Pre-op labs

[JackieOnLine]

Cat, of course you don't want to cancel your surgery. you really really don't want to - that would be true of anyone.

but do it anyway.

any surgery is a risk and this is a MAJOR surgery, even done lap. don't go into it like this.

 

[joanlaptods]

I agree with the others you should delay your surgery until you have been worked up AND treated for the anemia. I had a lap DS and my Hb went from 140 to 115 after the surgery alone. Then because I didn't absorb any oral iron after surgery I needed iron infusions beginning in the year after my DS. Optimize your health before your DS.

 

[smokinstella]

I just had plastics. I meet with my hematologist before my plastics so that we could make sure my iron was in a good place. We did 2 infusions before my hemoglobin was a 13 going into surgery. My ferratin was well over 80 possibly higher due to the infusions. My surgeon closed everything up nothing looked wrong. I had a blood vessel pop and started bleeding internally. This is no joke to make sure you get your iron in a good place. The nurse who called my hubby told him I would not make it. Both my plastic surgeon and I are pretty damn sure if not for being on top of things before hand that nurse would have been right. Given I still needed 8 units of blood and 2 units of platelets. No matter how well a surgeon tires things off and cauterizes all it takes is one to pop for things to go badly. Try the best to stack the odds in your favor.

 

[Sheanie]

Well, my dear sweet husband just reminded me of something really vitally important. I wasn't THINKING CLEARLY when my iron was low. My focus wasn't on what was important. He reminded me that when they brought in my blood for the transfusion, that I was incoherent and refused to sign for the blood. I was THAT out of it. And my levels were where YOURS ARE NOW.

Yes, I'm yelling. Because I know you are not thinking right, because your iron is too low.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

@catecholamine , I'm sorry you're hiding away from here. I want you to stay alive. I wish you well. I think you're making a phenomenally stupid decision to move forward in this condition, but I will still be here to support you.

 

[catecholamine]

Yeah, I have been kind of hiding away. I think I will be fine. As the surgeon told me, I'm not really that anemic yet, just iron deficient. I need iron, which I will be getting. My clotting is fine, my hemoglobin is on the low side of normal but still normal. I will be fine, barring any unexpected complications not related to the iron.