Iron Infusions...

I'm wondering what the criteria is for having an iron infusion and if anyone here has had one?

Is it a series of infusions?  How far apart?  What symptoms did you have?  Did it take care of them?  What were your RBC and HGB, Ferritin and Iron numbers?  Did all of the improve afterwards?

I've got a Dr's appointment tomorrow to talk to my PCP about this.  He's not well-versed in WLS so I need to go in armed with info.  Did some research last night and was pretty surprised at the symptoms of low iron - Dizziness.  I was commenting that this year has been the worse for me so far - and I thought it was dehydration.  Still could be a combination.  I'm taking my lab tracking sheet with me so he can see my history. 

I'm afraid he will want to write me a prescription. He has the "lets try this" type of approach.   I know Gina has said countless times the best iron.  I have the Proefferin, and will take the bottle with me - but what are the other types (heme?) that are ok for us to take.  Am I jumping the gun wanting an infusion.  My Ferritin is the only one in the tank (7) but the RBC and HGB are on the border of low.  I'm also going to ask him for a lab order to get the vits that were missed the last time.

I was pretty surprised to see in my research that even normies have a hard time absorbing iron.  I know before surgery I was low anyway... when I tried to give blood a few times they'd turn me away. 

Anyway - if anyone has any insight or experienced, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks

 Sorry I don't know the answers Jody but thanks for the heads up about dizziness.  I get my nine month labs back tomorrow (my PCP is pretty aggressive about keeping on top of my cholesterol, sugar and thyroid so I always have him add the labs for the vitamins) and will take a close look at my iron levels.  I'll be checking back here to see what responses you get.
Janet

You might want to communicate with Andrea Ullberg (sp?) about it. Do you read her blog? She seems to know a lot about these things.

http://wlsvitagarten.com/

Hey there,
Proferrin Forte is the prescription Proferrin and it's heme iron. Anther good one is carbonyl iron, which is what Vitalady's Tender iron is. Don't let them try any ferrous sulfates or various versions of ferrous salts on you.

--g

Thanks Gina.  I have 2 Dr appts tomorrow - one with my GYN and one with my PCP.  My GYN may be able to do for me what I want my PCP too - hopefully she can and I'll cancel the other one.

Vitalady has the Proferrin ES and like Gina said, it's the heme iron. Also that one is best absorbed if broken in half to get it into our system faster as we have such a short time for it to be absorbed.

Remember, for RNY's & DS'ers, the insides are re-routed and in normal people iron is absorbed in the upper duodenum. Well, esp for DS'er's, we only have a very short common channel (75 -200 depending on you and your surgeon) at the BOTTOM of our system that has the ability to absorb. Since I really didn't study the RNY in detail, I'm not sure where it is absorbed but while food absorbtion improves, vitamin/mineral is a lifelong issue in a RNY'er.

Dh is only taking the Tender Iron, 5 caplets a day, and HIS labs are stellar. My iron is still in the tank along with my D so I added the Proferrin ES to my daily regime.

Liz

 My ferritin level was 7 and it was recommended to me that I get an iron infusion.  My doctor agreed.  I just needed one and my levels have been good since then.  My other levels were in normal range, it was just my ferritin that was very low.

Good luck tomorrow Jody.  I'd be interested to hear what your doctors tell you.  I'm having trouble with my White Blood Count.  It is low, but in looking over my lab spreadsheet I see that my PCP is not checking the Ferritin.  My WLS surgeon checks this and I'm having those drawn the end of June for my 2 year appointment in August.  My other RBC & Hemoglobin are both good.

I only take the BA iron pill each morning when I first get up and then wait atleast an hour to take the rest of my vitamins.

Linda

So glad you ask this question. My iron is low also. Have doubled up on my tender iron and my proferrin.

Hope all goes well at your appointments.