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anemia and ileostomy surgery

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Posted 11/1/2010 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
 Anyone have problems with anemia and still get surgery? I have heard that surgeons will not want to do a surgery with a low hemoblobin. (Mine is 8.9)  I am on Iron but my colon still bleeds a lot so I do not see how it will get any better. Will a surgeon really let me continue to be sick due to my anemia?
Posted 11/1/2010 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
I've never heard this. Perhaps if your iron was dangerously low (below 6 or 7) they might want you transfused/stabilized before the operation, as it would be dangerous to operate if you were already so low on blood. I assume most of the people they operate on for UC are anemic to some extent, and probably more anemic than you. What did your surgeon say about your iron levels?
Posted 11/1/2010 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
  I have not gotten an appointment yet but my GI has said that my hemoglobin is pretty low so that makes me nervous. We decided to have a colonoscopy first to see what is going on. Well I no longer just have left sided UC but it is now my entire colon. So it seems like it is just a matter of time now when I will loose my colon. The good news is I dont feel like I am being such a wimp anymore.

Post Edited (mom_2 JnJ) : 11/1/2010 3:50:22 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 11/1/2010 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
I had my colon removed when I was anemic and when I was depleted of B-12. Like others said, they might have to stabilize you first before proceeding. Remember too, many people have this surgery when they have much larger concerns than anemia.

Sue
Posted 11/1/2010 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
I went into the hospital with my hemoglobin at 5.3. They gave me transfusions before they took my colon and now my hemoglobin is back in the normal range - haven't had a transfusion in a year-and-a-half now! Before that, I would get transfused when it hit 8.0 and normal for me then was somewhere in the 9s. They'll want to get yours up before surgery, but that certainly wouldn't prohibit surgery for you. My hematologist said I had a potentially fatal blood loss, so surgery ended up saving my life!
Posted 11/2/2010 12:24 PM (GMT 0)
I was also given transfusions before and after surgery, my surgery had to be done urgently as I was extremely sick and without it I wouldn't have been here today. They will take everything into consideration, if its too great a risk and there is time to get u better then thats probably what they will do. You will be in good hands im sure. best of luck and take care
Doreen
Posted 11/3/2010 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks. I am afraid they will say you are not in urgent need of surgery so lets get  the anemia under control but how can that happen while I am still bleeding? I am already on medications and they do not work.
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