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01-21-2012, 12:46 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Seasoned Veteran
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Just north of Iowa, not far from I-35. 2nd star on the right and straight on 'til morning!
Posts: 8,641
Weight Statistics December 13, 2007 (pre-op liquid diet started) Start Date:
December 27, 2007 Surgery Date:
5' 9"
Height:
280 lb Start Weight:
172 lb Current Weight:
184 lb Goal Weight:
108 lb Weight Loss:
-12 lb Lb Left to Lose:
38.5714285714 % % Lost:
Originally - 12/08. Actually - 8/08. Goal Date:
Body Mass Index41.3442554085 BMI Start:
25.3971854652 BMI Current:
27.1690821256 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
 |  Low Protein & Plasma Donations
I've never seen this dealt with before on this site, but if it were, this'd be as good a forum as any for it. This isn't a question for me, but it may answer a question someone has that they haven't asked yet.
I had my 4-year checkup last Monday. The only thing that wasn't perfect was my protein level. The surgeon commented that it was on the low side of normal and asked if I was eating enough protein. Well, I "only" eat about 60-80 grams a day. He was puzzling about it and wondering if further testing might be needed when I asked him if donating plasma could affect it.
Ah-hah!! Plasma has a lot of protein in it. Yes indeed, that could do it! So he told me to up my protein, which I have done.
This morning I got a call from a nurse at the plasma center. They had done a routine quality test on my plasma and found that it was low in protein. So I am on hold with them for a few weeks while I rebuild my levels. Then I can be re-tested and if successful, they'll let me start donating again.
So I guess this is a friendly notice, not quite a warning.
If you are in the near post-op period (less than 6-8 months out), your body makes a lot of demands on your protein levels. You ought to keep it within you rather than giving it away. Only if you are healthy can you withstand the effects of plasma donations, and only by keeping all available plasma readily accessible can you heal up properly and get healthy.
Once you are at maintenance awhile and stable, you can start thinking about donating if you want. Even then, you need to be aware that every couple of months you may want to take a break from it and recharge your levels.
I've been donating for 3-4 months, twice a week. In my conversation with the nurse I mentioned that I had had RNY. She had an "Ah-hah" moment, and said that they often see this pattern with folks like us. We have unique protein needs, and must focus special attention on them.
So it'll be at least a month until I can donate again. I'll be hitting the protein heavy in that time, and then being very careful once I start back with it.
CT
__________________ da perfesser
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Dare to live your dream!!
If you want to be healthy for life, do for life the things that get you healthy!! Living healthy takes work. Dying fat is easy!! "That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but that our capacity to do has increased." - HJ Grant
"Do, or do not. There is no try!" - Yoda
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01-21-2012, 04:01 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Guru In Training
Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Escanaba, Mi
Posts: 253
Weight Statistics June 2011 Start Date:
Oct. 4, 2011 Surgery Date:
5' 5"
Height:
280 lb Start Weight:
175 lb Current Weight:
155 lb Goal Weight:
105 lb Weight Loss:
20 lb Lb Left to Lose:
37.5 % % Lost:
Body Mass Index46.5893491124 BMI Start:
29.1183431953 BMI Current:
25.7905325444 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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Thanks for the info. I was wondering about that.
__________________
Mary
280 in June 2011 start of my weightloss journey
254 on Oct 4, 2011 surgery date  Goals:
195 by Jan 30, 2012 (not there but closer 205)I made it 27 days late. Feb. 27, 2012
185 by Easter Made it! 4/1/12
155 by Oct. 4, 2012
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01-21-2012, 07:53 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 24,790
5' 5"
Height:
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As much as I respect your good intentions, IMHO, I do not think WLS post ops should do such donations. There is no data on how such depletion affects WLS post ops, with their realigned and adjusted functions and metabolism. The extra protein intake may have an effect on your liver and kidney functions as well. About 100g protein per day is the recommended upper limit for most people, and anything more could put a strain on your system.
Even if you are doing fine now, there is no knowing how such repeated stress will affect you in the long run.
Also, there may be some unknown factors with all the supplementation you need to take, that may have an effect on the recipients of the plasma.
If you feel you have to do this, then keep it to a couple of times a year.
