IRON SUPPLEMENTS?

Do any of you take iron supplements?

I was talking   with my Aunt today, who lives in Texas.  She commented on the picture of me that I sent her with her Christmas card.  She's so sweet - she goes - "Pamela (only she and my Daddy ever called me Pamela) I love the picture you sent me but I have to tell you honey, you do look a little tired and run down."   

Hmmm..... Well, the picture in question was one that was taken  right around the time we were told Steve needed to  be transplanted within two months and it was also about one week before I was diagnosed with my "latest" ulcer.  So, I'm thinkin maybe that's why I looked tired to her. 

Thing is I don't think I look too bad in it.  (BTW - my avatar pic is the one she is talking about.)   

Anyway, I digress, ..... so do any of you take or know about iron supplements?  Maybe I should take them?  The last round of labs I had were all good, but maybe I just need a little extra something.

Huggs,
Pammie

PS
She wants me to come down and visit sometime.  If I ever do, I want to stop in Okie and meet some of you guys.  She lives in Midland so I figure its right on the way!!!  Kinda....

Hi, Pam.
I'm not a doctor, but you really should be on a daily iron + C supplement. I have to use the chewables right now, so I take the one from CelebrateVitamins.com. It's my favorite--tastes like a sweet tart. From what I understand, it's much easier to keep on top of the iron than to wait until you find your iron level is low and then have to have iron infusions. Yikes!
Yes, you do look a bit tired around the eyes in that picture (altho' you're still beautiful), but, like you said, it was surely due to the emotions of the time.
Are you taking a daily or weekly B12? That might help you, too. Maybe a call to your nutritionist or doctor might be in order. One thing about most vitamins, you really can't take too much (some you can), because your body will get rid of what it doesn't need.
If you do decide to take Iron, make sure it has vitamin C with it, and make sure you do not take it within 2 hours of your Calcium, on either side of it, or else your body won't absorb the iron.
Hope this helps. Remember, though, I'm not a doctor. :)
Blessings,
Mary

I have taken iron since day one.  After my first round of lab work it was increased to twice the amount I began with.  I take the iron, b-12 sublingual, 2 multi-vitamins, 3 calcium citrate a day and probably will from now on according to my nut and doc.  I have my labs checked about every 3 months.  I hope you are having regular lab work done.  That would be the only way to see where you are actually at with all of that.  Be sure to check with your doc and if you haven't had any done in a while...get your labs done!!!!  You need to take care of yourself especially since you concentrate on being the caregiver for your dear husband!!!! 

Pammie,

It's not that far out of the way!  I have been taking an iron supplement since I started on mushies.  I may even have to increase that, they ran labs yesterday, but didn't mention that.  My mother has to have iron infusions occasionally, so severe anemia runs in my family. 

Check with your nutritionist and have some blood work done...just to be on the safe side.
Trust me...after watching what happens to my mother when her iron is too low, I don't want that to happen to anyone!

Hugs,
Marsha

I don't have to take iron but that is because I was a sleeve and because I don't have periods anymore.  But I have a friend at work that had surgery and she was way low on iron and had to go in last week for iron infusions for something like 8 hours.  They said that is why is felt cold all of the time and that it does make you feel run down.

That being said, it's an easy deal to have some blood drawn and find out for sure!  Hop on over to your local vampire and just do it!  And no one can tell just from an avatar pic.

I take the iron from Celebrate vitamins like Mary. They are yummy grape!! I actually look forward to taking them! Hope that helps,

Amber

I also take the iron plus vit c....they taste like sweet tarts. Amber, I missed you Monday at the group meeting...I was hoping to get to meet ya

Hugz,
LaDetra

I too take Iron, I get mine from  my dr.

I'm banded and I don't have periods and the NUT wants me to take iron, but I just can't-it makes me ill.  I'm always slightly on the low side, but I always have been, even before WLS.  When I try supplements, I either get backed up or start puking-I couldn't even take iron when I was pregnant.

Like Glitter said-go get a blood test and see.  Being low is really the pits (when I get too low I do belly up and take them until I build back up-I know because they start making me sick again).  If I want to donate blood, I take supplements for a few days....LOL.  But I'm just borderline low. 

Hi, Debra.
I know that iron can make people feel sick, but I'd encourage you to try the iron chewable from celebratevitamins.com. It's the only iron that doesn't make me feel ill. If for some reason you still reacted to it, I wonder how it would work for you to take iron something like every 3rd day. That way, you'd "keep" some in your system, instead of waiting until you go "belly up." That just doesn't sound good/healthy to me, to wait so long. Forgive me if I'm overstepping a boundary. I'm just concerned for you.
Blessings,
Mary