low blood count at 2.5 weeks post op

[barb]

Everything is healing well but my hemoglobin is down at 8.3 as of Tuesday when I went for my post op appt. Normal for women is between 11-15. This has me feeling, I think, so much more tired than I would otherwise be.

Is this common? Anyone else this low at this point? I have been told they don't like to transfuse after this surgery because of adding extra work load for the heart and risk of infection.

I can't walk any distance without feeling dizzy and I'm white as a sheet. I'm taking iron (doubling up on it) and eating all iron rich foods but I can tell it's going to be a slow climb.

After my hip surgery a year and a half ago, I needed 2 units of blood. Anemia is kind of a chronic problem for me.

Has anyone received blood after avr surgery?

Thanks.

Barb

 

[Dina]

I also had very low blood values post op(Tricuspid valve replace.) , my hematocrit was down to 27%,hgb was low too. But since I had no symptoms,
my surgeon let me wait it out to see if I could bring it up naturally by drinking
lots of replacement juices,iron,etc. It did come up on its own but it took a
while - like a week. I was told there wasnt any danger as long as the hgb/hct
didnt continue to decrease.So I managed to avoid a transfusion -barely.

* If you are having symptoms,such as dizziness,SOB,fatigue,you may need
to get the transfusion just to be on the safe side.
Best wishes - Dina

 

[netmiff]

where I had my surgery, it seems that a month or so on iron was automatically part of the post-op treatment plan. So, yes, this does seem to be a common side-effect; from what I understand, the bypass machine is a lot harder on our blood than our hearts, and can crush some of the blood cells. Take the iron, and take it easy until things return to normal.

 

[COLLEEN S]

Hope you are soon feeling more energy!

 

[Cris N]

I needed a transfusion about a week after my surgery and stayed on iron pills for about 12 months. (Slow FE and a stool softener)

 

[CRM-Mom]

Yes, I had a unit of blood about a week after surgery due to low hemoglobin. I have been on an iron supplement.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I had a unit of blood while still in recovery and took iron for a while. I don't know how long I was anemic, but I know at 2 weeks I still was. Rest and eat a good diet, but if you don't start feeling better, keep talking to the doctor.

 

[ponygirlmom]

Everything is healing well but my hemoglobin is down at 8.3 as of Tuesday when I went for my post op appt. Normal for women is between 11-15. This has me feeling, I think, so much more tired than I would otherwise be.

Is this common? Anyone else this low at this point? I have been told they don't like to transfuse after this surgery because of adding extra work load for the heart and risk of infection.

I can't walk any distance without feeling dizzy and I'm white as a sheet. I'm taking iron (doubling up on it) and eating all iron rich foods but I can tell it's going to be a slow climb.

After my hip surgery a year and a half ago, I needed 2 units of blood. Anemia is kind of a chronic problem for me.

Has anyone received blood after avr surgery?

Thanks.

Barb

I had post-surgery anemia. They gave me a transfusion in the hospital the day I left, but it became more of a problem a few months after surgery. I raised the levels with foods -- blackstrap molasses and dark green vegetables (I eat meat but I did not load up on steaks!) -- and an herbal iron supplement.

 

[Johan]

Also had blood transfusion in the ICU and an iron drip, huge bag of it! Now 3 weeks later and feeling fine. It seems to be a side effect of surgery