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01-21-2012, 09:04 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Seasoned Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Lake Oswego, OR
Posts: 1,633
Weight Statistics June 2011 Start Date:
9-20-2011 Surgery Date:
5' 3"
Height:
272 lb Start Weight:
187 lb Current Weight:
145 lb Goal Weight:
85 lb Weight Loss:
42 lb Lb Left to Lose:
31.25 % % Lost:
9-2012 Goal Date:
Body Mass Index48.1773746536 BMI Start:
33.1219450743 BMI Current:
25.6827916352 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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Thanks for the information, Perfesser and Doc. It is much appreciated.
__________________
Carol Jo B. | |
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01-21-2012, 09:36 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Seasoned Veteran
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Just north of Iowa, not far from I-35. 2nd star on the right and straight on 'til morning!
Posts: 8,641
Weight Statistics December 13, 2007 (pre-op liquid diet started) Start Date:
December 27, 2007 Surgery Date:
5' 9"
Height:
280 lb Start Weight:
172 lb Current Weight:
184 lb Goal Weight:
108 lb Weight Loss:
-12 lb Lb Left to Lose:
38.5714285714 % % Lost:
Originally - 12/08. Actually - 8/08. Goal Date:
Body Mass Index41.3442554085 BMI Start:
25.3971854652 BMI Current:
27.1690821256 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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The plasma center doesn't list WLS as a disqualifying factor for donors, but it's possible they may have their own motives involved in that decision.
CT
__________________ da perfesser
*******************
Dare to live your dream!!
If you want to be healthy for life, do for life the things that get you healthy!! Living healthy takes work. Dying fat is easy!! "That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but that our capacity to do has increased." - HJ Grant
"Do, or do not. There is no try!" - Yoda
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01-21-2012, 10:49 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 24,790
5' 5"
Height:
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The plasma center may not have WLS on their disqualifying list because whoever makes the decision aren't truly aware of what WLS affects in terms of nutrition and metabolism, and recovery of the donor. They may be just assuming that recovery is the same as a person with a normal system.
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01-22-2012, 06:33 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | WLS Master Guru
Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Hartford County, Connecticut
Posts: 629
Weight Statistics Nov. 2, 2009 Start Date:
May 13, 2010 Surgery Date:
5' 6"
Height:
345 lb Start Weight:
155 lb Current Weight:
160 lb Goal Weight:
190 lb Weight Loss:
-5 lb Lb Left to Lose:
55.0724637681 % % Lost:
January 2012 Goal Date:
Body Mass Index55.6783746556 BMI Start:
25.0149219467 BMI Current:
25.8218549128 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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This is an interesting topic. Doc, do you have the same the concerns for a regular blood donation too? I realize that plasma is part of blood, but are the concerns you have related to just the plasma donation that Perfesser references?
Nancy
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01-22-2012, 07:49 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 24,790
5' 5"
Height:
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You are more prone to anemia as well.
With RNY, the portion of the stomach that is vital for iron absorption is bypassed. Hence the need for iron and VB12 supplementation.
It's quite possible that your recovery time from blood donations will take longer.
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01-22-2012, 10:27 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Guru In Training
Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Pa
Posts: 252
Weight Statistics birth Start Date:
4/1/2011 Surgery Date:
5' 5"
Height:
282 lb Start Weight:
134 lb Current Weight:
140 lb Goal Weight:
148 lb Weight Loss:
-6 lb Lb Left to Lose:
52.4822695035 % % Lost:
Met 12/21/11 Goal Date:
Body Mass Index46.9221301775 BMI Start:
22.2963313609 BMI Current:
23.2946745562 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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My surgeon says not to donate after wls because of concerns like Doc listed. Which is sad as i donated blood when I could. But now esp due to my iron issues I can not.
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01-24-2012, 08:53 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Guru In Training
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 284
Weight Statistics August 14, 2004 Start Date:
August 14, 2004 Surgery Date:
5' 6"
Height:
220 lb Start Weight:
132 lb Current Weight:
140 lb Goal Weight:
88 lb Weight Loss:
-8 lb Lb Left to Lose:
40 % % Lost:
Body Mass Index35.5050505051 BMI Start:
21.303030303 BMI Current:
22.5941230487 BMI Goal:
Weight Loss MethodRoux en Y Gastric Bypass
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I was also told not to donate...I did for a few times and then found out that my bloodwork said......"anemia"..well thats the end of that. Like doc says, ya never know so why risk it..
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