Question:
My tummy tuck was cancelled due to mild anemia. (11.3)

They put me on a 3 week treatment to see if it would help rise my level to a 12.5. I am so bummed out! Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks. 252/145    — Maria G. (posted on March 2, 2005)

March 2, 2005
It's best that they did this after my tummy tuck my blood level went extremely down and I needed a blood tranfusion. So better safe than sorry I always say. I just had my Male breast reduction a month ago and no problems.
   — Luis (BUCKY) C.

March 2, 2005
I began doubling my prescription iron a few months before my LBL because my ferritin level was very low (meaning almost out of the normal range) and I didn't want it to get lower and lead to anemia. Despite doubling my prescription iron, lab tests run after I had my LBL (during which I lost a lot of blood) showed that my ferritin just stayed the same -- didn't rise, but at least didn't fall further. Boy am I glad I made an effort to tackle that pre-op because I hate to think what might've happened if I hadn't done so, LBL or not. You really don't want to go into major surgery if you're borderline anemic, so give it a shot and see how it goes. Better to go through the minor inconvenience of delay now, and have your TT when healthy, than perhaps wind up regretting it if you are faced with a whole host of anemia-related problems while trying to recover from that surgery.
   — Suzy C.

March 2, 2005
Be glad they were being careful. My levels dropped after my LBL, and I almost had to have a transfusion.
   — mom2jtx3

March 2, 2005
Canceling at 11.3 seems a little extreme in my opinion. Mine was in the high 10's when I had my 2nd PS and they went ahead. Mine was 13.1 before my 1st PS and that didn't stop it from dropping to the high 7's and needing 3 units of blood. I could see if it was in the 8' or 9's, but being .7 low seems minor. 12.0 is the bottom for normal. My PS had me take 3 doses of iron for the 2 weeks prior to surgery and 3 weeks afterwards. However, at the time neither he nor I realized that RNY's do not absorb ferrous sulfate well. So it was pretty much a waste of effort. Now I take ferrous fumarate or ferrous carbonate when I need to iron supplement before surgery. I had a unit of my own blood after my 2nd and 3rd PS's and my hemoglobin still was in the 10's. I just had iron infusions last week for 4 days, which should put me in the normal range again.
   — zoedogcbr

March 3, 2005
I am sorry, I am sure it must be very dissapointing. It sounds like your doctor is caring for you as a person and your health. That is lucky that he wants you to be as healthy as possible going in. Many people drop their Hemoglobin after surgery due to blood loss. Anemia can be quite serious. 12 may be the very lowest normal, but I would rather not be at the lowest acceptable number going into surgery, I would want to be comfortably in range. I was low a few months before my TT and was having my pcp watch it closely. I was having severe monthly bleeding, had to have a uterine ablation to stop the bleeding. My Labs went right up after that. good luck on getting your labs up to an acceptable range, and even tho you are dissapointed, be glad your doctor is putting your best interests first.
   — **willow**

March 3, 2005
The real issue is what caused or is causing your anemia. If its just part of malbsorption from your WLS and your iron stores are OK, your body is likely compensated for it over time, and surgery will be OK even if you drop a gram or two. However if you are losing blood from uterine bleeding, an ulcer, or any other reason then THAT must be identified and corrected. Your surgeon also knows how much blood you amy lose, and so its important to go with his or her judgement as to what a "safe" level may be.
   — DrL