anemia

To start with I was admitted to the hospital as critical low blood..I had 3 pints of blood and a b12 shot...and now have to  have iron transfusions the rest of my life and b12 shots...ok I have had these before..it's no fun.  Be honest with me people were you told this before you had your gastric bypass surgery..I had mine in 04..and was fine for about 3 years but then it started...critically low iron ...I be hone with you I would not have had the surgery if I had known that for the rest of my life I would have to have IV's in my arm 6 weeks at a time for the rest of my life..You have to go to a blood and cancer dr..and in that office it's pitiful...people getting chemo...and dying..God bless them all..I am just venting right now..but honestly did everyone know this..I was not told..happy weight loss to everyone..

Vicki

You must supplement, right? High B-12 and iron supplements? 

So do you also eat iron rich foods? buffalo and beef? It's a little known fact that the iron in foods will increase if you include vitamin C with it...a beef burger increases in iron if you have slices of tomato with it. At least that has been my case.

I don't recommend not taking supplements but I don't need to because i regularly eat beef and or bison.

Our iron levels were monitored from pre-op til forever, so we all started on iron. Sometimes ppl spend too much time on the wrong irons. Wrong , as in "doesn't work for you". We had to experiment around before settling on one that works for us, but we only touched anemia, and were never disabled while we worked on it.

You may be able to to work on orals between your infusions, but I'd avoid the ferrous forms, personally. And Iron is taken with vit C, not with anything else, except maybe some fruit.

Vicki,
You may have been previously pron to have problems with your hemoglobin levels.   This may be a temporary problem.  You are 3 years out and this is just now showing up.  This could mean that something has changed in what your doing, eating or in your body that has nothing to do with the surgery. It is easy for doctors to blame things on weight loss surgery.  Keep looking for the real problem.  THINK!!!

I have always had problems with my hemoglobin levels, have had many transfusions, and all before surgery.  Because of the surgery I have learned how to better manage all of my vitamins and minerals.
Think of where you may be right now if you did NOT have the surgery. 
Dawna

Hi Vicki,

I am very sorry to read of the difficulties you're having. I would HATE to have to go through what you are going through - & then to have that compounded by having to get transfusions for the rest of your life?!?! MAN!!!

NO (in answer to your question) I was never told that this sort of issue could be a post-op factor that I would have to contend with.< experienced by GBS patients. However, I was never told of the potential extent of that was (what that meant in normal people language) or what I might face to combat that.

That being said, I too am anemic - but I have been for my entire life. Before the procedure, I self treated/ controlled my anemia by eating foods that are high in iron (like cream of wheat). I can recall my parents trying to disguise the smell of liver cooking & then trying to shove it down my throat as a child .
Post-op, I was initially able to control my low iron count by the same means (via the foods i ate****il recently when I started having horrific cramps. I had no idea that a lack of iron would effect my cycle (duh - even though .Anita R warned me!! I wasnt having an issue w/ it when she told me about the potential isses - so in my mind, it didnt apply). So my Dr. put me on 325mg (behind the counter) iron pills & Ive been taking 2/day for about 6 months now (inconsistently mind you). FINALLY I got some reliefe from the dreaded cramps, but i swear it wasnt lately that I put 2 & 2 together.

My point - perhaps you can take 325mg iron pills instead of having the transfusions.

Good Luck to you

I was told about the potential anemia and other possible issues related to vitamins and supplements.  It was all very up front and (I think intentionally) a bit scary.  I didn't have anemia before wls but have been low a couple of times.  I do the B12 shots and take an iron supplement daily. 

I know how daunting any life-long medical issue can be.  Mine was simply going onto a blood thinner and having, at minimum, monthly monitoring.  Some times it was every four days for three weeks.  I hate all the blood draws, but I would rather not have a blood clot.  If you have to have this regularly, have they discussed using a port rather than going for the vein every time?  I've known people who have them and find them much less bother.

I hope you are able to find a good resolution.

It didnt just now show up...it started two years ago when I had my first transfusion.. I was taking iron tables specifically for gastric bypass patients...I eat meat..so I am doing nothing different..but I am thankful I can have infusions or I guess years ago I might have died..God is watching over me though..good luck all...take your iron..get plenty of vit. D and b12...thanks for the responses...

Vicki

I am 3 years out and i have similar issues.  Although I get repeated blood work, often... the downward shift in my heamaglobin and ferritin were starting.  I did go for two sets of IV iron now as mybody doesn't handle the oral iron preparations well, too hard on my body.

Not to crazy about it myself, but take what your given and make the best of it.  At least you know the problem and how to manage it.  Hoping to get my iron stores up enough to only having to go for treatments every once and a while.

Best of Luck!

I'm 6 years post -op and have a very similar situation.

I've had a few blood transfusions and now see an Oncologist/Hematologist for intravenous iron therapies.

I have spent a lot of time in the hospital due to the anemia. I developed tachicardya from the severe anemia.

I had my first IV infusion in December, but it didn't work. My iron is still zero and my ferritin is 13. It was 14 BEFORE the infusion. It went down, and I received the largest dose of intravenous iron you can get.

I will need the transfusions every 6 weeks too - for the rest of my life. I seriously regret having the RXY surgery. I truly do.

My doctor at the Oncology clinic said that I will never be able to absorb oral iron. The surgeon cut out the part of my stomach that could absorb iron.

Anyway, I'm sorry, and I feel your pain - quite literally. :(