Confused about my vitamins!!!

Hi all. I must say that at over 2 years out...I'm slightly confused!! I've just been feeling tired and run down since I moved here in New York City. At first, I attributed the fatigue to the goings on in the city and me just working alot, and lack of sleep. At this point in time....I just don't think that's it. I need to get my yearly labs done, but I changed insurances and I'm almost certain they won't cover the labs. They cost almost $900 to have them completed but I'm thinking I may just have to bite the bullet and do it anyway. In the meantime, I need to get rid of this fatigue. I think I'm taking the wrong dosage of Iron and also I'm thinking that my B12 may be a bit low. I take (2) 28mg Iron tabs but I think the dose is too low for a mentruating woman. Sometimes, the labeling can be a bit confusing with Iron tabs. Also, I was thinking of taking a transdermal form of B12. Has anyone tried the B12 patches??? I wonder how effective they are. If anyone can assist me, it would be highly appreciated! Thanks, April

I take sublingual b12 tabs 2500mcg and my levels have always been very high. I take I-car c iron tabs from behind the pharmacy counter (but not RX) they have 100mg iron & vit c 250mg(to increase iron absorption). My iron levels are good too.

Untill you actually get lab results, there is not guarantee as to what vitamin deficiency you may have.  Too much iron can be a problem, as well as too much of certain vitamins.  I've been taking a liquid vitamin for 6 months now, just had my 2 year labs done, feel great, and want to see what the lab results are.  I don't know if there are transdermal  B12 patches out there, but my wife uses some Phentanol transdermal patches for severe back pain and those seem to work.

I dont's know anything about the b-12 patches either. More than likely they are not approved by the fda as safe and effective like the RX only fentanyl patches Dave referred to. More than likely they are a really expensive form of b12. I would try sublingual 1st.

Hi LM --- I tried to send you a PM, but unfortunately, I can't do it. Anyway, I see you are a pharmacist & would love it you could offer some input to this poster as I'm not familiar with the drugs discussed (anti-convulsives). The post is under the top bar: ASK A DIETITIAN. If you click on it, it's on the second page at the bottom. I've cut & pasted the question for you, if you have input, please, please reply .... Or, you can always PM me, and I can post your response to the poster ... if you can't find the original post .... Thanks. Here's the question: "I am anemic so I have to take Folic Acid and Iron shots all the time, however , I am also epileptic and as a medical student I found out yesterday that folic acid counter acts the anti covulsive meds that would explain why they never work. Is there any way nutrition wise once you have had RNY to get the levels of vitamins I need and still not have it counter act my anti convulsive meds?"

Hi Sara, I just replied to the post you mentioned. Sorry it took me so long to see this.Basically, people on anti-convulsives require more folic acid supplementation than normal (up to 4mg/day) Also, folic acid can lower the blood levels of Dilantin, therefore requiring a higher dose of Dilantin. A neurologist should be able to figure all the levels/doses out. A WLS patient may require even higher doses due to malabsorption. Also, alot of the anti-convulsants are time release, which may cause them to not work or require higher doses. LM

Thanks -- this one was over my head. Glad you could help out!! I do not have any clients on dilantin so this is new to me. Thanks a million. Sara