catleth
update 4/1/17
Apr 01, 2017
Hi, it's April Fool's day! Good enough day as any to post an update. I am doing okay. I have lost or shall I say re-lost almost 40 pounds over the last 3 years. I wasn't even really trying. I can say I am glad I did lose though. I am at 253 on my scale, 258 on the doctor's scale. I recently lost my doctor of 25 years to semi-retirement. I can tell you that was very sad and painful emotionally. Not to mention stressful. I started seeing a nurse practitioner in January 2017. She is okay so far.I don't think she knows much about weight loss surgrey though. I have had iron deficiency anemia as a result of malabsorption and I have been taking ferrous gluconate to keep my hgb and iron levels okay. It has been 10 years since I have had to have 10 iron infusions and 3 blood transfusions. My iron level is down to 30 now and the nurse practitioner sent me to a hematologist/oncologist instead of just ordering the iron infusions. Luckily the hematologist was good. She really listened to my history and has ordered either 2 new drug iron shots that take on about 10 minutes to administer, or if the insurance won't pay for them she ordered 4 iron infusions that take 3 hours each. I don't care which ones as long as I can get my iron level back up. The symptoms I already have are terrible leg, foot, and hand cramps that come any time. They can be excruciating. I also have been getting colds, flus, sinus infections, etc. The low iron causes immunity issues. I get tired very easily. The red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen, as a result I am getting Short Of Breath very easily. Keep in mind I do not smoke and have no lung issues. I have had chest pain twice now. When I do I immediately stop and rest until it stops. I get edema in my lower extreities too. My mouth gets sore. There are so many symptoms from low iron, at least it's not as bad as the first time, when my iron was zero and my hgb wa 6.8. My hgb is still 12 from taking the ferrous gluconate, so that is good. All in all I am still happy I had the weight loss surgery and that is good.
