3 years out and ferritin's a 2. Iron suggestions?

All my other blood work is good but my ferritin is a 2.  My GP (can't see my RNY doc) says 325mg 2x a day. Anyone have an iron supplement they particularly like?

I just finished a session of iron infusions.  You may want to call your doc ask them to send you to a hematologist. 
With ferritin 2.. it will take forever to get the Numbers up.
Mine dropped from 100 to 9 in 2.5 years.  Now I am 3 years post op and even with the best iron - heme iron, plus tons of greens and red meat, liver... my ferritin did not improved over last 1.5 years. 
I hope that the infusions will do the trick and then I can add slowly my supplements and maintain.  Will see,

the 325 is typically ferrous sulfate - really hard on our digestive tracks.  May cause a lot of cramps and pain, and lots of constipation.
Most people take carbonyl iron. With Vit C.

The funny thing about iron - is that it has to be taken with vit C, in acidic environment, at least 2 hrs away from calcium, and other minerals... (like magnesium).  Coffee, black tea and other tannin rich foods and drinks will bond with the iron making it un-absorbable.  It is fun, fun fun.

Now heme iron - can be taken anytime with anything and it does not cause all the same issue. But it is quite expensive.  One brand that is available is profferrin ES.   it cost app $55 for a bottle of 90 pills.  Most likley - with levels like yours - you may need to take 3 per day = $55 monthly for iron.

Contact Vitalady.com   she has experience with dealing with iron and sells good iron.

Check Andrea blog...
http://wlsvitagarten.com/2011/06/02/proferrin-experiment-upd ate/

Thank you very much, Hala! I appreciate your information.  I'm sorry you had to do the infusions.  I'm a wimp so I may try the supplements for the 3 months she wants me to before a retest. I will certainly ask about the infusions however. 

Infusions are not  a big deal these days. It takes forever to get them... but since they are constantly changing the protocol - I was doing 4 days - one after the other infusions.   It takes time, 3-4 hr per session. they gave me some benadryl, steroids, and some other chemicals to limit the possible side effects.  I slept mostly during the treatment.   Woke up and went back to work.   My arms are bit bruised... and since I allowed one of the port to be left in overnight (to avoid the stick the next day) that arm is really bruised and it will take a while to heal. i wish I had not done that. The other 2 - it is as painful as when they take your blood for testing... then you sleep... and volunteers come over and over and try to make you as comfortable as you can be. (I was at the cancer center)  No pain during the infusions.  Just sleepy from benadryl.  very, very sleepy... lol.. 

DO not try to avoid the infiusins.  They may really help you.  

Sounds like your GP is recommending ferrous sulfate.  I don't like that because we absorb carbonyl iron better and because ferrous sulfate causes such awful constipation in most people.

325 mg ferrous fulfate twice a day is equivalent to 130 mg carbonyl iron.  That's because carbonyl is all elemental iron, while ferrous sulfate has a lot of iron salts.

With a ferritin that low, though, why aren't they doing iron infusions?

you need iron infusions ASAP.  Call or go to dr and ask about this.  Can you not call surgeon?? See if they can order infusions.  A iron level of 2 is dangerous for a post op RNY patient


Tamara

325mg of ferrous sulfate (bad thing) = appx 65mg of real iron. I prefer Tender Iron. 1 capsule is 62mg + vit C. I take 300mg per day (so 5 of them), but not everyone will need that high a dose.

Our local RNY start on 150mg of real iron + C.

Never ferrous anything, IMHO. Too brutal, not well absorbed.

I get iron infussions for mine as well.

Thank you all very much for your help.  I'm going to call my surgeon and see what their suggestion is as well.  I appreciate everyone's comments, suggestions and help!!