Question on iron, vitamins, other meds, and scheduling

I had my DS on June 8th. I'm doing great overall, getting my fluids and plenty of protein, but experiencing some frustration with my early morning vitamin schedule. I am following Vitalady's recommended schedule and dosing to the letter, and here are the issues I'm having in the morning.

1. Early morning vitamin dose includes the 300mg iron (5 capsules) plus others, and based on what I have for breakfast, I think I need to avoid eating/coffee drinking for 1 hour after taking the iron.

2. I am taking Prevacid every morning, and this is to be taken on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes prior to eating. However, I'm pretty sure I have to take this AFTER the iron, waiting at least one hour.

3. I am taking Actigall, and this needs to be taken every 12 hours, with food.

So, what I'm doing is, taking the iron/vitamins, then waiting one hour. (The early am vitamins also seem to give me heartburn, but I'm not sure). Next, I take the Prevacid, after being awake one hour. Finally, 30 minutes later (I have been awake 90 minutes now) I make my protein coffee, eat eggs, etc and take the Actigall.

The issue? I don't really have time for this routine in the morning, although I am doing it. I go to work very early! And I want my coffee soon after waking! Is there some other way I can arrange these meds? I also tend to eat dinner late because of long work days, so I'm not sure whether my stomach is truly empty at bedtime.

Also, I purchased proferrin but I am not taking it. Is it normally used with iron, or instead of?

Thanks for reading, and for any help you can give! The iron rules are still new for me.

Karen

 Hi, the only thing I can tell you is, what I do.
I take the proferrin Forte instead of the iron capsules, because I did not get as good results as I had hoped, so I switched to the proferrin. I like it a lot better because you can take it anytime. Am or Pm it doesn't matter. And my labs are coming back really good. I know every one is different but I really enjoy not having to mess around with the times to take the iron with the C and copper, but not with calcium etc.
This just makes it so much easier.
Just keep juggling, sooner or later it will all fall into place for you.

Thanks! You just reminded me... I forgot to type in, that I bought proferrin but I am not taking it. I'm going to edit my post to add that, and thanks again for your input.

Karen

Can you take the Prevacid before you wake up completely? Like before you do your morning grooming? That would give it some time without messing with your food schedule.

I eat bfast and take my iron an hour after that, with fruit. After another hour or so, I don'****ch the clock. I take everything else as it falls into what I'm doing that day.

Actigall. Can't comment, don't like it.

Thanks for replying, Michelle! So, you would wait and take the iron 1 hour after eating breakfast? I think that might be do-able, as long as I can remember to take it once I am at work. Prior to starting the iron, I was doing the Prevacid first thing and that part was going well, so no problem there.

I hate the Actigall too. I swear it gives me heartburn, worse than I already have! I'm not amused that I still have my gallbladder. Sigh...

Any input on whether I should take the proferrin? I have that too.

Karen

I do take my iron after bfast. I have coffee and eggs for bfast, so iron doesn't work there. And I never take pills on empty.

If you take Proferrin, it should not be with other irons, and not with vit C

Hi Karen, I take the proferrin too, its the only iron that has not really upset my stomach. Plus it has alot less rules attached to it and so can be taken more easily, which for me means I actually take it lol!!

anyway, completely off topic, Renee, red and I are trying to plan a saturday or sunday at the outlets in orlando for some retail therapy and lunch etc...We would love it if you would come along....we don;t get too many new central Fl Ds'ers and we promise you can ask as many questions as your little heart desires lol!!! anyway, send me a PM and let me know, we're looking at one of the saturdays coming up, either next sat or the one after ok??

hugs to ya, keep up the good work

Yorkie xx

Thanks for the reply!  The iron is killing me...I won't go into details but it's not pleasant!  I might try to go with the proferrin.

About the shopping, I'd like to go, but the next two Saturdays are not going to work for me (I sent you a PM).  I could however do it this Sunday 7/24 if you guys are free.

Karen

Most people take proferring in place of other types of iron. The great thing about it is that it does not require you to avoid the things that usual iron supplements do. Now, heme iron increases the absorption of non-heme iron, so if proferrin alone does not keep your numbers up, you could try proferrin + carbonyl or something like that.

I was in the same boat as you early out. Prevcid, vitamins, and a probiotic that all thought they should get exclusive access to my stomach. I finally decided, f this.

The most immediate thing you can do is take your iron later in the day. Before I started proferrin I used to try to find a time either late morning or early afternoon when I wouldn't eat for a while and wasn't drinking coffee.

Prevacid you may not need forever. I had horrible acid for 6 months but was able to stop prevacid after that. It was a rough few days--this is expected when you are coming off an acid reducer--but well worth it as that is another demand for my time that is gone.

What I used to do was take the prevacid right as I rolled out of bed, then shave/shower/etc and then eat after that.

Thanks for the encouragement!  "F this" is exactly what I was thinking, a couple of days ago!!

I started today with taking the iron late morning, and that seemed to help the timing issue.  My stomach is not loving the iron, though.  I'm going to keep it up all week and see what happens.  If I don't tolerate the iron well all week, I'm cracking open my fresh bottle of proferrin.  Yum!

I'm also doing what you mentioned....taking the Prevacid first thing and then eating breakfast after my shower.  Hopefully I can get rid of the Prevacid eventually like you did.

Thanks again

Karen