Something to think about

RNY people have to keep in mind they don't metabolize the same as they did before surgery. The bypass limb is a place where B vites are absorbed and depending on how long of a bypass you have you may not get the iron like you did in the past.
We can't play catch up either. Once you are behind you may need injections or an infusion.
Supplements are forever and chelated are best. I was notified that I need to step up my iron last year by Dr. Kole. I was every other day so I take it every day now.
I use mild iron from Meijer. It's chelated and it doesn't bind me up. My labs are good this time around so it must be working.

Happy holidays.
kp

 Thanks for the reminder Kevin.  Glad your iron is back up where it belongs now.  

For those who need a bit more information about vitamins and such.  Here's the Bariatric Nutrition Guidelines from the ASMBS.  Also, here's a diagram of our digestive system... notice what stuff we no longer absorb because of the bypass.

I have a chart I stole from Dx. E. but I can't remember how to post it.
kp

I love DxE -- I totally stalk that guy!  He's even got his own tag on my Delicious account.  LOL!

I think I've got that chart too, but if I do it's on my flash drive which I happened to leave at work today.  If I remember, I'll see if I can post it tomorrow.

I was put on Iron pills after I found out I was pregnant.  I didn't have a problem prior to that, though.  My Iron pills do BIND me up something terrible.  I also do Metamucil and stool softeners.  Ugh.  But I was told that low Iron was normal during pregnancy.  Mine came on pretty quickly, as I had my annual wls bloodwork in August and everything was ok. A month later, I got pregnant, and by the end of Sept. I was put on Iron supplements.  

I may have to look into the kind you are taking.  I could do without the Metamucil and stool softeners....
Tina

Tina -

Andrea U. (from the main board) recommends carbonyl iron to reduce the constipation factor.   She buys hers at Target.  I tried finding it at Walmart and Vitamin Shoppe but couldn't ... so I guess I need to make a trip over to Target.

Pam

I may have to look into those.  Right now, I'm just taking what my OB recommended.  I'll ask about it at my next appointment.

Look into Tender Iron, sold by Vitalady.com.   She is a distal RNY'er *****ALLY knows her stuff with vitamins.   She has saved my bones because she is the only person out there who offers VItamin D in 50,000 iu doses - something that DS'ers malabsorb big-time.  

I think this is the other diagram Kevin mentioned...
(I posted it on my flickr account, so you're welcome to grab it if you want to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwsammy/3131036872/sizes/o/ )

The only problem I see with this diagram is that a normal bypass (100-150cm) includes about half of the jejunum.  Duodenum is about 25cm and Jejunum is about 230cm before the bypass.  So you have to imagine that some of the vitamins/minerals pictured here in yellow are actually bypassed in most people.

Hi Pam,
That is the chart I got from Kevin....explained it to my docs and they agreed....according to MY surgery, most of the vitamins and minerals in Yellow are NOT absorbed with me.  I am extremely iron deficient.  My iron percentage is 2% right now...should be at least 20%.  Infusions are in my future but we are waiting to see if an endometrial ablation will help first.  The monthly hemmoraging is causing the anemia so we want to take care of that first.  After a couple of months, I will have the iron checked again and if there's not enough improvemnet, we will start the infusions.  I absorb very little dietary or supplemental iron and we have tried everything else.  My ablation procedure will be done January 12 and I hope it helps.