QUESTION FOR DIETICIAN ABOUT IRON

I'm almost 6 months post op and have been taking chewable iron 29 mgs since surgery but my labs keep coming back low, I talked to my PCP and he said to keep taking what I'm taking, I've been taking 4 chewables a day with chewable vitamin C, but I'm tired of taking so many iron pills and it's not bringing up my iron. I called my surgeons ofc and asked them what to take and they said take liquid but I've heard it can ruin your teeth and I really want to take a pill now, so my question is do I need to buy ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate iron? I want one that I can absorb best. Thanks for your help.

My bariatric doc just prescribed Hemocyte, a prescription strength iron tablet.  It's a small enteric coated tablet and shouldn't give you a problem.  It's Ferrous Fumarate.  It has 106 mg. elemental iron. Wanda

Thanks for responding, I asked my Dr about a RX for iron but he said keep taking what I'm taking which is chewable and I want to change to pill form, my iron was 30 so I guess it would have to go lower to get a RX.

You can use either: ferrous sulfate, gluconate, or fumerate. Fumerate is prescription dose, so if your irons studies are really low, ask for it. If you're just mildly low, I doubt they will give you the prescription. In any event, my clients like Iron Citrate. Various companies that sell bariatric vitamins sell it. However, your question is between sulfate & gluconate --- here's my thoughts: if you are currently taking sulfate, then I would advise you to switch to gluconate -- just to see if that helps bring the labs up. I'm glad you're watching your iron stores -- it's very important.

Thanks for responding, I'm currently taking chewable gluconate because I've read that's what we absorb best but others say they take sulfate or fumerate so I was just confused as to which one I should buy in pill form. I bought some sulfate today and will start taking it tomorrow and I have labs again at end of MAY and hopefully  it will increase, my first lab my iron was 36 and this last lab it was 30 so I'm concerned about it getting any lower.

Take the sulfate until the end of May -- if your iron have not increased by then, ask your doctor for fumerate. Good luck.

Thanks Sara,  I sure hope it helps.  God Bless.

Hi Sara, My ferritin is 144 and I want to keep it there. Over a yr ago I had infusions several times in 2006-07, ferritin and hemo was always a problem for me since birth. Finally my numbers are all perfect, got my results yesterday and I would like to know since I do not take iron of any sort in supplement since it never did anything for me and scripts made me get nausea...I am wondering if you would suggest Iron Citrate for someone who is in normal range now? ~Ginny

Hi: Ive had problems w/ my iron levels too.  The MD had given me a prescription but it made my stomach cramp.  I spoke to the pharmacist who told me that because of our malabsorption we wouldnt absorb anything well except the liquid.  He had to special order it for me.  It doesnt taste the greatest but its only a tsp at a time you have to take. Good Luck.

I'm scared to take liquid because I've heard that it stains your teeth, that's also the reason I want to stop chewables, I don't want stained teeth, LOL