Giving blood after rny....not a good idea for some (like me)

So back in June, the red cross was doing a blood drive and I wanted to help out. They checked my hemoglobin and it was perfect. They even do a lab panel where you can see your cholesterol, irons saturation and all that good stuff. So I donated blood and felt fine. I've been having those spells that a lot of people who have lost a lot of weight have where I get super dizzy and almost blackout. My six month labs (in june) were perfect. I went to my pcp two weeks ago and after she ran my labs and my iron and hemoglobin are so low she couldnt believe it and had them rechecked. It has been almost 3 and a half months and my body has not replenished what I gave. I am under orders to never donate again. I really didnt know this was a concern or that anemia would happen so fast. I just wanted to share so that people will ask their doctors before donating because obviously some of us cant handle the loss of that much iron. 

Congratulations on losing so much weight!  Thanks for the heads up since I often donate blood and wouldn't have thought twice about it.  I'll ask my doctor is opinion ahead of time.  Hope you replenish soon. 

Thanks! Im working on it. Def ask your doctor. There are so many things that we arent told and have to figure out the hard way.

I did the very low calorie diet with HMR several years ago and I remember they told us that while we were on the VLC diet, we could not donate blood because we needed every drop for ourselves!  That is a bummer though that you can't donate again.  :(  I'll have to look into donating $$$ because I have to be greedy with my blood.  Glad you didn't have a more drastic problem from your generosity!  :D

Jen

Interesting, I didnt know about the VLC and not donating. I think I will volunteer instead now :)

I know some do but I won't donate since WLS because of exactly what you've experienced.  It's not worth tanking and feeling like crap. 

Hope you get your numbers up, you may require iron infusions if your numbers are too low.

That is exactly the reason that my surgeon recommended that RNYers and DSers not give blood post-op.  Some apparently donate blood and have no trouble, but many people experience what you have.

Even when I had my knee surgery, which did not have extensive blood loss, I had to stay in the hospital for an extra day to receive several units of blood because my levels were so low 3 days afterward.

Lora

Its really scary. Surgeons should have a guideline of things they HAVE to tell their patients. I think that even though some can give successfully, its a gamble.

I have donated 3 times in the last year, I feel a little dehydrated afterward but am fine the next day and so far my labs haven't been affected

Its crazy how we vary so drastically after this surgery. I feel bad not being able to give because it was something i did religiously.  I guess I will have to donate time or money now :) Oddly enough Ive felt fine ever since. I didnt even know anything was wrong :)