Blood tranfusion 3 units...Vets???

schatzi C
on 6/5/15 11:31 am
RNY on 10/29/13
I passed while showering, my husband found me wedged b/t the toilet and shower. To be honest I had fallen short on eating and supplementation and due to many many stressful occurrences(car stolen another broke down loss of job etc. etc.) started drinking wine (dumb I know) About a week later he found me gasping on the floor called ems who thought it was a panic attack. They gave me oxygen upon arrival I had some foaming episodes after tests I was admitted for two days. A few nurses said they had never seen hemoglobin levels that low. Three bags of blood later I was feeling better, but still off. Can you guys weigh in on the iron? I was taking Sundown perfect iron, but was instructed to take theirs ferrous sulfate 325mg 3x's/day. What do you guys take I know there are some our bodies cannot absorb, so I have to do research on that. Also do you take it with Vit.C? I know I need to go see my PCP and prob get my levels checked but am unable at the moment. I knew my heavy ice addiction was an indicator so lesson learned listen to your body, and to the noobs don't neglect your vitamins and keep up with your blood work transfusions are no fun. Thanks in advance guys

    

    
Jessca
on 6/5/15 12:57 pm
RNY on 04/20/15

Not a vet but pretty sure we don't absorb ferrous sulfate. Either ferrous fumarate or ferrous gluconate is what my program calls for. Also hear people on here taking carbonyl iron. 

HW 313 SW 273 CW 208

M1 - 25 M2 - 10 M3 - 12 M4 - 9 M5 - 5 M6 - 4

Grim_Traveller
on 6/5/15 1:29 pm
RNY on 08/21/12

We absorb all of the ferrous salts, but they all are very constipating.

6'3" tall, male.

Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.

M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.

Grim_Traveller
on 6/5/15 1:28 pm
RNY on 08/21/12

Some people don't absorb iron very well at all, and need periodic infusions. If yours is that low, you likely need infusions also. Whole blood is nice, but it won't boost your iron for very long. If I was you, I would see a hematologist immediately. You should get ALL of your vitamins and minerals checked. That will take 14 or 15 vials of blood. If they take less, they aren't being thorough.

The rest of us absorb iron ok, of most varieties. The problem with any of the ferrous salts is, they will constipate you, and possibly give you bad stomach upset too. 

I use the Sundown Perfect Iron, as do many others. It's carbonyl iron, is absorbed very well, and doesn't constipate. Most likely, you just weren't taking enough. I've known some who had to take 300 mg per day. That's 12 25mg tablets per day. But that 300 mg is all elemental iron. One tablet of ferrous sulfate is 325 mg, but only 65 mg of that is elemental iron. The rest of the pill is what constipates you. If you took 5 ferrous sulfate to get 300 mg of elemental iron, you would need dynamite to have a bowel movement.

Yes, taking vitamin C with iron helps absorption. Other things, such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, coffee, tea, eggs, soy, fiber, grains, alcohol, etc, interfere with iron absorption. For that reason, most take iron separately, not in a multi, and take it right before bed, two hours apart from any other supplements, food, or drink.

Lastly, make sure they are checking not just hemoglobin, but ferritin. Hemoglobin measures the iron available in your blood, while ferritin measures how much iron you have stored for future use. The blood transfusion might have fixed your hemoglobin, but if your ferritin is low, you will still need an iron infusion.

6'3" tall, male.

Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.

M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.

schatzi C
on 6/5/15 2:19 pm
RNY on 10/29/13

Thank you guys that was most helpful!

    

    
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