Unintended and unexpected consequences

One of the many issues that happen for gastric bypass patients is malabsorption of nutrients.  This is by design. The whole point of the surgery actually is for malabsorption of calories and fat of the food that we eat.  Well that and making the actual stomach into a small pouch so you feel full with less than 1/2 cup of food.   The side effect to this is that not only are you not absorbing the calories and fat from the small amount of food that is being eaten, but you are also not absorbing as much of the vital nutrients that you need for your body's health.

Since we know we are not going to be able to get all our nutrients from food after bypass, we are required to take multi-vitamins and minerals for the rest of our lives to try and replace what we are not absorbing.  We also get blood work done every few months to make sure that we are doing ok, getting what we need, and are not falling into any danger zones with nutrients. This is just something you know and you sign up for when you have RNY surgery.

So I have not been feeling very well for about a month.  Not like I have been feeling "sick" or anything, just really REALLY tired.  I have felt like I was going through a chronic fatigue episode, one that just was really bad and I was going to have to fight through till it was over.  Well on the 2nd I had my year blood test (ok so it was my 9 month blood test which ended being the year blood test because I kept rescheduling it), and this past Friday the 9th, I got called from the doctor saying my iron was low and I needed to go on prescription supplements.  No big deal, right?  Just adjust the vitamins and supplements and go ...

Well in looking at the results from my blood work, I am not just a little low in my iron, I am DANGEROUSLY low.  And a few other areas are borderline!


Iron  Normal Range = 30 - 180 mcg/dL  My numbers: 31
Iron Saturation  Normal Range = 15-50 %  My Numbers: 7%
Ferritin  Normal Range = 6 - 170 ng/mL  My Numbers: 5

So what does that mean?  Well it obviously means that I have to get my iron up.  My protein levels are also borderline, so that needs to be taken care of ASAP.  It means that I have to make sure I am compliant with vitamins and minerals, no more screwing around and being lazy!

It also means that the consequences of the severe fatigue are going to be around for awhile.  And it is going to be extremely difficult to push through.  I am going to have to work really hard to keep upright, to do my job, to keep the house from falling apart and to keep sane.