Vitamin Experts! Need your opinion on Iron. (Iron is so difficult!)
Vitamin experts, I really need you.
Signed,
Anemic kicking and chomping lunatic!
Run, don't walk, to a hematologist and get iron infusions immediately. If your doctor won't order them find one that will. My doctor had me have iron infusions when my Ferritin was 7. You may be like me and just not able to absorb iron so taking it does nothing. Even if you do it will take a boatload of iron pills to pull you out of this. Get infusions right away.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
What's constipating about some iron supplements is the iron salts in them, not the iron itself. For instance, 325 mg of ferrous sulfate only contains 65 mg of actual elemental iron. The rest is an iron salt, and it's the iron salt that causes constipation. I'm not sure what type of iron is typically infused, but I'm thinking since it goes into the vein, not the digestive tract, it's probably not going to be constipating.
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
My experience. NO the infusion did not bind me. It's easy peasy IMO, an IV is what is used to do the infusion. Depending on the type of iron they give you, some times it can be quick (IV push, approximately 20-30 minutes max) to a few hours of sitting in a chair for the iron to drip. They did a test first to be sure I had no allergic reaction. Also did a saline push and gave me benedryl for potential allergic reaction.
I prefer the infusion to fighting taking iron in daily and still struggling to keep it up. How long will depend on how your body responds. I've had two rounds approximately 18 months a part. One was 5 infusions (daily....this was the IV Push of Venefor), the other 6 (one a week for 6 weeks, this round was approximately 1 hour each of Infed). How I felt after a couple was AMAZING!
Proximal RNY Lap - 02/21/05
9 years committed ~ 100% EWL and Maintaining
www.dazzlinglashesandbeyond.com
Your doctor is a nut if she thinks all you need is 65 mg elemental iron a day when your ferritin is 2. You need to see a hematologist about iron infusions. And of course you need your other iron-related labs checked.
The ASMBS recommends 54 to 63 mg elemental iron if your iron level is good. Not when it's in the toilet.
Yeah, you can take more than 65 mg at once. I take 75 mg at a time but you ccan take more than that. But you really need to see a hematologist ASAP. They normally do infusions if your ferritin gets below 10 or so.
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
You are so right, it amazes me how doctors want to wait and see if oral iron will bring a ferritin number that low up. It may in the general population sometimes but for ANYONE with malabsorption of iron it's ridiculously crazy to think it's worth trying IMO.
Proximal RNY Lap - 02/21/05
9 years committed ~ 100% EWL and Maintaining
www.dazzlinglashesandbeyond.com
Definitely find a hematologist. It is next to impossible to bring ferritin up at that level. As for taking iron just an FYI. Proferrin can be taken with calcium where other forms will be cancelled out. Also, check the Tender Iron (it may have some C in it, if I recall the formula has been changed) although taking additional vitamin C will not hurt.
Proximal RNY Lap - 02/21/05
9 years committed ~ 100% EWL and Maintaining
www.dazzlinglashesandbeyond.com