LOW IRON-WHAT DO YOU TAKE?

Hi guys, My iron has always been on the low side since surgery 3 years ago, but now my new labs came back with pretty low numbers, so now it's time to look for a good iron suppliment (again). Took iron for a while but constipation made me think twice about taking it, plus I don't think I was taking the "right" kind for us WLS people. I take two Centrum complete vits a day and 2 Calcium with D a day (separate times). What do you take?? Where do you get them and what's the cost? Thanks for any input!!! (P.S. I know I've asked for this before, but can't seem to find where I wrote everything down!) Thanks my friends!!! Theresa

Hi Theresa, I take Niferex 150 Forte capsules (150 mg iron) perscribed by my surgeon right after the RNY surgery. Mine are covered under my insurance carrier so I have only a small co-pay. My levels have been good since my surgery in 2004. I try to take the iron with Vit. C as it's supposed to help with absorbtion they tell me. I hope this helps you out. Good luck! Marie

Thanks for the info Marie!!! Theresa

go into the vitamin Shoppe and ask them for a good liquid iron supplement it is absorbable and should help you out. if you are having trouble with constipation while taking them try some greens powders that should help you out alot.... I am pre op but I am a nutritionist... Good luck Lisa

Thanks Lisa!

Theresa, you need to be mindful of your calcium supplement, because calcium will block the absorption of iron. For example, I was eating chili, because the beans were a good source of iron. BUT... I was p utting cheese on my chili, so the calcium from the cheese was blocking the iron fr om the beans. So, I found, if I am mindful of my high iron foods, and my calcium intake, I have managed to improve my iron stores, without having to continue my iron supplement. A good supplement though is Feosol, which is pretty standard iron. Iron, is Iron, it does not need to be expensive or pretty, the most important thing, is to not take it with calcium. Hope this helps. Carol

Thanks Carol! I knew there was something you should not take with Iron and I couldn't remember what it was. Theresa

Chromagen Forte, which is prescription, but to really get my numbers up I had to go have infusion. I think they make a liquid supplement prescription that has a stool softener in it too. It might be better for you. Wendy

At the suggestion of a bari program dietician, I'm taking Hema-plex, but I haven't been on it long enough to know if it's doing the job. I do feel stronger and have better color, so that's a start. Each tablet has 85 mg of elemental iron. It says it is vegetarian, but my cats are very interested when I open a container and they get a whiff. I bought it at Vitamin Shoppe but you can search on line for other sources. I got it for $6.96 for thirty tablets but the price on the shelf and the web site was $8 something. It has vitamins too so I am only taking that and a Dry vitamin A instead of the big multivitamin. And Calcium, of course. I'm not having a constipation problem when taking it, in fact I'm down to one stool softener a day from two. I was taking Gentle Iron (glyconate 28 mg, Walmart) and alternating with 25 mg of carbonyl iron from Trader Joe's but found that it wasn't helping. The doctor wrote a prescription, the pharmacist gave me Ferrous Gluconate, 240 mg which says 27mg elemental iron. This was off the shelf, about $8.50 for 100. But, I was taking three a day and considering a third stool softener. Since I'm post (surgical) menopause, I didn't think iron would be a problem but it seems I've been flirting with anemia since surgery, and maybe before. I just found Meijer Chewable Calcium Citrate, each orange flavored tablet has 300 mg of calcium and 200 IU of D. This is a good week to buy it, all the Meijer brands are buy one, get one free. These tablets are not with the rest of the Meijer stuff, they are next to the Citracal and its cousins. The regular price is $4.39 for 60 tablets. Warning to those in western Wayne county, I cleaned out several stores stock of it. Thanks for asking, this is good info for all of us.

Thanks everyone!!!