iron, iron, whatcha gonna do?

      …..frustrated, angry, and pale….. this is a rant…. WARNING….. a rant…..  i am usually upbeat, happy, keeping it positive… i follow the WLS rules…. let me say, i am fortunate.  i’m alive.  but let me tell you…. this surgery has it’s curves in the road.   i believe in my program….. i follow what they say to do…  but we have a responsibility to take this really serious, and be our OWN  advocates.   recently i called my bariatric program to see if it would be okay to donate blood.  NOT PLATELETS, blood.  (there is a difference).  i was assured that it would be fine.  i was thrilled that my Hgb (hemoglobin) was 13.5g/dL.  wrap that tourniquet on my arm and let me fill your bag… btw, i almost passed out during the donation too…. RED ALERT, RED ALERT!!!…  normal value for female is 12-16g/dL.  i donated.  wahoot!  felt wonderful to give.  then, bam days later… started having trouble feeling faint, dizzy, fast heartrate.  was i dehyrated?  not enough protein?  electrolytes off?  i mentioned on facebook.  slam…. people said, their program said NEVER DONATE blood.   or wait 5 years post op.  (i’m 2 years out)…  one person noted “always check ferritin before donation as ferritin is your “store” of iron ability and your Hgb is the last to go down, and maybe donate platelets not whole blood”…… well, sure enough, 2 year post op labs, and my Hgb is 11.5g/dL.  a drop of 2 grams…. so, i wasn’t crazy with my symptoms of faint, dizzy, and fast heart rate.   you see, Hgb carries oxygen in your blood.  yeah, so…. many people have a lower number than me, but you see it was a fast decline… my body hasn’t stabilized with this change, and what if my ferritin isn’t okay?  what then?  iron infusions, (one of the MAIN reasons i didn’t want to have this surgery to begin with, as i coded a young  13 year old girl who had an iron infusion once.)

     let’s not go there just yet…. a day at a time… what have i learned from this experience…. what do i want YOU to learn from MY experience????…..

1)    It is YOUR body, your responsibility to KNOW the facts.

2)    Trust your resources, and by god QUESTION them.

3)    Buy Andrea Sopher Ullberg’s  lab tracker, it’s invaluable.

4)    Go to her website and put it on your computer’s FAVORITE’S LIST http://wlsvitagarten.com/

5)    Make sure you are taking the CORRECT Iron supplement.  Just because it is sold by a BARIATRIC company does NOT mean it is absorbed properly.  I’m learning one of my iron supplements which IS from a bariatric company is absorbed  only in an acidic environment, which if bypassed YOU DO NOT HAVE.

6)    I am taking Bariatric Advantage® 30 mg Chocolate Raspberry Truffle chew and it is ferric orthophosphate and it IS believed to be absorbed properly.

7)    Other forms of absorbed Iron include heme and carbonyl:  Proferrin® and Bifera® are examples of this.  Proferrin® is purchased online and Bifera® is available at your local pharmacies.  Proferrin® is absorbed the BEST!

                                                                                                       xxoo~nicole
P.S. on a good note, i weighed in at 144 lbs fully clothed, so my weight is around 140-141.  maintenance is good.  "just for today"..... ;)