iron woes!

I take both together whenever I remember to do it, apart from my regular vitamins (which contain calcium) and apart from my calcium supplements. I keep a bottle on my desk and also have one at home. Sometimes I take them after lunch, sometimes before I go to bed. sue O.

I too take Repleva 21/7 and tke stool softeners twice a day and then 6 fiber tablets a day and STILL get constipated ! Oh my iron levels are good now. But oh boy the stools are still hard. Maybe every other week I have to take Philips MOM. it works well. I tried the Smooth Move tea everybody raves about . NASTY !!!! I put several spoons of Splenda in it. Still YUCK !!! I figure small price to pay to be a healthy weight !

Hi Donna, I started taking Ferrous Fumarate about 4 months ago - my ferritin level had dropped to 10. I take one/day with vitamin C 500 mg. I also take a stool softener every other day and 2 prunes/day. No constipation woes. The good news is that in 3 months my ferritin went up to 70. The research I've done says that is our most absorbable form of iron - available (expensive) from Bariatric Advantage or cheap ($3.95/100) from Medical Provisions on line. Don't take iron within 2 hours of taking Calcium. Good luck with this - having infusions and shots is not fun. Ruth 253/125 (ugh - some bounceback weight due to inactivity and shoulder surgery)

thanks. i have printed all your replies out and will bring it with me to the doctor on Wednesday. something has to be done. thanks again Donna

I receive iron in a drip about every 6 months and it takes 4 hours in one day. It is not inconvenient, and there is no constipation. I see my hemotoligist every month for a b-12 injection and to have my blood checked regularly. It's my opinion that every weight loss patient should be monitoring their own blood levels with a hematologist, and not depending on the doctor's office that did your surgery to provide you with proper after care.

I've also struggled with anemia. I was referred to a hemotologist when I was just over 1 yr post op. He RX Iron Poly Sacride it absorbs in a differently than other forms of iron - in the bowel. It didn't cause constipation. However, I have a tendancy to get sick easily and it didn't agree to well with me. My insurance wouldn't pay for it and it didn't help. Early summer it was suggested by the hemotologist that I concider having a hysterectomy. And started me on iron infusions weekly. If I wouldnt have had the hysterectomy I would have had my infusions increased to 2 x's weekly. They are no fun. They made me sick for 24 hrs after each one - even though I was told "you should be just fine". I'm 32 and "thought" I was done having children. (I have 2 bio and 1 failed adoption). In September I had a hysterectomy. At my 1 month check up w/the hemot. after my hyster - my iron levels had dropped again. I have them checked again this Fri. then next week on Fri I see him for a 3 mo. follow up. If the levels dropped again or any more than they were at I will have another infusion. He said that I will most likely have to have infusions every 3-6 months, 1 or 2 times for the rest of my life. Good Luck. It isn't fun I know..btdt!! If my surgeon would have told me "Gala, in 2 yrs you will have to have a hysterectomy as a result of having WLS...." I would have done it anyway. Gala

Hi Gala, What was your doctor's reasoning for the hysterectomy? How is that related to malabsorbtion issues with iron? Not for nothing, but I receive iron every six months intravenously, and it works great. My iron levels were frightenly low before treatments. It makes me nauseated, but they also give me another IV of medicine to control that. I feel a little sluggish for the rest of the day, but I only have to think about it 2xs a year. My insurance covers it, it's medically neccessary. Here is just my opinion: Doctors make money when they are treating you. If they're not treating you, no money coming in. You have iron absorbtion issues, I can't see why a good hemotologist can't find a way to get iron into your blood. Maybe you should seek a new doctor. Best of luck to you, I hope everything works out well.

When I would have a cycle it would be for a long time. Even though I didn't have pain related to the cycles I still would bleed for days on end. This contributed to the fact that I was becoming more and more anemic. The infusions did what it was suppose to until I had another long cycle. He sent me to a different obgyn. I'm 32 and therefore using a medication that would 'stop' my cycles for the next 20+ yrs wasn't practical or cheap (such as birth control). For the most part I 'thought' I was done having children. I have one of the best hemotologist/oncologists in the area. I realize they/he makes money by me coming to see him. At $500 an infusion my insurance was only paying $100 of each treatment if that. And the clinic could not bill me the rest do to fee agreements w/the insurance company. It wasn't that they weren't getting the money because it hasn't stopped them for treating me for other issues or keeping me inthe hospital for 3 weeks for this or that...ect ect. It was purely health related. He believed, my obgyn believed and so do I that if there is a way to "help" the situation than we need to do it. I was getting iron weekly and it was going to have to be upped to 2 x's week. Now I'm looking at maybe 2-4 times max a year. Which is worth it in the end. If my children come to me through adoption that that is fine. I have 2 beautiful bio children and had 1 failed adoption which nearly tore my heart apart. However, I would do it again. Only be smarter the next time. Gala

Carbonyl Iron -- no constipation problems! One place you can get this is vitalady.com -- I'm sure there are others, too. Good luck! Deb