Anemic

Hi All,

I am 10 weeks out today. I had the sleeve. Last week I went to my family doctor as I wasn't feeling so good and my hair was falling out like crazy. She called be back today. She told me I am very anemic and my thyroid medication needed to be adjusted due to my weight loss. All other bits are fine. I had stopped taking the iron supplement as it was constipation me very badly. She recommended I take palifer. I likely spelt that wrong. Anyways has anyone else has luck with this supplement? Also, any other hypothyroid people out there? If so did your mess change and by how much?

thanks!!!

Palafer wouldn't be my first choice of iron supplement, no. But hey, I am not your doctor. I take FeraMAX.

K.

Why not? What do you prefer about feramax?

Palafer is iron salts. We do not absorb this form of iron well and it causes constipation and stomach issues for the vast majority of people. FeraMax is elemental iron, much easier absorbed, can be taken with food, does not cause constipation... just a better supplement for WLS patients.

Edited to add link: FeraMax patient info

I take eltroxin for my thyroid, and my dose hasn't changed at all since WLS.  So not sure how much they'll change yours.

Cathy

Thanks for the reply!! I was taking eltroxin also 2.0 but she wants me to go down to 1.75, eltroxin doesn't make that does so she is switching me to synthroid. (Sorry if there are typo's I am on my phone and there is some banner across the windo so I can't see what I have typed!!)

My dose is actually, 1.125 or something like that, another dose not in Eltroxin's list, so I'm actually on Synthroid as well.   Eltroxin is just easier to remember for some reason.

I'm on Iron now (just started a few days ago), and was put on ferrus gluconate (I can't spell).  I haven't had any problems with constipation with it.  It's what my GP put me on since my iron was low, 300mg 3 times a day.  See how it works.  I do seem to have a bit more energy and focus now.  Knew I was low on something, just wasn't sure what.

Well I started taking palafer last week but only every other day cuz I am terrified of getting constipated!!! I should try to take it daily though. I checked with shoppers about fetamax. Boy is that ever expensive!! It is $65.00 for 100 pills. But if it works it works. I will see how palifer goes though. 

Yeah, it is expensive. But far superior, so worth it in the long run I guess. You can get it a little cheaper at Costco.

I too am hypothyroid and I have a sleeve. AND I'm anemic and have been for years. (Ugh.)

I was told Palafer would be okay, but I couldn't stomach the liquid form. Ick, terrible stuff. Tastes thick and metallic, sorta like sipping on blood! Bleh! I brought it back to my pharmacy and told them to throw it out. I wouldn't take it.

I've since been told that Feramax (available at Costco apparently) is the best form to take for us. While I'm taking iron pills at the moment, I plan on picking up some Feramax with my next visit to Costco. Yes, iron will cause constipation. To combat this, I take Miralax (or the Walmart equivalent of Clearlax) about 3-4 times per week to keep things moving. Small price to pay. I am told that this may even out in a year or two post-op and I may no longer need it.

My centre also talks to many women about the Mirena IUD. By using an IUD, you do not get a monthly period, and thus blood loss is not as severe and iron levels are usually higher. I didn't want to go the route of IUDs, as I hear many women need surgery after they lose a significant amount of weight while using an IUD because the IUD moves around and can become embedded in the uterine lining. So my GP recommended a birth control pill that I take continuously for three months and then I take a dose that will permit me to have a period. Essentially I will get a period every three months, so four times per year. This should help my iron and the extreme blood loss with my monthly cycle. Not to mention the psycho****** I become for 2 days right before I get my period! Hubby will be pleased at THAT particular side effect!

My thyroid meds have not yet had to be adjusted post-op, but I know that some people do. That's why it's super important to check your TSH levels with every round of blood work that you have done. I'm on synthroid and I take 137 mcg per day. Though as I mentioned, my doctor is monitoring my TSH carefully.

By the way, hair falling out is quite normal after surgery; it may not have anything to do with your thyroid meds at all. Check out Telogen effluvium information for more on this. My hair loss started at about 10-11 weeks and it's definitely slowed down in month 6 and 7. Now in month 8, I have lots of regrowth and my hair is only shedding as it always did. Many of us have this problem and it's simply a side effect of the weight loss and the surgery/anaesthesia itself. Hang in there. It will be rectified.

Wishing you lots of luck.