Vitamin Deficiencies...

So I am very anemic...I have known that for a while, and have been taking my iron supplements like a good girl, but my doc decided that it isn't working well enough so I am off to see the hematologist tomorrow about either iron injections or iron infusions. Has anyone had any experience with either of these? The only thing that I've been told is that the injections hurt like hell and that the infusions have alot of risks so i am not really excited about either option, however the thought of feeling better is a bonus... I also just found out that my Vitamin D levels are off too....and living in the cloudy pacific northwest doesn't help that any, I wonder if i can get my insurance to pay for a tanning bed....lol Any thoughts would be great.... ~Lori

I have not personally had iron injections, but I did have an infusion while I was an undergrad - I had severe anemia (as in how are you even alive?  Where are you bleeding from??) somehow related to a doozy of a case of walking pneumonia.  The infusion was ok - they put this black stuff through the IV.  I had some tenderness.  I think the biggest risk is a toxic allergic reaction but I remember signing a form about all the risks of iron overload to your kidneys, etc.  I'd go with injections first personally.  As for Vit D we had a big discussion on here a while back.  There are dry VitDs you can supplement with but sun is easier if it works.  Some people take very high doses of dry vitD or the ADEK supplement from bariatric advantage.  My D has been fine but its sunny here, I drink a milk that makes me possibly believe there is a God (lots of extra protein, calcium, and VitD) and I take the dried form of D in my bariatric advantage.  Just don't buy the kind suspended in oil, no point there.

Thanks for the tips Jen, I'll look into the supplements from BA.

Lori,  I have not had any problems with iron and I hope like hell I don't , The vit D however was an 8 Both my pcp and my surgeon were concerned I take extra vit D and have not yet rechecked, They both said the tanning bed would be good so I try to do that but I am such an impatient person I can't stand it! lol   my vit a was low as well and my pcp told me most of my fat soluable vits were low.  She said she was really hoping they would all stabalize after I stopped losing at sucha fast rate which was about a month ago lol  Good Luck Babe!  Estelle

Thanks Estelle, I have been trying to justify the expense of tanning just for the pure vanity aspects, but i guess now i have a good excuse...lol my honey's gonna love this one! Good luck getting your levels up too! ~Lori

Lori -

Another Vitamin D option besides tanning is light therapy. I used to have a big old lightbox, but the newer models are much smaller. Mine is from Apollo, but I'm sure if you Google "Light therapy" you will find others as well.

Here's mine: http://www.apollolight.com/golite.html I have the P1.

I sit in front of it each morning when drinking my coffee and surfing the net. I start around Mid-Oct and use it through Mid-April. 

According to my shrink this is a huge problem in the Pacific NW, especially as our lives involve less outside activities than our grandparents, who probably worked on farms. As I understand it, not much sun exposure is needed, so I try to get out and sit on a bench when the sun peeks through the clouds.

Hey Patty,  You know, I've been thinking about getting a light box for a couple of years...I've lived here for almost 10 years, and I still can't get up in the mornings in the winter...lol i keep thinking I'll get used to the lack of sunlight, but I lived in Arizona for 13 years, and I guess thats just more to my liking....If not for my honey and the grandbaby I think I'd be back there... Thanks for the link, I'll check it out! ~Lori