Iron Transfusion Anyone?

[lalame 56]

Sleeved 09/06/16.

At my 3 month post op apt in December my surgeon told me my Iron level was low at 29 ug/dl. He told me to take an iron supplement which I have been. Got tested again 01/31/17 and found out today it's at 11 ug/dl.

Waiting for a referral to see a hematologist and get an iron transfusion. What the surgeon recommended.

I take my multi-Vitamins, iron pills, and Calcium pills religiously. I don't mix them and space them all out 2 hrs at time.

Anyone had issues like this? Iron transfusion? Reactions? Outcome? little nervous

Thanks

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[Daja 48]

I've not had had issues due to this surgery, but I have had 5 Iron infusions in the past year. Had no side effects other than bad taste in my mouthing the beginning. They monitor you closely to make sure you have no reaction for about 1-2 hours after the infusion. For your levels to be dropping like that it would seem to me that you are losing blood somewhere. Have you noticed any dark colored, tarry colored or coffee ground like stools?

[2ndSpring 350]

HI, I've never personally had to have a tranfusion but my daughter has due to a medical condition. She has it done in the doctors office. She gets hooked up to a IV, and then it is saline and then the Iron and then the saline again. She brings a book to read and says that it is not uncomfortable or anything. Sometimes she needs 2 or 3 sessions a week or 2 apart to get her levels up, but then she is good for a while.

Hope this helps ease your mind.

[lalame 56]

Thank you @ deeveg.

@Daja- stools have been darker since surgery. Haven't thought much of it though. Will bring that up to the doc. I read about losing blood. Hopefully they will do a colonoscopy to rule it out. Never thought I would say that! Thank you.

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[bitingcat 87]

Yup. About the same - I love that they're all "Go directly to the hematologist! Do not pass go!" and it's really 6 weeks of waiting to get in to see someone. Maybe get an appointment as soon as you can?

I had my second transfusion this week - around here a lot of hematologists seem to work out of cancer centers, so everyone's really nice. Comfy chair, warm blankets to help your veins cooperate. Pretty much the same as above - saline, Iron, then saline. They checked my Iron right there the first week and will check it again next week.

They may also talk to you about other things to help with absorption of pills - no calcium/dairy before or after; acidic environment in stomach (hematologist recommends a shot of orange juice); watching levels of other Vitamins. I might have a problem with unmethylated b-12 making it worse, so I'm trying to fix that. But I'm also having massive hormone problems post-op (pretty extreme blood loss) so I'm working on that, too.

Stay warm and be careful - people pass out and hit their heads all the time. Good luck!

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[lalame 56]

Thank you @bitingcat. Good info. I hope it doesn't take that long to be seen.

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