Jeff Waldrop’s Posts
Can you comment on the cost after Insurance? I have health insurance and I read the Cost can range from $400 - $ 4000 each. My gastrointerologist wants be to do two infusions.....
Jeff
The Gastroenterologist who performed my colonoscopy and endoscope is asking me to do 2 Iron Infustions. Unbeknowst to him, my PCP had just started me on an oral iron supplement. I am no going to do infusion unless my PCP is in agreement. I saw him last Friday and he wants to continue with the Oral Iron Supplement and check in October....
Jeff
Thanks for the info. The internet says they can cost between $400 - $4000. I am no going to do infusion unless my PCP is in agreement. I saw him last Friday and he wants to continue with the Oral Iron Supplement and check in October. Then we will talk about that option.
Jeff
Annual Blood workup identified it. Only this last one. Previously, was never mentioned.
Jeff
Feraheme ? Feraheme® (ferumoxytol injection)
It has a posted Black Box Warning (I have never heard that term before, but I know what it means now....)
These are the warnings from their Website:
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Warnings and Precautions
Hypersensitivity: In addition to the fatal and serious adverse reactions in the Boxed Warning, other adverse reactions associated with hypersensitivity have occurred (pruritus, rash, urticaria, and wheezing). Allergic reactions have occurred following the first dose or subsequent doses in patients in whom a previous dose was tolerated. Patients with a history of multiple drug allergies may have a greater risk of anaphylaxis with parenteral iron products. Carefully consider the potential risks and benefits before administering Feraheme to these patients. Elderly patients with multiple or serious co-morbidities who experience hypersensitivity reactions and/or hypotension following administration of Feraheme may have more severe outcomes.
Hypotension: Feraheme may cause clinically significant hypotension. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypotension following each Feraheme administration.
Iron Overload: Excessive therapy with parenteral iron can lead to excess storage of iron with the possibility of iatrogenic hemosiderosis. Regularly monitor the hematologic response during parenteral iron therapy. Do not administer Feraheme to patients with iron overload.
Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging Test Interference: Administration of Feraheme may transiently affect the diagnostic ability of MR imaging. Alteration of MR imaging studies may persist for up to 3 months following the last Feraheme dose. Maximum alteration of vascular MR imaging is anticipated to be evident for 1 ? 2 days following Feraheme administration.
Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (? 2%) are diarrhea, headache, nausea, dizziness, hypotension, constipation, and peripheral edema.
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Jeff W Waldrop
Wow, this is so helpful! I have an appointment with him next Friday on the 5th of Aug. I will brings this list and make sure he puts into my standing lab order.
So, I am gonna see my PCP on the 5th, talk about the two infusions that are now scheduled for the 12th and the 19th and go from there.
Thank you very much, Jen.....
Jeff W Waldrop
Ferritin does appear anywhere on my 3 page report. I just made an appointment to see my PCP on Aug 5. That may be something that he needs to request on my Blood order. I really like my PCP. He doesn't know much about Bariatric issues. He is relatively young. Everyone is to me.
Thank You, Jen
Jeff W Waldrop
I am missing a couple of my lab reports but now I see the Hemoglobin has continually dropped:
2016 15.2
2017 16.0
2019 13.3
2022 11.1
I am now 16 years out and I am now informed that I need to Iron Infusion (x2). I wonder why after 16 years, my iron levels are low. My annual physical revealed I am anemic. I did my Colonoscopy and an Endoscope to rule out a bleeding ulcer in the pouch. None. He said all was good and now wants to do (2ea) Iron Infusions....
I would like to hear from anyone else who has had a similar experience. My PCP put me on Iron Tablets (Ferrous Sulphate 320 mg). The Gastroenterologist said that I won't absorb enough of that to make any difference. My PCP knows very little about Bariatric Surgery.
Jeff
Well, I am perplexed. I saw a surgeon (No 1) and was feeling good about his confidence level on fixing my multiple hernias. He wants to use the Di Vinci Robotic machine to repair 5 Ventral Hernias in my abdomen. I casually mentioned this to a friend who is a nurse at the hospital this repair would be done at and her comments concerning his experience and more importantly the other surgeon he partners with was enough for me to actually cancel that procedure which was scheduled for Oct 12th.
I then saw "my" first choice in a second possible surgeon and he didn't seem as confident in "Success" as was the first. Now I don't know what to do. I have a gall bladder full of stones and 5 openings in the fascia and one is actually causing some pain. I haven't thought about just putting this off.
