Lesson Learned

Funny how sometimes we don't really think about things - especially being long term out - for me, being five plus years.

During July, I was a walking machine.  I constantly walk the city and was meeting up with friends for a ton of walking.   I sometimes was doing 10 miles a day! Enjoying the summer and the heat.

In August, I thought I was starting to feel a bit lazy. Attributed it to a funk.  Forgot to get my yearly blood work done before school started.

In September, felt more lazy and having some headaches.  Attributed it to the busy-ness of starting up a new year of school. 

In October, I had more and more headaches - attributed it to the wonky weather and barometer changes. Felt like crap. Decided I just needed a rest from floor hockey this year and decide to not do floor hockey....but to my credit, on the 18th of October, I did complete my 3rd half walking marathon (Detroit) and did it in a record time for me.  In October, I had a day where I had to take a day off work anyway, so it was the perfect time to get my bloodwork done, having missed doing that in August.

In November, my doctor's office calls and wants me to come in - finally did last week.

What did I learn? 

I'm not being lazy.   My iron is in the toilet.  My level should be around 100-120 generally, I'm at a 5. Yep. 5. 

Now I am thinking - thank goodness that I can attribute these things to a real reason - I just was so hard on myself about my "laziness" and have been mentally beating myself up over it for a few months.   I've still been walking to/home from work most days, but now when someone offers me a ride, I find it hard to turn them down.

Anyway, doctor wants me to supplement hard the next two months and if no big improvement, I'll need an iron infusion or two or more.   From what I'm hearing from my friends in the know, it sounds like I'll definitely be doing iron infusions in the new year. 

So lesson learned ---- stop being so hard on myself ---- and give myself a little credit once in a while, that I'm not just lazy!! Next time, get labs checked!!  

The other lesson learned, iron is going to be my life issue, time to start supplementing religiously proactively.  Iron was one thing my facility did not tell me to do proactively. I'm definitely going to make it a part of my regular pill taking regime.

Have a great day!

Dawn

Oh man Dawn!  Definitely a lesson learned for sure.  The more and more I read about iron post-op I feel confident in my decision to supplement it right from the get go - it really does seem to be the most common post-op struggle for women.

I hope that you can get those numbers up and start feeling better!

Oh I'm so glad you went for your bloodwork. Hope things improve quickly for you. When I take iron I can't poo, hope you can. lol

You just need a different kind of iron, carbonyl or heme, not a salt. Plus there are always stool softners.

Thanks Pat, so is Proferrin better for not making me constipated?

Yes, heme iron is generally non-constipating.

First I must say a big WOW on 5 years and walking 10 miles, FABULOUS!  Happy to hear that you found the source of your tiredness and praying you will get those numbers up and get back to feeling like you again

 My centre doesn't suggest supplementing with iron either, aside from taking a multivitamin with iron in it, but it seems odd since so many people are iron deficient after surgery.  Do you have idea about what amount of iron would be good to supplement proactively post-op?  

The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery suggests that women of childbearing age should get a minimum of 50mg of elemental iron everyday, with a goal of up to 100mg of elemental iron and that is with both supplements. They generally recommend a multivit with iron plus an additional 18-27mg of pure iron. I plan to supplement up to about 50mg a day through my multivitamin and Proferrin and then get the rest from food. Hope that's helpful!

I can totally relate about being hard on yourself. I am so glad you have an answer. I was told that if your blood work is good not to supplement. Too much iron is not healthy either. I feel like as soon as I think I have my vitamins figured out, things change