Can anaemia stop surgery going ahead?

[FlippertyFlopperty]

Any surgeons around? I feel I'm very anaemic. I can tell. I have surgery scheduled. Will it still go ahead?

I've had planned surgery stopped for anaemia.
I've had it go ahead when anaemic but that was emergency surgery, so they had to take the risk.
If you are very anaemic they probably won't do it. If it isn't urgent better to wait until you are well.

When is your surgery? If it's not for a few weeks, start taking iron now (with vit C and zinc tabs)

Yes they will cancel.

Advocate for yourself.. HARD.

Oh nooo. If I don't tell them I'm anaemic how will they know?

And is surgery risky with a local or general anaesthetic if I'm anaemic?

They usually take bloods when you have your pre-op.

Bloodwork will show this; never had surgery, not a medical person - but I believe that they do a form of wellness check to ensure your surgery will not put you at risk.

I had bloods taken recently for the pre op. Just one needle though. Will that be for a complete blood count?

Yes. I had my full blood count with one needle

It will definitely have a full blood count in those bloods.

If you feel you are anaemic you need to get this checked and treated before surgery

Surgery is in a few days and the surgery will stop me feeling so anaemic. I have to have it done. How long do bloods take to get results? I so hope I don't get a call telling me surgery can't go ahead.

yes, it's part of the pre-op assessment.
depending how urgent the operation is and how anaemic you are they mightg reschedule.

Yes. Mostly, bloods are taken using a single needle, just attaching different vacuumed vials according to tests required.
You probably had a full blood count, which will include red bloods cells

I desperately hope they don't cancel surgery.

You will usually have bloods taken 5 days before surgery and they will tell from that if you are. Saying that I just had surgery with a ferritin level of 4. The hospital were aware

Oh wow. They they offer any ferritin therapy following surgery?

I recently had surgery and I was anaemic, it was a hysterectomy. They said as the surgery would help with the anaemia it wouldn't make sense to wait. I think that being anaemic can make recovery more difficult. My recovery was fine

A full blood count will be back in a couple of hours it will have flagged if you’re anaemic. Although it relies on someone having looked at it.

You are more likely to have significant bleeding if you’re anaemic, and less likely to be able to compensate for such bleeding. It really does depend on what your bloods show and what the surgery is.

I was anaemic when I had my hysterectomy, the surgeon told me afterwards that he was sure he could deal with any issues so decided to go ahead as it was classed as an emergency.

When I came round I was hooked up to a blood transfusion and before I was discharged I was given an iron infusion