Jeff W Waldrop
I have 5 ventrel hernias. Been opened 4 different times and had a colostomy for 6 mos in 2000. I need to address the hernias now as they are worsening.
Thanks for your reply
Jeff
Thanks for the comments. I do appreciate you sharing your experience. I hope that what I eat now and how I do that isn't affected. But we shall soon see, right.....
I am schedule on 10/12 to have multiple Ventral Hernias repaired with the MESH and he wants to take the gall bladder out while he there. After the mesh is installed it would be more difficult to get to it.
I am really concerned with the side effects of have no gall bladder as it relates to my diet. I have no symptoms from the stones other than they show up on the CT Scan needed to address the hernias.
I am not sure I really want to go forward with any of this. I would like to hear from RNY Patients who has had their Gall Bladder removed.....
All Time highest Weight 390
Weight at this time 199
Help,
Jeff W Waldrop
Westlake, LA
Thanks KAT, you are encouraging to me. I know I need to do this but things always go bad for me during surgery.
Congrats BTW on your weight loss journey, that is impressive. I could never get that little script to work for me should where I am on the weight scale in my signature.
So I have to revert to the following
All Time High Weight: 410.00. Weight now: 202.00
OK, I saw a surgeon yesterday after CT Imaging was done on Monday morning and this is much worse then I initially thought.
I have not one hernia but 5. I was opened completely in 1999 for Colon Resection and provided with a colostomy (for 4 months). That would explain two cuts into the abdominal wall. As stated the colostomy was short term and I was re-opened after 4 months and piped back up like normal. All was good.
In May of 2006 I elected to have RNY Bypass and surgery was performed on a Monday Morning. It was done "OPEN". By Wednesday, I was evaluated for complications and opened again (4th time) and leak was repaired.
So midline has been cut open 4 times and small 2" incision were colostomy was.
I was shocked yesterday when he showed me the CT image. Now I am in panic mode. Do I need a second opinion. What if I don't do anything? Will repairing with Mesh cause more problems that I can't anticipate?
He plans to preform the repair with the DiVinci robotics but will open me wide again, if necessary.
The surgeon even went so far as to use the term: "SWISS CHEESE"
I am open to any comments from anyone who has experienced a similar situation or experience with mesh.
Jeff W Waldrop
I may be the exception, But I love water. I drink bottled water at work and when I at home, I prefer "Smar****er" for the enhanced taste (as they advertise).
Jeff W Waldrop
I have a fairly large incisional hernia to the left of my midline. I had open RNY in 2006 in Houston, Texas and within a year had come unsewn or ripped in the inside. I have to constantly push the bowels back in and since Dec of 2016 I have lost another 70 lbs (a whole other story) and now this alien is so much more prominent. I saw a surgeon yesterday and have CT scans to do Monday. I will have the repair performed in late September and I was wondering, if anyone has any comments about the mesh method that is used nowadays.
He said that without the mesh, you really aren't repairing the hernia. I know that I had the hernia before the RNY (left over from perforated colon resection) and it was simply re-stitched when the bariatric surgeon came out the abdomen and like I said, that all come lose within a year.
This doctors says that after I recover, I should be able to function normally and that he has had patients in 20's return to the gym after installing the mesh for a hernia repair. As a side note, he will use the di Vinci robot technology to perform the procedure with. (www.davincisurgery.com).
Any comments or experiences you with to share here in public or you can message me.
I am at 205 lbs from an all time high of 390 in 2006. In early 2007 I had gotten down to 211 but never become active enough to perpetuate the weight loss. Last December I began walking and I cut out gluten products and mostly anything white, like bread, potatoes, sugars, rice, etc and honestly in 8 months it was relatively easy to lose this 70 lbs.
Thanks in advance,
Jeff W Waldrop
Southwest Louisiana
I will be 10 yrs out this coming May 1st.
And I am in the same boat with you. I am at 265 and need to get 50 lbs off. I started at 390 in 5/06 and went very quickly to 211 at my lowest. For 9 years I managed to stay anywhere from 240 to 265.
Keep it up Kelpower. 
JWWPHOTO
I don't want to go no further. Conclusively, does the pouch continue to stretch? I have read both sides of this coin. I don't have access to my surgeon anymore as he has retired and my GP seems to know nothing about bariatric patients.....
Help.....
Jeff Waldrop
Sorry about the spelling, dang IPad auto correction....
