Iron deficiency

Morning all,

I need a little help here.  I went to check in with my surgeon late week.  They did
a complete blood work up.  A couple of days later I had a prescription in my mail
box for iron pills. Once I got the Rx filled the pharmacist told me it was gonna be
$106.00 for 30 days and my insurance didn't cover it..  Needless to say I didn't have
the money.

The pharmacist said he would try to contact the dr. to try to come up with something
less expensive.  Now, my doc is out of the office til tomorrow.  I was told my iron level
was 16 and it should be at least 23.   I just gave blood about a month and a half ago.
In order to give blood, your level has to be at least 35.  My girlfriend that is a nursing
instructor is concerned because my level dropped from at least 35 to 16 in that  short
period of time.

Anybody else out there with this experience? I know I should up my dark leafy greens
and lean red meats, but does anyone know what else I can be doing?

Thanks

Hi MsDee56,
 I was anemic too, but a over the counter iron did the trick for me. It brought up my numbers great! The one I use most is called Hematinic Iron by Solgar. You can find it at any Vitamin Shoppe. Or on line: http://www.vitaminshoppe.com.  It is an iron made from blood, tissue etc. We absorb it better and utilize it better. Most iron's are made from plants. These are the ones called ferrous sulfate, gluconate, fumerate etc. These types of iron can be really constitpating and we don't absorb much from them. Don't waste your money or precious time. Get a iron that is "amino acid chelated" or one like I mentioned before, which is made from meat. Hematinic Iron by Solgar brought my ferritin levels (these numbers show much iron is stored in our body) from a 9 to 60 in three months! Go to any reputable vitamin supplement store or you can even try Vitalady's website (she's a memebr here) and order on-line from her. She has awesome products as well. Hope this helps!

Thanks Lyn

do iron pills make you gain weight? i tried to go on a diet to loose a couple of pound and now i am anemic and to tell you the truth i am more concerned about gaining weight than the anemia i have.  

I don't know if this was directed to me or not.....but I will give you my two cents worth! (always!! )
 I have never heard of iron supplements making you gain weight. I work for a major vitamin supplement store and have never heard of this. But....I see you are 4 years out like myself. By this time, we are gaining back the muscle we lost while on the way down. I know myself, I went a little too low and lost a lot of muscle along the way. So when I found out I was anemic, I also started back working out at the gym and immediately put back on about 10 lbs of muscle mass. And since iron "feeds" your muscles, they may help you regain some lost muscle mass. But is it fat you've gained? Maybe some.....but then again maybe not. Only you will know.....I know with me, the 20 lbs I've gained is not all muscle gain !! But thats why I'm still here on OH, my battle with my weight, continues on! Lyn, step away from the Taco Bell burrito!

i think what i have gained is fat because i dont do much excercise only the daily house cleaning and taking care of the kids but dont think im sitting all day i walk and clean all day so at the end of the day im so tired i just want to relax, but i have a treadmil and im going to try it slow. i have also noticed that i dont have time to eat during the day and i eat in the afternoon not much but its probobly to late to eat. im just really scared to gain more weight or to not be able to loose it.  thanks

MsDee -- I'm sorry you're struggling and I hope that things improve for you very soon.  :)  First, you don't really need a prescription for iron UNLESS things get very, very bad after you've tried other methods.  I would first try over-the-counter iron supplements and see how that goes.  You can get them almost anywhere -- Walmart, Target, supermarkets, etc.  They are relatively inexpensive and will almost certainly do the trick for you.  Secondly, (and some will disagree with me and my surgeon on this) gastric bypass patients are strongly encouraged to never donate blood.  Your body simply cannot remake the blood fast enough after donation and this is what can happen afterward.  I know that the world's blood shortage makes this a sad situation (I used to donate all the time), but I would strongly advise that you not donate again.  It's just too much work for your body and too hard on you -- IF your body can ever recover at all.

Best wishes,
Dawn

I think the best iron to take for anemia is Tender Iron from vitalady.com.  I chew them but they can be swallowed.  Tender Iron does not cost very much at all.  Good luck!

Thanks for all your responses.  I talked with my dr. and pharm. and decided to go with an over the counter iron.  It is Ferrous Sulfate Complex 325 mg.  I have to take it with vit C and it cost
under $5.  That's a lot better.  Again, thanks for all your help.