Iron/Womens issues?

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a long, long, time and everything seemed to be going very well. I had surgery in Dec 03 and have lost 139 lbs. I still think I could lose another 25 lbs, but most people think that I should stop trying to lose and just work on maintenance. I still have "saddlebags" that don't seem to be going anywhere, while the top half is almost skeletal, with skin hanging off! Still. I wouldn't change a thing, except to have done it sooner.. But, now I am having an issue that I think is WLS related, but my primary, thinks is something else. He wasn't the one that I had going into the surgery. My surgeon was new to the Bariatiric surgery thing, and I was his 25th patient. I had no complaints about his work, but lots about his ability and desire to adhere to his contract. I contracted with him and an office that works with him, to set up this surgery, and to have lifetime followups, with labwork paid in full. When his business took off, and he saw how most others just offer limited aftercare, the contract changed. The office is supposed to be working on it, but even though I bring in up often they keep "forgetting" to follow through. I had 2 blood draws requests from his office. The last one, my primary had requested a copy of the resuts be forwarded to him. That was over a year ago. At that time when I went in for an appt with the surgeon, he said everything was fine, but my primary had already called me to tell my my iron was low, and suggested supplements. When my surgeon told me everything was OK, he didn't even know he had missed the iron thing in the blood test report. Fast forward to this year. Because, my plan had changed, and it made getting all of my stuff done at my primary paid for at 100%, I had a physical, blood tests, and pap smear done all at the same place. The Dr noticed some large fibroids, and asked if I knew about them, and if my former Gyn had mentioned them. I knew about them, but at the time, I was just rushing around , trying to get all of my tests done,so Icould get my clearance to have the surgery, before my surgeon closed his schedule for the upcoming holidays, and my medical stopped covering the surgery completely. My primary got my blood test results, and called me to tell me I needed an immediate blood transfusion and a hystertomy, because I am severly anemic. Now, I feel fine. Cold alot but in the Florida heat, that works. I'm not tired or weak. I have this whole, working out, meditation/prayer/journaling routine , that gives me peace, and energy. Before I lost the weight, I had gross, heavy periods, with huge clots, that went on for almost 2 weks at a time, with about a 3 day break before it started again. I really thought it was just the premenapausal thing, along with the obesity thing, and my blood tests did not show any iron defeciency then. I had some cracking at the corners of my mouthand Ihad been craving red meat, so a couple of weeks ago, aftewr the tests were done but before i got the results, I started taking Geritol and ate red meat a few times. I asked the Dr if I could get the tests run, again. They did, with the same rresults. I have an appointment with an OB surgeon on Monday, supposidly to schedule the transfusion and the hysterectomy. I haven't had excessive bleeding in a very long time, and the fibroids really aren't causing me pain at this time. I chose a medical plan this year, that while it costs me less per pay check, is not the one I would have elected for a hospital stay and surgery, if it could be avoided. I read in some older posts about iron transfusions. In my humble, absolutely un medical opinion, this anemia is not caused by menstrual blood loss, but iron absorbency issues. I want to avoid a hystertomy if at all possible, but if I can't avoid it, at least hold off until 07. Our open enrollment is in Oct, and I could select a more appropriate plan for this to begin in January. I want to be armed with some ideas to bring up with my new Gyn on Monday. Alternatives that would get me through the next 6 months or so. How do the iron insusions work? Is a hospital stay part of it, or can it be done outpatient? I know that I have to do a much better job at monitoring my diet, and including more protein, and more iron rich foods. I called the WLS office and arranged to meet with thr nutritionist I want to sound informed and practical. I know this could be dangerous, and my primary is making this sound like the urgent and only option. Health is more important than money, and the fibroids could get worse, but as menapause approaches, they could shrink on their own. Can blood tests be broken down to determine if anemia is caused by blood loss or a poor diet? Thanks for reading this long post. Any ideas or experience you might have had that could help me with this decision would be a blessing. Thanks, Maureen . .

Hi Maureen, Please remember that I am just speaking from my experience. I am no substitute for an educated medical opinion. Now that my disclaimer is out there.......LOL.....I had alot of iron problems as a post op and it was due to menstrual bleeding. I was ready for a hysterectomy, but my gyn tried something else first......he did an endometrial ablation. It took care of my probs totally. I haven't heard from my period in almost three years and I no longer have iron problems. Endometrial ablation is day surgery and might be a way for you to avoid hysterectomy......just a thought. Good luck.

Hi, I am just had two surgeries in a matter of two weeks and became severly anemic I had a blood transfussion while in the hospital it was no big deal and my levels are now normal. I have no info on the gyn part of it, but did want to tell you that I have heard that having the iron transfussion are very painful. Maybe you can get a blood transfussion and supplement to keep you going until you can change ins and schedule your surgery. I am really interested in the exercise/meditation/prayer/journeling. I am going through some hard times right now and feel these things could really help but I am at such a loss my mind never seems to stay quite if you dont mind can you share some tips with me...you can email if you would like. Oh and due to surgery I can not exercise now. Take care, Melissa

Hello Maureen. I too am not a medical professional so I can only give you my experience. I am 18 mos post op and I continually get low red blood cell counts on all my bloodwork. My bariatric surgeon assured me that this was "normal" for wls patients. I recently had a tummy tuck and the plastic surgeon wanted me to get my blood cell count up to normal. I was not low enough to be labeled anemic but, nonetheless, they wanted me in the normal range. I remembered that when I was anemic with my last pregnancy, the midwife suggested liquid iron supplements. I found it in a natural vitamin store (pretty hard to find) but I also found it online. I began taking the liquid iron twice a day and had my blood work repeated in 2 weeks and my red blood cell count was normal. Also, I found I had a lot more energy and I was not so tired anymore. Not sure if this would help you but maybe it is something you would like to try? I hope everything works out for you. Mary Ellen

I am five years out this month. I have had low blood counts since the beginning. I take a double dose injection of B12 each month, along with Iron supplement and a multi vitamin. When I get really low the Dr has me do a blood transfusion that works really well. Just an outpatient thing, and I usually have it done at the clinic, but they are all different...... My Drs assure me that it is all normal after wls. Plus I can't even eat red meat since surgery....it just sits there and doesn't go away until I throw it back up. Hope this helps. Sharlene