Low Ferritin And Iron Levels In 'lap Band' Surgery Patients

[susyq55 0]

I have good haemoglobin levels but my serum ferritin is always way low. I have just finished an online course on anaemia (I'm an RN) and one of the causes can be patients with 'gastric banding'. I wanted to know why this would be so from a general point of view. I don't eat red meat so I always thought that was it. I went to the chat room on Bandsters and a very helpful member suggested this site:Vegan Health Iron Rich Foods http://www.chezbettay.com/pages/health1/h_ironfoods1.html

anyone else have this problem?

[sam3841 57]

I had blood work done awhile ago and everything was in the normal range. I think it depends on your diet and the Vitamins you take.

[Trayjay33 138]

I have had times where my Ferritin level decreases but my Hgb remains within normal limits for some time. After a while if the Iron deficiency is not treated the Hgb begins to decrease also. Since having surgery my doctor is concerned that my Ferritin may be even more affected due to the band. I go for blood work this weekend. Here is a article that I found interesting about gastric banding and anemia.

http://www.anemia.org/professionals/feature-articles/content.php?contentid=438&sectionid=15

Hope the link works.

[Jachut 487]

I have had this, low but normal circulating haemoglobin but rock bottom ferritin. I assumed it was from a combo of chemotherapy and the small portions i eat as a bandster. My oncologist put me on Iron, it normalised within three months. But i stopped bcause of the effect it had on my altered bowels.

Ill be interested to see in a few months when i see my onc again whether its fallen gain. I bet it will, when i really look at my diet its not good enough.

[NWgirl 574]

I had low ferritin in my pre-op testing and now take an Iron chewable. I go in for my 3 month followup bloodwork soon so I'm interested in seeing if it has improved.

[Jachut 487]

Fast forward seven months, sure enough, my ferritin has plummeted to 9. I have been feeling deathly awful,freezing cold and mentally foggy and quite depressed so iwent to the doc for testing.

Even being post menopausal and losing no blood monthly! I eat red meat several times a week. I certainly hope I have no unnoticed GI bleeding or that it's chemotherapy induced, I finished 18 months ago.

It really probably is just the result of three big surgeries and not enough ion in my diet.