6 month labs help please

Hello everyone.  I am needing some help decoding my lab results.  My letter said that my iron is low so they're putting me on Ferro-Sequels for 8 weeks.  Is there anything I can do (besides taking these) to increase my iron.  I have had quite a bit of hair loss and it says that's one of the symptoms of low iron, so at least I know that the amount of loss I have is not normal and only from the surgery. 
Other things that were flagged are:
Creatinine Serum (normal 0.60-1.10 mg/dL).........................0.59 (L)
Iron (normal 50-170 ug/dL).....................................................39 (L)
Iron Saturation (no normal listed)...........................................9 (L)
Thank you in advance.  Other than the fact that I have lost so much hair and I am freezing most of the time (I guess because I lost so much of my insulation) I couldn't be happier :))

How much iron have you been taking and what kind?

I'm not sure what type of iron Ferro-Sequels is but I'm guessing ferrous sulfate or one of the other iron salts.  That usually  makes people constipated.  Most people also absorb carbonyl iron better.  If you're worried about constipation, you might wanna ask your doc if carbonyl iron would be OK for you instead (and if doc says no, ask why).

Why are they only putting you on iron for eight weeks?  Or do you mean just this type of iron for eight weeks and then you'll take something else?  You're going to need iron for the whole rest of your life.

If you take your iron with vitamin C, you'll absorb it better.  You need 200 mg C for every 30 mg elemental iron.  Keep in mind that iron supplements like ferrous sulfate are not all elemental iron.  Like, 325 mg ferrous sulfate only has 65 mg elemental iron.  The rest is the iron salts that makes you unable to poop.

How were your other labs?  B12?  Vitamin D?

I have been taking Vitalady's Tender Iron daily up until now.  They mean I will be on this for 8 weeks and then back to my usual iron.  I already take 2-4 colace daily, so I hope this doesn't make things worse :/  My B12 was 865 and Vitamin D was 34.1.  Thank you Kelly, you've always helped me so much :)

I'm wondering why, if this helps you over the next eight weeks, they would suggest then going back to the Tender iron if that wasn't doing the job.  I'm thinking I'd want to stick with whatever iron works.  Anyway, I hope it works.

Your B12 is pretty.  Your D is low, though.

Please dont' switch your iron.  She is recommending an iron that we can't absorb and will only make your levels worse.  You are currently taking a great iron - are you taking the chewables or the capsules and how many?  With your iron level so low, you need to be taking atleast 120-180mg per day of carbonyl iron (tender irons) with vitamin C.  The capsules have the necessary vitamin C in them but if you are taking the chewables, you need to take separate vitamin C to go with it. So, if you can take the capsules, they are a better option - higher dosage and have the C in them. Take 2-3 at a time and take once per day.  Take away from your calcium and thyroid medication by atleast 2-3 hours.  The other thing, is you dont' only take it for 8 weeks, you take it indefinitely. You can get your levels rechecked in 8 weeks to see if it is working and that you should.

Your B12 is also a little low - not terrible but I would increase your sublingual dose = you could even double it and be fine. WE want to be between 1200-1800 and can go to 2000.  There is no danger in being to high but very dangerous to be too low.

You also need to take vitamin D - dry D3 from vitalady.com - 50,000 units 2 times per week and get retested in 2 months

Your creatinine is fine, don't worry we all tend to run low.  It has to do with the high protein diet we eat.

The web site for Bariatric Advantage sells chewable iron supplements. I'm anemic and have to take them. I also take Miralax and Colace to move things along.

My doctor told me that hair loss will be a side effect of the surgery until my body gets used to the idea of what I just did to it...he says up to two years.

I am not sure why Kelly.  I will ask them that though.  I thought my D was in the low range.  I haven't been as good about taking my calcium as I should, but I will now. 

And as far as 2 years for hair loss?????? I sure hope not because at this point I don't have 2 years worth of hair left lol.

Most labs use a really low normal range for D.  I don't know why.  I think they just haven't caught up with more recently research.  But if our D is lower than 80, we are at higher risk for osteoporosis as well as heart disease and other stuff we don't want.  According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

As far as hair loss, it usually doesn't last nearly as long as two years.  I think most people say it lasts about three or four months.  Everyone's different though and some lose a lot more than others and a few lucky people hardly lose any.  What will probably happen is it will get thin and then grow back even thicker and healthier than before due to all the vitamins you take now.  I lost a lot and I finally got it cut short and that makes it less noticable.

 Don't worry about the serum creatnine.  Just means your kidneys are in great shape. and 0.59 is pretty much the same as 0.6 normal. I, and your surgeon, I am sure would be much more concerened if it was greater than 1.5 or 2.  hope that helps. 

 Also about that iron.  Take it with vit C and DO NOT take it with calcium.  If you take your calcium and Multi vit at breakfast, take your iron at lunch.   Calcium binds with iron so it is not absorbed,