Iron - I just can't do it!

Back on this again. I'm having the worst time. My nutritionist/surgeon won't suggest anything you have to swallow, because they're anti-ever-swallowing for some reason, so they're no help. Ferrous Sulfide was making me sick (no surprises), but it was small. I asked my nutritionist for suggestions, but everything she gave me had artificial sweeteners in it, which make me sick. I ended up ordering some liquid iron, but it was quite possibly the worst thing I've tasted in months. So now I'm back to nothing. I know I'm already anemic and need to get this figured out, but I'm totally stuck. 

What should I take? I don't mind swallowing things, even though that's against my surgeon's plans, but everything seems HUGE. I don't mind chewing things, but I can't do artificial sweeteners. I know I'm going to have to order something online, because I've been to every vitamin shop around here and they have NOTHING. 

Help!!

Carbonyl iron.  Either Sundown Perfect Iron, which is 25 mg per tiny pill, or Feosol, which is 45 mg per pill so bigger, but not huge.  Both are available in stores.  I used to get Sundown Perfect Iron at Meijer but the one by me no longer carries it.  I can get it at Rite Aid by me.  CVS usually carries Feosol.  Or you can order them online.  I often order the Sundown from drugstore.com, which has it cheaper than Rite Aid (like $2 cheaper a bottle).

I use Feosol, too.  I've never had to get chewable iron.  I've been swallowing pills since the day after surgery with no problems.  I do struggle with low iron  (before and after surgery), so I have to get an iron infusion every few months.

Pam :)

I like the chewable iron tablets from Bariatric Advantage (www.bariatricadvantage.com)  Also, can you find a multi-vitamin that includes iron?  A lot of them do, many chewable ones. 

While many multivitamins do have iron, they don't have enough for most RNY patients, and definitely not enough for someone that is iron deficient.

I'm anemic too and have gad similar issues. I'm going try Vitron-C. It is supposed to be well tolerated for people who have had RNY. Worth a try.

I personally take 6 of these a day. http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/sundown-naturals-high-poten cy-perfect-iron-tablets/ID=prod6021585-product  with a vitamin C, 2 stool softeners at night before bed.

Why do you need 150 mg Iron a day? Are you anemic?

I take 1 Feosol daily with Vitamin C and my other pills, but not Calcium. Of course, I've *just* started taking iron for the first time since I had surgery 6 years ago simply because my ferritin was only 43 and I'm about to have both knees replaced. My hematocrit and hemoglobin are both in the mid-range (43 and 15 usually).

Susan

Yes I am anemic. Have been since I was a teenager. So taking the 150 seems to keep my levels high enough for my not to look like a beating victim. If i dont take it, I will have bruises all up my shins from ankle to knee. It really isnt pretty.

I have an odd question.

What are your vitamin C levels like? I had major bruising issues and discovered that my vitamin C was below level, like 0.6 low. I now take 3000 mg of vitamin C daily and the bruising has gone away.

I'm guessing you take lots of Vitamin C with all that iron.