Question:
what is the best way to get your iron level up?

my iron level has fallen to 4,the guidelines say 10-28,what is the best way to get them up again?    — Lorraine W. (posted on July 7, 2001)

July 7, 2001
your dr. should be prescribing iron pills at this point. We have had patients at this level that have needed blood transfusions. If he already has given you pills your body may need a higher dose due to malabsorption
   — [Anonymous]

July 7, 2001
I don't know what products you have available to you in Australia, but I do know that ferrous sulfate is pretty useless for any of us. Actually, I can't see that it is very helpful for the population, in general. If you email me privately, I can maybe list some iron types you can take to your pharmacist or doc & maybe he can match you to some brand names in your area?
   — vitalady

July 7, 2001
I forgot to say that I am taking two ferrous sulfate every day,and thought that they were the wrong ones from what I had read on here, but the dietition said to take them,the same with taking calicum we were on the wrong one untill I said that we had to take calcium citrate not carbonate. As the BPD/DS is a new thing over here there is a lot of things that they need to know.My own Dr knows nothing at all about the op and relies on what I tell him. There are only 3 surgeons over here that do the op,so alot of stuff is hit and miss.I know that I can ask or look on this site and find out things that I need to know. Cheers, Lorri
   — Lorraine W.

July 8, 2001
Lorraine, it is hard for me to believe that at a level of 4, you are still walking around fine. I was at a level 4.3 and was immediately run to the hospital for blood transfusions. A level 4 is possible coma stage from what they told me. I couldn't even walk or stay awake. Please please get thee to a doctor and get some iron shots immediately to bring the level up quickly and then, by all means, take the right iron. Do NOT depend only on this surgeon you have been going to because, from what I can see, the advice you have gotten on this has not been the best. This may only be a temporary thing, (mine is not) but you need to get these levels up quickly. Good luck.
   — Barbara H.