everything else under the sun.

RNY 2/3/09, LBL/BL w/Augmentation 9/16/11
Start weight: 335 Current weight: 185 Goal weight: Whatever the hell I can maintain without driving myself insane!

*6.5 lost preop

PBJ
on 1/5/12 1:40 pm

VSG on 06/03/10

Hi Denise,

I am so sorry that you had to go through this..you must be really tired. IT is unbelievable that they didn't call you and the reason they gave for it. YOu could of had treatment weeks ago and felt so much by now. These stories make me so upset.
I am a dialysis RN and we give IV iron all the time. (venofer). Your ferritin level is pretty low my friend! you need iron and you need IV iron. (warning: it is very constipating so make sure you take some softeners) If you can't get into a new hematologist soon, you might want to just get the infusions now while you wait for another doc. Your numbers indicate you need treatment.
good luck and keep us posted. again..I am so sorry you are having to go through this...but you need to feel better!

OX
Patty

My weight loss journey

waitinggame
on 1/5/12 11:04 pm - Bowie, MD

Can you imagine. I'm still just flabergasted (don't think I have ever typed that word!) that this went down like this! Thanks for the heads up about constipation. I knew oral iron could be, but I imagine IV iron is really bad. Miralax here I come!!

Thanks for the support!

Check out my blog--menumealplanning.com. Tales of making meal planning managable, family fodder, and everything else under the sun.

RNY 2/3/09, LBL/BL w/Augmentation 9/16/11
Start weight: 335 Current weight: 185 Goal weight: Whatever the hell I can maintain without driving myself insane!

*6.5 lost preop

Lisa D.
on 1/5/12 1:54 pm - New Orleans, LA

VSG on 01/24/11

It's not just RNY people with iron problems, but I have had trouble with anemia for years. In Oct my Hemoglobin was 10, HCT was 30.0, and ferritin was 8. I have been on tons of iron supplements, no tea. and no craisins. Seems the tannin in tea blocks the absorption of iron. And something in cranberries blocks iron absorption. Now my hemoglobin is 11.1 and HCT is 33.4. I am having plastics in a few hours and just made it with my iron levels. I hope we both find something soon to fix this. It is so irritating that it is so hard to get these numbers up. If you find something that works keep me posted.

I am not big boned! Bones don't jiggle!

waitinggame
on 1/5/12 11:16 pm - Bowie, MD

Oh, I'm probably too late, but good luck today!! You did just make it with your numbers. I did read about the tannins before, but not the cranberries. I literally just made homemade cranberry sauce not 5 minutes ago! Guess I won't be eating that!

Let us know how you do and I'll do the same!

Check out my blog--menumealplanning.com. Tales of making meal planning managable, family fodder, and everything else under the sun.

RNY 2/3/09, LBL/BL w/Augmentation 9/16/11
Start weight: 335 Current weight: 185 Goal weight: Whatever the hell I can maintain without driving myself insane!

*6.5 lost preop

Raven300
on 1/5/12 4:56 pm, edited 1/5/12 5:11 pm

DS on 05/11/10

I'm a DS patient. DSers have alot of problems in absorption so the DS forum has been a godsend in getting accurate info and options when it comes to problems like you are having. I'm linking an older thread that talks about iron injections vs infusions from the DS board.

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4322920/Feraheme-IV-iron-injec tions-not-quotinfusionsquot-full/

I would highly, highly reccommend that you ask the knowledgable DSers about your iron levels and the plan for infusions. These ladies really know their stuff. They have proven to be smarter than my Primary Care Physican and have made reccommendations to me in the past that the PCP finally came up with 6-10months later. Sadly, the most knowledgable ladies are also some of the most 'colorful' or 'abrupt' when they dispense advice. This led to some issues here in the last month or so and the creation of a new board where you can post and ask questions. I am sending you a link to one of their threads and to the board.

I urge you to post and ask for assistance there.

Good luck and I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!

edit: forgot to post that link regarding injections

Does anyone have a horseshoe I can borrow?

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Does anyone have a horseshoe I can borrow?