For all of my fellow iced tea drinkers.....My story...

I wanted to post this because it is something that I was never told preop or even as a newly post op. 
Shortly after surgery I was in the gym at work one day and was talking to the fitness instructor regarding toning and such since the weight was really coming off quickly.  I wanted to make the most of what I had available to me.  We spoke of many things and one of them was hydration. I told her that I tried to use water or crystal light but sometimes I just could not drink it so I used decaf iced tea.  As the convo progressed she asked what vitamins I was taking.  I rattled off the list and what times I took them and suddenly she got a concerned look on her face.  She asked why I was drinking tea mid day and taking my iron supplement mid day as well?  I asked what she meant and proceeded to tell her that I had to space them out for absorbtion issues and that was how I was instructed to take them.  She proceeded to tell me that iced tea GREATLY REDUCES absorbtion of iron in the system and since we (post op WLS patients) already malabsorb, I may want to rethink either drinking iced tea midday or the time I take my iron supplement.  I had never heard of this so I immediately called my surgeons office and it was confirmed! 
So if you drin****d tea (I still have some several times a day!) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not take it within one hour of your iron supplement or your multi vitamins.  You are not getting the full benefit of this that all WLS patients need.

Tammy

Im a sweet tea addict! All I drink is tea, water, vitamin water and low sugar juices. I too have to watch when I take my vitamins because of that....But Im glad I can still have it...even if it's splenda tea now :)

I am a tea addict, too.  But not with Splenda.  First I am allergic to it and break out in hives when I have it and second after researching why I may be allergic to it I discovered that it is refined with BLEACH!  I do not want to consume ANYTHING that has bleach in it!  I use my good 'ol sweet and low...what I grew up on.  Can't stand the tasted of equal either!

WOW ..thank you so much for this post as i am SOOOOOO addicted to McD's sweet tea..and im quite anemic per my bloodwork results last month ...well, that puts things in perspective!

It did for me too.  I scolded my nurse practitioner for not telling us pre op!  I am a southern belle and ADDICTED to tea.  I some every day.  Now I am just more selective with when I have it or when I take my vitamins.  I just wanted to make sure that others knew this information.  I was shocked and now my blood work is coming back better and better every time!

Tammy

I am not on a iron supplement yet.  But this is great information!!  Thank you for posting this.  It seems there is a lot that either reduces absorption for iron or iron reduces absorption for other things.

Melissa,

You may NEVER go on an iron supplement, but you ARE getting the needed iron in your multi vitamins.  I started with two multi's a day then progressed to two prenatals a day now I am back to two mulit's and one iron supplement a day.  Within a few months I should be able to cut the iron pill out completely and just have two multi or prenatals.  The prenatals have a higher iron volume and also have great "extra's" for your hair!  I may even go to one multi and one prenatal just for the added bonuses!  I will talk to my doctor first before making any changes though.

Tam

I had no idea. Thanks so much for the info!

I didn't either!  Hope it is helpful.

Tam

Hey Tammy,

Thankfully I've not had this issue (drinking tea at the same time) but its good information to have. I still make my tea Southern style and still sun it now & then too. I think that there are so many pieces of information that are vital to us so thanks for bringing this up.

:)