re: oral iron supplements

You can't make a blanket statement that oral iron doesn't work for RNY patients.  It works for some of us and it doesn't work for some.  I recently had kidney stone surgery back in July and lost a ton of blood and almost needed a blood transfusion.  I did avoid it and went home 5 days later on oral iron - carbonyl iron - 240mg per day with 1600mg of vitamin C and within 2 months, my levels are great.  Now next week, I am going to have surgery again for the rest of the kidney stones on the other side.  They made me wait for my blood levels to get back to a good level. I get cleared by my hematologist this week.  He is fine with me taking my oral iron and say if I ever need the IV he will give it to me but since I am allergic to it, we are avoiding it as much as possible. Thankfully, the oral stuff works great on me.  I am post menopausal - so no more periods.

So, if you get your IV iron, I would definitely try getting some Tender irons from vitalady.com they are 60mg per capsule with the necessary vitamin C in them - take 3 or 4 per day and that will keep your levels up - hopefully.

I had RNY Aug.2008 and discovered I had a ferritin level of 3. I started taking an iron syrup which over 18 months brought that level to 21. I switched to Iron complete from GNC which is a non-enteric coated iron tablet. I took 3 tablets a day and after 3 months my ferritin level is 99! Good luck in getting your levels to stay where they belong!! 

 check this website is worth the try www.gastricvitamins.com, They have great supplements and they are absorbed in your body 90% unlike chewables or pills.
Laura