Question:
Has anyone developed anemia post op? If so, what did your doc to about it?

   — mdiebold (posted on July 14, 2003)

July 14, 2003
I became anemic around 6 weeks. The doctor just increased my iron intake. I now take 325mg of Ferrous sulfate a day. I feel so much better now. I was so tired before this. Check with your doctor. It does make a huge difference. Good luck.
   — Jan S.

July 14, 2003
I am also slightly anemic. I was prior to surgery too. I take a multi-vitamin and an extra iron pill each day. It has helped.
   — Dawn P.

July 14, 2003
I was anemic prior to surgery, and was put on ferruous sulfate 3x a day. It made me have major pouch irritation and that caused me alot of problems for the first three months. I went to six weeks of shots 5x a week and that brought me out of anemia. I now do shots 2x a week, and hopefully my pouch will be 'mature' enough to handle going back to pills in August. I hated the shots, but they really made a difference in my energy level and progress. Once I got off the pills I didn't have any problems with throwing up and pouch irritation.
   — Susan F.

July 14, 2003
I was put on slow-release iron 50 mg 2x day. The slow-release helps keep you from getting consitipated and we DON"T need more problems with consitipation!! LOL!
   — Sharon M. B.

July 14, 2003
I had a lot of problems with anemia prior to surgery, and 4 week after my pcp put me on liquid iron. supposed to taste like oranges. more like orange flavord crap. I take 325 mg in morning, and 325 mg at night. I go in a few weeks for more blood work. It has helped emormously with my energy level. Before I could hardly get out of bed. Now I fee like I could run a marathon.
   — mellyhudel

July 14, 2003
There is are irons that don't hurt. We don't use fe sulfate because it is not well absorbed and it "hurts". But there are irons that do not do that damage AND are well absorbed. The 325mg fe sulfate you see below are really 65mg elemental iron (it's on the back of the box). There is an iron that is 150mg elemental iron that is gentle (at both ends). That might be an option. I was anemic most of my life, oddly, until a few years post-op. I remember taking fe sulfate as a kid & how much it hurt. Our doc says no fe sulfate, so THAT was a relief. Taking a better iron brought us up to stable, where we have remaied for many years.
   — vitalady

July 15, 2003
I have to get IV'd every once in a while because my anemia won't ever go totally away.
   — Vel K.