HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME...

hi all, i miss coming here, but life seems to get in the way these days!  but i do have some concerns and i thought who else can i come to?  here's where i am at.... i am over 2 yrs out from surgery, so far so good where my weight loss is concerned.  i was a lightweight anyways and met my goal before a year out and i have maintained.  currently i am at 114, i am pleased...wouldnt even mind gaining a few lbs back.  my concerns are with my labs.  i had my drs office fax me the results yesterday.  i already knew i was anemic, since my pcp did bloodwork a few weeks ago.  now the NP at my surgeons office ordered a bunch more tests when i went in.  here's what was flagged as "low":  my RBC, HBG, HCT, globulin, prealbumin, iron, vitamin D and zinc.  what concerned me most was my iron...it said the normal range is between 38-138 and mine was a 2!  is that real bad?  it seems like it would be to me.  but they faxed the results and said i would be getting a letter from the office re my results and any necessary instructions.  should i be concerned?

Just call the doctor's office and find out what the next step is.  You are somewhat malnourished and will need treatment.  Don't worry yourself excessively.  Just follow up with the doc and the treatment prescribed.  You should meet with a dietician as well to discuss changes you might need in your diet.  Your doctor should make a referral if you don't already have one.  Best wishes.

thank you, i will call the office instead of waiting for the letter they are supposed to send me.  i know she mentioned me making an appt with the nutritionist, but we also talked about some things to try in regards to eating.  i am at fault, i do not eat nearly enough.  i am sure that is the biggest problem i am having.  thanks again!

I am just a bit over three years out and had the shock of my life when a similar thing happened - the 2 is a measure of your iron stores (mine was 3 so I'm right there with you). While it looks really bad on paper, it is all very treatable. My doc sent me to a hematologist. Aside from supplements and perhaps some adjustment in your diet, you can also have IV iron, which I started last week. Not a big deal - I had one day where I felt like I had the flu - achy and tired - but now I feel fine and the long term benefits are worth it. Try not to worry - they can make you better. The whole iron thing, the doctor told me, was from the bypassing of the duodenum, where a great deal of iron is absorbed from food and supplements. In as much as you should be concerned and get this attended to, be assured that you will get better. Good luck! Judi

thanks for the info judith.  i think i may ask the dr about the IV.  the way you explained it, "achy and tired", i feel like that everyday, all day.  i also get dizzy and light-headed, too.  i just want to feel better.  hugssss

Hi Mary Jo, It makes sense to me that if you are anemic your iron count would be low, as well as your red blood count, hemoglobin, hematocrit and albumin. My mother has been anemic for years and these are numbers we review constantly with the doctors. I agree with the others that while 2 looks very bad on paper there are things that can be done to improve all of these numbers, either through supplements or dietary changes. Diet is how we manipulate the numbers for my mother and when she follows the RDs instuctions the numbers are good, when she strays from the plan they are not. Now of course my mother is not post-op like we are, but she is diabetic and on dialysis, so the right balance for her is very important. I am sure that your physician and RD will be able to come up with a plan to assist with improving these numbers. Don't stress too much. You have good doctors and they will be able to help. Good Luck! Christine

ok, that makes me feel a lot better!  as long as i know that i can still do things to improve this and to make me feel normal again, thats what matters.  thanks for the advice, i will be in contact with my dr tomorrow!

Mary Jo, I've been through the same thing. All of those things were low on me (except protein, which surprised me) but my iron and my ferritin were ridiculously low. What I started doing was switching iron (I take Chromagen and Chromagen forte) and also taking it all by itself, with only orange juice, twice a day. I've gotten my hematocrit up from 22% in mid May to 36% in mid July. That is an amazing increase from such a minor change.

They do also offer IV iron and that can help jump start things. It has its disadvantages -- you can have bad reactions to it which is why I opted not to do it -- but for someone so symptomatic it might be a good idea. Definitely talk to your doctor about the best way to approach it.

Best of luck with everything. It sounds you need to revamp your supplementing (and food, depending on what you're eating) but it also sounds doable. And you'll be amazed at how much better you feel once your blood counts are up. I thought I was fine but with my hematocrit normal I no longer chew ice, crave salt, and I can do a LOT more during my cardio workouts. I used to have palpitations and would occasionally, if I got up too quickly, get a little dizzy. All that is GONE.

Good luck,

Vickie

thanks so much for your reply, it helps to hear from someone who has "been through it'.  sounds like i need to be in touch with my dr and find out where im going with this.  i just want to feel better.  thanks again!

Hi MJ! Its nice to see you again~its been too long!!!!!! I'm sorry to hear you're having troubles, but I hope they can get things worked out for you. I was going to recommend the IV iron too. I don't know alot about the other stuff~sorry.  Anyway, its great to hear an update from you and I love your pic!!!!