Frustrated with vitamin deficiencies

acbbrown
on 4/29/13 1:17 am - Granada Hills, CA

I'm really just venting, but also seeing if anyone has any advice.

After months of not feeling well, and finally figuring out that my iron is very low, and my vit D remains very low, i'm sooo frustrated. (ive taken 4 courses of high dose vit D over the last 2 years and usually take 5,000 IU of D3 every day and my Vit D has never gone higher than 30...ever)

I feel like a walking pharmacy - all the damn pills i'm on  and vitamins - all the rules for taking my Calcium/D and iron. It's a pain to keep track of. There was a reason I never wanted a RNY or DS because I know myself...and this kind of pill schedule is really hard to keep up with (however, i do what i have to do since it's not optional at this point)

I asked my doc for an iron infusion because I just dont see how I'm going to be getting my levels up any time soon. He said no. I'm just wondering how much lower my iron would have to be to get him to say yes?!!

This kind of came out of nowhere - for the first 18 mo post op, my iron/ferritin levels were good. I have not been having a menstrual cycle to blame for low iron.... I know I am going to have to kick my coffee drinking and probably my chike iced coffee protein shakes (Which are my only life savers) because iron and caffiene dont go well together. I have no idea what to do about my PPI and antacids that cause issues with iron absorption because I can't stop taking those. My already horrible constipation is probably only going to get worse.

I asked my doctor about taking proferrin which was recommended here and he told me there's not enough iron in it to get my levels up and told me I need to take the ferrous sulfate.

For now, i'm taking the iron with some vit C and alternating every couple hours with my Vit D and calcium supplements. But im taking pills all day!

I feel like at 2 years post-vsg, I should be feeling better than this.

www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status

11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift. 


HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200    85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
  
~~~~Alison~~~~~

 

hollykim
on 4/29/13 2:11 am - Nashville, TN
Revision on 03/18/15

Bummer. I personally actually do,take two proferrin a day broken in half with vitamin c every day. I have seldom had trouble with my iron. Only once when I went off them did my ferritin drop to 9. I would drop the ferrous sulfate and do the proferrin/ GL

 


          

 

acbbrown
on 4/29/13 2:26 am - Granada Hills, CA

I'm going to do some follow up labs in about a month and if my levels are going up, I'll switch to the proferrin. My doc just made me anxious to take it bc he said it wouldn't be as effective. :((

www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status

11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift. 


HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200    85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
  
~~~~Alison~~~~~

 

Herman
on 4/29/13 4:56 am

Well, actually the proferrin is better absorbed without issues then the one you are taking now.

Also if you took a Dry Vitamin D3 at a larger dose you could get by with taking one per day and raise your D levels without all this frustration. 

 Lap-band 2007
 DS 2009
acbbrown
on 4/29/13 5:12 am - Granada Hills, CA

Thanks for the info.

www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status

11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift. 


HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200    85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
  
~~~~Alison~~~~~

 

poet_kelly
on 4/29/13 9:46 am - OH

Most RNY folks need at least 10,000 IU D3 daily, and many need more.  When you say you took four courses of the high dose D, was that the prescription stuff?  If so, that is D2 and it's absorbed poorly, so it usually doesn't get one's level up much.  You can order 50,000 IU D3 from vitalady.com.  I took that daily for a few months until my level got up (we need it to be at least 80 according to the Linus Pauling Institute).  Now I take 50,000 IU D3 three times a week to maintain a level around 100.

What type of iron have you been taking?  I like carbonyl iron (I use Sundown Perfect Iron) because it's absorbed well in a low acid environment (which means PPI's and antacids don't interfere with it) and it usually does not cause constipation.  Carbonyl is absorbed better than ferrous sulfate - I think that's the worst possible type of iron to take, and it's the most likely to cause an upset stomach and constipation.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

acbbrown
on 4/29/13 11:26 am - Granada Hills, CA

The vit D rx says cholecalciferol which I assumed I was D3. 

 

Prior to this week, I had only been taking a multi Vite with 18mg of iron. I had VSG and havent had periods for most of the last year, so I wasnt taking any additional iron. 

Im glad there are more knowledgable people than my doc - I get irritated that he's paid to do his job but just doesnt seem to get it. I don't know why he was so set on the ferrous sulfate but I definitely need something that will work with PPI usage. Appreciate the info! 

www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status

11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift. 


HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200    85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
  
~~~~Alison~~~~~

 

poet_kelly
on 4/29/13 5:31 pm - OH

Cholecalciferol is D3, you're right.

What you got wasn't Drisdol, then?  Not those little green football-shaped things?

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

Valerie G.
on 4/30/13 11:48 pm - Northwest Mountains, GA

You don't need a RX for D3, you can get it online, and even at Walmart (only 1000iu, but it's there).  I take 50,000 iu per day, but for a VSG, it may be a bit much.  A weekly dose of this would probably be okay.

Valerie
DS 2005

There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes

Julia HasHerLifeNow
on 4/29/13 3:55 pm
VSG on 10/09/12
Alison, at 3 months post op my vit D was borderline low, 72 whereas optimal was 75 and above according to the values here in Switzerland. I did not even bother with the doc. I went straight to Michelle (Vitalady) and got the dry D3 50,000 iu and took one a day for a week and then one a week. 3 months later I did labs again and got 225 so way up!!! Scaling back to once every 10 days or so now. It works! I am sorry, can't advise on the iron as mine is good. I boosted the A with Vitalady's product also and its well within normal range too. She has good products. Maybe she can advise you on the iron also? Best of luck getting this under control!!

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com 5ft0; highest weight 222; surgery weight 208; current weight 120

     

    

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