Anyone else suffering from anaemia ?

What symptoms do people suffer from ?

How do you cope ?

What medication do you take ?

[OPA_LarryR]

Hi

It's quite a big subject anaemia. So you will need your GP's help to get the tests that will pin down which type you have.

I've sufferred with anaemia and low iron levels since my oesophagectomy. It took me quite some time to find out why I was tired all the time.

My GP got my blood tests done and then identified that i was particularly deficient in iron.

Initially I went onto a course of ferrous sulphate tablets which were prescribed to treat "iron-deficiency anaemia".

My blood was rechecked after 3 months and then again 6 months until the levels were up to normal.

Subsequently, I have discovered that cold press juicing is a good way for people who have had our surgery to maintian good vitamin levels and I do that every morning now. (many of us have malabsorbtion problems).

I have just had another set of blood tests earlier this week and I'm waiting to find out if the juicing regime is working. I'll let you know.

There are several other types of anaemia which I'm not knowledgable about so you should probably discuss the broader possibilitlies with your GP.

Hope that helps a bit.

Larry xx

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If you have had all or part of your stomach removed, you may end up suffering from a lack of vitamin B12 because this normally gets generated from the stomach lining. So the more of your stomach that is removed, the more likely you are to have one cause of this problem.

Some patients have regular blood tests to check their ferritin levels. Some take 200mg ferrous sulphate tablets, some a Vitamin B complex with iron, some take Spatone (an iron supplement) with orange juice daily. When patients cannot tolerate the normal iron supplements, an iron infusion or blood transfusion may ultimately become appropriate. So it is definitely worth checking with your doctor.

For situations that are not so serious as this, the specialist dieticians at St Mary's hospital Paddington have given us a booklet about increasing iron in your normal diet, and you can see a summary of it at

sosg.info/tips/increasing-i...

[DaveChuter]

Hi,

Not had this problem myself but I do know a few patient in our group who have overcome this issue.

Some have overcome this by changing diet slightly, others by iron / vitamin supplements as recommended by their GP.

There is no one single simple answer as everyone has a different set of conditions to their treatment, surgery and absorbtion rates.

We tend to advise a combined chat with your GP and dietician to see if a simple diet change can help as the first step but it does need to monitored by your GP.

Hope this helps,

Dave C

[jay2908]

Hi,

I too suffer from anaemia and have tried various supplements. What seems to work for me is a combination of Vitamin D (monthly) injections, Vitamin B12 (weekly injections) plus taking feraglobin, an over the counter Vitamin supplement.

Regards,

Jay

[VerenaSmith]

I think that blood tests should be carried out especially in the first couple of years after this surgery as otherwise how do you know that you have anaemia necessarily.

[VerenaSmith]

Hello Shamrock, Just remember that it will take time to recover from this major surgery I emphasize that it will not happen quickly and a great deal of patience is required, however you WILL get there. Tiredness I am afraid is won of the drawbacks and it is very frustrating. I too suffered lung problems after surgery and still do have breathing difficulties, something that I will have to live with I think, however I do find it is made worse by over eating and I try not to get too carried away at meal times now that my appetite is so much better. Hang in there, you are doing so well.