"too anemic" but must wait

Hi all,
I have my LAVH scheduled for April 28- I am confused and maybe you can clear things up for me-
I have been told that I need the hysterectomy because I have basically had my period for 6 months, and am getting too anemic,
but they do not have openigns until April 28.
I have had the polyps removed, had the ablation, tried Provera and still bleeding. Now that I have accepted the fact that I must have a hysterectomy, and they have sort of scared me regarding my blood count levels, I just want to get it over with!
I hate waiting! isnt it unsafe to wait a month with hemoglobin and hemactocrit levels low?
thanks for any comments

Has your DR put you on any type of iron supplement? If not, maybe you should call and express your concern about your hemoglobin levels. You can eat foods that are rich in iron - red meat, spinach, kale - there are a lot of foods but I can't remember them all. You could do a google search for iron rich foods, or maybe go to the American Heart Association website and get their dietary recommendations.

S and best wishes.

I Had Gastric bypass surgery in 10-08-03. I do not absorb iron because of the mal-absorption. I have had 2 iron infussions to help with the anemia. I am bleeding all the time and am in horrible pain with these ovarian tumors and enlarged uterus and on Loritab every day. Am scheduled for a TAH on 04-12-05 and can't wait to feel better. They checked my iron and at this point say it is high enough for the operation. They will check it again in the pre-op test the day before surgery. If it is too low they will just give blood. I am tired of hurting and being exhausted and bleeding....ready to get to a place of normalcy...of some sort.

Mary~

I too have been anemic (level 5) and have been waiting since January for a LAVH in April because they wanted me to do Lupron first. They will check my levels next week. I have been taking iron pills so hopefully it will help

I've been waiting too due to anemia. I've now had 3 venefer/iron(sp?) IV's and am scheduled for a 4th the day before surgery, 4/7. The pills did not make a significant difference. I've gone from a 6.7 up to a 9 and surgery will be postponed if I can not make it to 10. My Dr also put my on hormones to keep me from having my period until surgery so I won't just loose all that blood I've been working so hard to make. Its frustrating because it seems like an endless cycle - can't have surgery until your blood level is up, need surgery to stop bleeding.

Ask you dr. what they will do to treat the anemia while you wait and make sure to monitor the progress so you know it is working and maybe you won't have to wait any longer than absolutely necessary.

Good luck!

Mostuff

Sisters, you have no idea how much I can sympathize with what you are talking about in this thread!

mostuff - This defintely sounds like a hamster wheel. Are the hormones slowing the bleeding for you? If not and if nothing else is, I would suggest talking to your doctor about this, and if he is stuck in his decision - you may need to seek another doctor. I would hate to have had my surgery hanging on this kind of a crapshoot - over which you have NO control, only to get it postponed and become even more anemic.

In my situation, my hemoglobin was (with alot of help) fine at the pre-op, and then 4 days later, day of surgery, was at a dangerous level. They simply gave me the needed transfusions and did the surgery - all on the scheduled day.

First - every doctor and situation is different, but in my experience (and alot of the sisters who have posted) *usually* if your hemoglobin is below 8, you need a transfusion, and usually 10 is considered a minimum for surgery (mine was done with less), and usually a 12 or better is considered optimal (but not required).

Hematocrit is simply hemoglobin #, multiplied by 3.

Meanwhile, if things get out of control - get to the ER! (dizzy, short of breath, palpitations or pounding heart, pallor, sweats, weakness, fatigue, nausea - those are the signs!)

Be careful & take care!
joano

hbg is 16.2 now!!! (once, my hematocrit level was less than that!)