Donating Blood After Gastric Sleeve Surgery

[SuperMom 33]

Hi, Lab rat here! I have worked in the hospital lab 25 years next year and am currently BB Supv. Have a question for you guys. I was thinking that since we have to take B12 ( I am not low but since the sleeve surgery my doc has me on it twice a week and he said I will have to take it for the rest of my life that way) that it would NOT be a good idea to be a blood donor as B12 is very important in RBC production.

Does anyone post sleeve donate blood on a regular basis?

Do you have any resulting anemia? Has your docs told you yes or no on blood donations?

I was just courious. My hospital has a drive every month and I used to donate a couple times a year.

Plan on asking doc on next visit.

[Foxbins 625]

Before surgery I was a regular donor every 8 weeks. I donated twice after surgery. Both times my hemoglobin was fine according to their tests. However, when I went for my 6 month labs, my ferritin (long term Iron stores) was 7 when it should have been 100 or higher. The blood donations had caused the iron stores depletion. My doc said that I can't eat enough to replace my iron stores quickly after giving blood. Now I take an iron supplement and my ferritin is fine but my doc says I can't give blood more than once a year.

[PdxMan 4,292]

Pre-op, I was a regular apherisis donor, which, I'm guessing would be a viable alternative. I highly suggest checking this out if you are the donor type of person.

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

I donated blood about 5 months after surgery. I had been anemic at 3 months post op, and went on Iron supplements and eating red meat regularly. My hemoglobin was fine the day of donation and higher at 6 months than 3 - but still borderline anemic. I have been borderline anemic most of my life. I plan on donating blood once or twice a year, but no more often that that.