Already have iron deficiency :-(

Hi all! The more I am reading about how important vitamins are after surgery, I am growing more and more concerned about how I will be able to get enough into my body after surgery. I am already iron deficient and B-12 also. This is due to me being a vegetarian for over 12 years. Can anyone give me any ideas or information on what I can take pre and post to make sure I am getting enough protien and iron? Thank you!

Are you taking vitamins now? When I was preop and going through testing I started taking vitamins. I chose CVS brand multi-vitamin with 100% iron. It is the blue and white label. It has 100% of everything and the best part is it is really little, about the size of an asprin tablet. Even preop I couldn't swallow big pills. After surgery Dr.Roye had me take 2 chewable vitamins for 6 weeks (as well as chewable calcium) but then when I showed him how small my vitamin was he let me go back to that. I also have some iron issues. Not deficient but on the low end and Dr.Roye doesn't like that so he has me take an iron supplement on top of my multivitamin. That too is very small and easy to swallow. Dr.Roye does go over all the protien and vitamin requirements with you and you get a list of what you need and sample menus. But in reality it is very hard for brand new post ops to get in all the protein. I know I struggled with it for the first 6 weeks or so but it got better and now almost a year later I have no problems at all. Bascially you have to just do your best and try not to worry too much and realize it will get easier. If your not taking vitamins and extra iron and B12 supplements now I would think it would a good idea to start even before surgery. I'm sure Dr.Roye will address all that with you when you have your follow up appointment to go over your test results and get a surgery date. Megan P.S. Don't take iron and calcuim supplements together. They don't work together. I take my iron at night and calcium in the morning and lunch.

Hey Dee, I too am Iron deficient. In fact I just got yelled at by Dr. Roye about it. Im pre-op and I just hadnt been keeping up with it. But boy after being yelled at by Dr. Roye I am taking those suckers like its my job. What dossage are you taking? I am worried that the 50mg that Im taking isnt enought. With love, Em

Hi Em, I havent started taking anything yet, I was actually trying to get the best options possible before I started taking anything. I'm going to pick up the CVS Multi vitamin with iron as Megan suggested in the previous response and maybe I will start taking liquid iron also. I just don't want my hair falling out and being really tired post op. I shop at FoodWorks in Smithfield and I can get anything I need there hopefully. Thanks for all the great information!