iron deficient anemia

I am 3 yrs post op rny and I had to have a blood transfusion in October,  My hemoglobin was 5.5 and hemocrit was 19.1.  I had been complaining to my gp about shortness of breath, chest pains, cough and extreme fatigue.  Finally on the 3rd visit (to a different doctor) they did a CBC and got the results.  They were calling me on my cell phone (I was running errands) to tell me to come to the office ASAP.  They sent me to the hospital straight from the office.   Since all this started I have had endoscope (he said my rny junction looked great - no ulcers etc),  a colonoscopy, B-12 injections and (2) IV iron infusions in December and they said I needed to see a hematologist to get checked out he - suspected I was having an asorption issue or a bone marrow disorder.   I finally gott into see the hematologist on Monday and after looking at my bloodwork he said it is iron deficient anemia,my iron level was 2!  He wants me to have weekly IV infusions until we get the numbers up.   When I had the infusions done in December I had no problems at all.  After the infusion yesterday I am having severe muscle and joint pain.  Have any of you experienced this?  I don't know what medicine they used, I thought it was all the same.  After reading a little I learned there are several types of IV iron. The sucky part about this is I am still 40  lbs from goal.  I have lost 121 lbs since RNY 1/27/05.  I have been holding steady for 1-1/2 yrs.  I didn't go through all of this to be a size 16.  I don't want to sound like a whiny baby but I feel like I have all this blood issue going on and I am still large.  Maybe my expectations are unreal, maybe I should be happy where I am.  I feel that sometimes people think "that's in your finished?" and that I should have lost more.  My family says I look fine but I find myself embarrassed around some people.  Any thoughts advice would be greatly appreciated, I am really down today - maybe because I am in pain today.  Sorry for the long post! Still a big mama

Anyone experience this????????????????????

I took slow fe daily and I just couldn't absorb.  I had a vital port put in yesterday (day surgery) to make  my weekly iron infusions easier.   Denise M

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

The REASON is malabsorption of iron foods. Your hema will tell you that you absorb no iron, but I'm wondering if you tried oral irons, how much, which ones, isolated with vit C?

I'm thinking it CAN be fixed, seen it done, but it takes a ****tail of irons and some time.

Hi!  I have iron deficient anemia.  I got where I could not even get out of bed and I ended up admitted to the hospital for 6 days with blood transfusions, a heart monitor, had to have a endoscope & a colonoscopy (sp??), they even did a cat scan of my head because I was having such awful headaches. I was out of town at the time so I don't see the same doctors as I did in the hospital.  The doctor at the hospital had me on the iron 3 times a day and he gave me a script for one month & told me to see my doctor for more treatment and for more iron.  So, my family doctor is taking care of me now but he lowered the dose of iron to only once a day.  He is a a young new doctor that has not treated any gout before or any gastric bypass patients.  Maybe I need to go to someone else but I do really like him & he is trying so hard to help me with the gout. My research on that shows that he is trying all the right avenues in that regard.  But I'm not so sure about this iron problem. Also. I read here on OH that someone said the iron I am taking is not absorbed well by us.  (ferrous sulfate 325mg)  Does anyone know about that? I am still so very exhausted, weak and can not stand this! My fingers hurts so bad and I am constantly in pain. I've become very depressed. Oh the doc did give me something for that but it has not helped. I was wondering if I should ask about another transfusion or that IV infusion for iron.  Any input would be appreciated so much! 

Had my RNY in 2001 and was diagnosed with sticky blood syndrome (I clot too much).  SO I must take coumadin the rest of my life.  Yeahhhh! Right?  No Wrong! cuz if you have any bleeding from your intestines you will become iron difficient...I could not tolerate the oral iron so I get IV iron 1X per week.  They finnally discovered that the bleeding was coming from the mouyh of the old stomach  caused by bile reflux erosion...what to do about this???