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will low iron interfere with Nissen surgery?

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Posted 9/20/2011 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Can anyone help me with a quick question?

I had an appt with a kidney specialist last week. My primary care doctor has been wanting me to go for a while, something to do with low CO2 in my blood. They drew some blood, and I got a call today with results. They say I have very low iron...I'm not good with specifics on what it all means, but it was a level of 4. I'm supposed to go for IV iron on thursday, and again next week.

My question is, does anyone know if that causes a problem with the surgery for my paraesophageal hiatal hernia that is scheduled for monday? I called my surgeon's office, and the nurse I talked to couldn't give me an answer. She said she would speak with my surgeon and get back to me tomorrow.

Of course I can be patient (lol not really) and wait for the phone call. I'm just wondering if anyone here knows. I've waited such a long time to get this surgery scheduled! And I start FMLA leave at work on monday. I've already burned seven weeks from being ill with the hernia, so I don't have much healing time left. I need to get everything planned out if the surgery has to be postponed.

Thanks in advance for the help.... :)
Posted 9/20/2011 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Tough question and I know you are going to have to wait to see what the surgeon says.  I do not know  which tests you had.  The one I am most familiar with is Serum Iron test.  Although laboratory ranges vary, most provide Male 65–177 μg/dL (11.6–31.7 μmol/L); Female 50–170 μg/dL (9.0–30.4 μmol/L) I would advice you to ignore these numbers and talk indepth with your Dr. I am not qualified to interpret lab values - sorry.

Let us know what you find out and meanwhile we will be keeping you in our prayers.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

Posted 9/21/2011 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
For surgery they would only be concerned about your haemoglobin level i.e. whether you are clinically anaemic. If you have low iron stores that is less of a worry and you can replenish with the injections or by tablets. The figure they gave you can't be interpreted without knowing exactly which test they are referring to unfortunately (could be serum iron, ferritin, iron binding capacity . . etc etc). In any case you will have a pre op assessment before your surgery and they will likely test your haemoglobin then or look at very recent blood results. If you are concerned, I would telephone them and ask which result was 4 and what your haemoglobin was, which may give you some peace of mind.

Hope everything goes well,

MMM
Posted 9/21/2011 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I believe that if you get the infusion and it brings the level up hings should be okay. They also can give you more if they see it is low after surgery. I know I was low on potassium before surgery and they just made sure my IV had potassium and gave me more as I needed it. One day they gave me 8 bags of it.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 9/21/2011 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
starryblu - how long have you been on the PPIs? Some people complain about low iron levels due to prolonged PPI use.

Post Edited (PPI-LESS) : 9/21/2011 5:32:37 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/21/2011 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
hello to you all, and thank you for your responses!

Goodness, now I DO wish I would have found out exactly what this number was. I assumed hemoglobin, but I know that in the past I have had ferritin discussed with me as well. I am going tomorrow to the doctor's office that called about the test, so maybe I will get a little better information. I have been on PPIs for quite a while, so maybe that is the cause. I just had a bit of a panic I guess. I am notorious for anemia, and I would hate to see it hold me up for the surgery that I have waited so long for.

Thank you all so much for your help, and kind words! I guess I will know a bit more tomorrow, and hopefully have the surgery behind me in just a few more days.

smiles to all....
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