Question:
What can i do get my Iron up?

I was suppose to have surgery on Dec 6th but it was postpone because my iron was low. It was 9.5. I'm taking ferrous sulfate 325mg 2 times a day and i'm also taking certagen vitamins 2 times a day. Is there anything else i can do to get my iron up? How long do it take to get it up to normal. Thank you for your help    — rainbow Q. (posted on December 6, 2004)

December 5, 2004
I am trying to get mine up as well,,,,,,I have tried to give blood several times,,,that's how I knew it was down ,,,,,,I am taking 2 iron tabs each day and trying to eat alot of green veges,,,,( yuk )I was also told to leave off coffee and tea for a while,,,,,oooops,,,can't do that one ..lol.....but I know what you're going through ,,,,I have my first consult with Dr. Christopher, Jan. 26, 2005 and I am trying to get everything in order and have mu iron up where it needs to be......Good Luck !!!
   — DEITRA C.

December 6, 2004
Per my doctor, I take 2 Fergon in the morning and 2 at night. I also take Vit C to help with absorbtion and avoid caffine since that slows absorbtion. Also avoid taking calcium 2 hours from when you take your iron - it also slows absortbtion
   — Mattie

December 6, 2004
Has your dr run other tests to see if you have pernicious anemia? This can cause iron deficency. Also is that your iron level or your hemoglobin. My daughter battled Anemia for a couple of years before someone finally ordered her B-12 level and found it to be very very low. Now that she has the pernicious anemia under control her iron and ferritin levels are now normal.
   — jenafwife

December 6, 2004
Make sure that you follow the rules of taking iron to help your absorption. Take it with Vitamin C only. Take it no sooner than two hours after a meal, other medication or supplement and don't take anything for an hour after you take it. I have a list of things that should not be taken with iron on my website at acdlady.com/WLS_Vitamins (add the www. part) that might be of help. After gastric bypass surgery the ferrous sulfate will not be a tolerable form of iron and is thought of as a pouch burner by many post-ops. I currently take iron carbonyl that I purchase from vitalady.com and it is tolerated well by my system and has brought my numbers up nicely.
   — Arizona_Sun

December 7, 2004
My iron went down to 7.3 recently. I had to get an iron transfusion. I had been taking carbonyl iron, which wasn't helping my numbers. My hematologist switched me to ferrous sulfate 325 mg 2x per day.
   — bt

December 7, 2004
Hi Vicki, You may think I am crazy and since I have not had any surgery yet I do not know what you are allowed to eat, but I know raisins will up your iron really good. Maybe the sweetness in them may cause the "dumping" that I have read about. I Don't know if you can have them or not. Judy
   — Judy 52

December 7, 2004
You have not had WLS yet due to low iron? Ask your doc about Rx for Chromagen Forte. They might pop you up quicker than anything. The fe sulfate is a rough way to go, and not a well absorbed iron for us post-op, generally. When you take your iron, do you take it with vit C and not with caffeine, dairy, eggs, whole grains, any other vites, minerals or meds? If you're sitll pre-op, you'll need to isolate them in a 2 hour each side window. Some actually take them in the middle of the night when they get up.
   — vitalady

December 8, 2004
Chlorphyll you can take in tablet or liquid form. i have a low H&h now and have to do this again. Iron tabes wont work and are not readiatly absorbed. you can feel the differance in a few days. i would take 1-2 tablets twice a day until normal then down to once a day. All the Best! Tracey
   — traceybubbles