Cinerbelle

Welllllll..... I have another confession (I know, what's my deal lately)... I hadn't had blood work done since I was 6 months post op (I am now 2 years and 2 months post op). My GF scolded me and made me get my blood work done...I finally caved. Had my blood work done and found out that my Biotin levels are too low and I am "semi" anemic. My PCP said I do not need to take iron. Does that sound right? Wouldn't you think if I am borderline anemic that she would want me to take iron.

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Corrine

hmmmm! I'd want a second opinion.

The RNY bypasses the portion of intestine is where the majority iron (and calcium) absorption takes place. Anemia is a common long-term complication.

But I'm not surprised at what happened to you. At 3 months, my iron had dropped. At was told it was nothing to worry about. 3 months later it was down another 11 points taking me below "normal". And not only that, my ferritin had dropped to low too. Ferritin typically mean reduced iron stores.

Increasing iron can't be done overnight. It often takes several months to bring your levels back up.

So after a trip to my surgeon, I'm playing catch-up and will be taking polysaccharide and carbonyl iron for a while (with a vitamin C supplement). Carbonyl apparently is better at increasing the long-term iron stores.

You could try an iron rich diet although given the restrictions we have on food intake AND the malabsorption issue, it's doubtful that it'd have much of an impact.

Is there any chance of finding a PCP who knows something about WLS? Registered dietician maybe.

I ended up printing a copy of this to show my doc: http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/vi...mendations.pdf

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24 September 2007 - Lap RNY
Dr. Sebesta. Madigan Medical Army Center (MAMC)

259.5/224.7/164.2/****
highest/day of surgery/current/haven't set a goal.

95.3lb gone as of 8th April 2008

bridgetgirl

Is Iron a water soluble vit? Can you OD on iron? Or do you pee out the excess.

My confession, I get labs drawn every 6 months and haent taken any vits for over 2 years, and I always come back normal. Weird huh? Dr C says I must be one of the lucky ones.... only time will tell.

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J.Bridget Fisher
2/9/04 lap 5'11"
298/155

www.myspace.com/caliclovercutie
We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don't know where you're aiming, you don't have a goal. My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared." - MaryKay Ash

Cinerbelle

Thanks Corrine! I think you are right... might be time to find a new PCP. She looked at me like she didn't even understand why I requested blood work... and then when she did her breast exam I said "they are all skin now"...and she said "you must have carried a lot of milk when you had babies"... I was thinking NOOOOO...I used to be 329lbs...ugh..duh.

Brig - You can die from taking too much iron. I really was expecting to be lacking in sooo many other areas since I do not take my vitamins daily.

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jerseygrl684

my labs are horrendous... and im horrible at taking my vitamins.. i will be the first to admit it... ugh..

so worn out.

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Kelly <3 . Age: 23 / 5'2 . Lap RNY on 11.26.07

248/227-highest & day of surgery
151-current (and a sz 8.. single digits baby!!!)
140- MY goal

WELCOME TO ONEDERLAND.. NEVER AGAIN 200+ (1.5.08)
11 lbs till goal.


bmi = 26.7 .. im JUST OVERWEIGHT.. surreal

http://www.myspace.com/irishgirlie84

bridgetgirl

Note to self, you CAN OD on Iron! Thanks Cin!

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J.Bridget Fisher
2/9/04 lap 5'11"
298/155

www.myspace.com/caliclovercutie
We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don't know where you're aiming, you don't have a goal. My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared." - MaryKay Ash

kittens4

Cindy, I am going through this right now....From my labs last week, my ferritin is a 3..iron saturation 11. They made me go back yesterday and get drawn again for a CBC. That will tell the rest of the story, and I'll know if I'm anemic or just not absorbing the iron. I feel okay, but still, as soon as my first labs came back, they put me on slow fe iron. I work for a GI group, and my docs think I'm not absorbing iron properly, which is common with us post gastric bypass peeps!!! There's also an issue with my iron binding capacity. I don't get it all...I just take the drugs they tell me to! lol! My doc did increase my Paxil from 10 mg (a baby dose) to 20mg (big girl dose)!!

I think if they said you are "borderline" anemic, you should take a slow fe so you don't become "full blown anemic" because once your iron levels get down, it takes awhile to get them back up there! You don't want to be falling asleep at the wheel! I'd get another opinion, or just go to Walmart, get the slow fe, and re-draw labs in a couple of months to see where things are. Beware, the slow fe does make the stools dark....so don't be alarmed! xoxo

p.s. Coffee interferes w/iron absorbtion also....so, this means Starbucks and I have to part ways.....I guess I could get decaf...but I've grown fond of the 1/2 caf...This could be the thing I've been looking for to get me to quit!!

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Elaine
Started at 260, Happy now at 155ish....

Gymrat Member#22
Ducksack Member#2
"LainieBear"

lowdown1968

Brig, you are ONE of the lucky ones....but for the majority we can not get away with not taking our vitamins and supplements. I am fourteen months out and I tried it for about the last nine months....I just got home from a near DEATH experience hospital stay suffering from severe dehydration and MALABSORBTION!!! SO BE WARE

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Ron
Surgery March 28, 2007
349/337/193/180
start/date of surgery/current/goal