FeraMAX (iron)

Actually, you have an excellent point there Grim. She is obviously sponsored in some way by FeraMax and the news that she is also now professing Proferrin is news to me. There is  new(er) formula/brand called Polyride (sp) that a few of my groups people have been using with excellent results and no common side effects (constipation, etc.).

Pretty sure Polyride is the same type of iron as Feramax.  Likely just another brand of polysaccharide iron.

Her blog is on the Feramax website so am sure she if partially funded by them but doubt she would suggest it unless it has been working for her patients.

I'm sure you're right on all accounts.

Hi Susan, I just had my two year post op check ups and had my blood work done as well.  And my Iron is very low and the NP told me I am also anaemic. I am 2 years post RNY (done at TWH) and last year at my one year check up my Iron was low and the NP told me to start Feramax 1 a day.  So I did, 6 months after taking it I had more blood work done and my Iron level had not changed one bit, so I went up to two Feramax a day, one in the AM & one in the PM.  Then this past Wednesday I had my two year check up and two year blood work done and my Iron is still the EXACT same as one year ago/six months ago.  The Feramax is not working for me at all.  So doesn't the NP tell me as I am sitting there that "we JUST FOUND OUT that RNY patients are not absorbing the Feramax Iron due to the capsule they are in, that capsule is not broken down." OMG, I wanted to strangle her, you are telling me this now after being on it a year!! Anyways, she had a few suggestions for me .... 1. Start taking a Prenatal vitamin as it has higher iron in it.  2. Break open the Feramax capsule and put the powder right in a drink and mix it up and drink it.  3. Feramax makes a grape flavoured Iron in powder form so I could switch to that.  So since I already had a box of the Feramax 150 I started to open the capsules and put it in my drinks. I have a 1/2 cup of OJ with the Feramax mixed in first thing when I wake up (and she told me to take it on an empty stomach) and I do the same when I go to bed, 1/2 cup of OJ with one Feramax mixed in.  It doesn't look pretty but for me I can't taste the iron at all.  So the NP told me to come back in three months to have my Iron tested again and I am hoping it is up by then and I am feeling better.  If not then I am going to switch to Proferrin like some of the other posters mentioned or maybe I will try the powder form Feramax.  

Best of luck!!

Daisy

Wow, thank you so much for sharing!! Sorry you wasted 6+ months.  I hope your levels rise soon!! I am taking 300mg of ferrous fumarate.  I go for my 6 month check up in 3 weeks if my levels are not improved I think I might ask to try Proferrin. 

feramax needs to be opened up and dissolved in warm liquids either decaf coffee or tea if you cant get over the dark brown colour.  I just take a glass and fill with ho****er and open two capsules into the glass and dissolve and mix and i sip 1 small sip every hour (better absorbed this way and its a suggestion for leona herself) 

Just sounds so much easier to take a proferrin tab once per day then all this for the feramax

Iron salts do not work for most long timers. Why?  Because the are absorbed in the part of the intestines that we have bypassed.  

Yes Leona is involved with feramax but she also has recommended proferrin and feosol bifera.  Yes you have to open the feramax. That's is KEY. 

Dawn

Hello

 I have not had surgery yet but am gleaning as much information as possible. What about liquid iron like Floradix. It works well for me know and was just wondering about after.

Thanks for the info in advance!!

Susan

I also just had my two year follow up appt at TWH and was floored when she told me to open the FeraMax capsules! Wish someone had told me this a year ago!

I have been struggling since February with iron levels soooo low that the lab has to run the test 3-4 times to even get a reading!

I've just moved on to iron infusions....my hemoglobin is so low Ive had to have two blood transfusions. I'm at a complete loss on how to fix this. I tried 6 weeks of iron infusions back in July that had no effect on me! ....I went weekly for 5 hours!

Currently looking into a Total iron infusion at once versus little amounts weekly. Once that is done we will monitor my levels and see how quickly they tank. Then we will have a plan going forward on how frequently they need to be done.