Hi: surgery 7/31. Information for other newbies. I am having trouble tacking all the new details. Misunderstood iron needs and had iron in my multi and two additional tabs of iron.  Constipation ensued leading to impaction of my bowel and a totally miserable day.  Have been in ER for six hours. Turns out I also have a UTI, so good to find that out. This us not what I expected. Thought I was doing all the right things. I hope everyone else's day has been good.  Watch out for IRON!

The title is misleading. You did not overdose on iron. You had side effects from iron. You also may have had constipation from narcotics,your surgery,dehydration and a drastic change in your diet.

RnY patients often struggle to maintain adequate iron intake.

I'm sorry for your experience but it does not mean that we should not take our iron.

Constipation and UTI's often go together as well.

Deb T

I think my whole message may have been confusing. I did take too much iron. I am post menopausal and I took the in the multi vitamin and two more iron tablets a day.  The RN said it was too much. I agree totally we still need iron. I won't go into gory details, but this has been incapacitating. Still blocked after ER trip. Now having trouble getting my water and protein in and cannot leave the house to walk. This will just make matters more of a challenge. Any ideas are helpful. I knew a person could be blocked and have diarrhea at the same time, but never happened to me. i want to walk!

ER doc sent me home with Rx for liquid colace and antibiotic. Also had miralax last night. 

Thanks to all. 

HI Deb,

I am not arguing with you but I believe that RNY patients struggle with iron period and some don't always need more.

For example, when MO I was anemic and needed to supplement to maintain a normal hemocrit.

About 6 months post op, my surgeons office called me with the explict directions to stop taking the iron because it was too high.

I am able to donate blood quarterly and have my hematocrit checked at that time.

So, iron may be "one of those things" that is subject to tremendous inter and intra patient variation.

Either way, constipation stinks.

Thanks for the clarification. I will consult with MD and assure I am following directions. For two days now my pipes have been a full time job. I would rather be at work.  

SkinnyScientist

Have you had your Ferritin and iron levels checked? I have normal Hct/Hgb and iron levels, but my Ferritin is very low normal. (Your Ferritin is your savings from which the iron uses to keep it's level in range) I am taking 9 VitaLady tender irons a day divided into 3 times (total=540mg).  My Ferritin levels have been slowly inching up.  I know that iron infusions will be in the future for me after I have a revision.

I will double check my most recent labs for ferritin when I get home.

Of the stuff that was "wrong" last time, ferritin wasnt one of them (it was testerone).  Obviously, it is the wrong values that stick out so I am unsure whether my ferritin was evaluated or not (as it was an endocrinology appointment)

You might want to consider switching your iron. I take Carbonyl Iron instead of Ferrous sulfate. The latter causes constipation. I am assuming you are taking ferrous sulfate?

Ella

Thanks I will check that. 

Feosol is the brand name that I use. 2 capsules before bed. Sometimes I have to ask the pharmacist for it.