Anemia despite high dosages of iron

[StefanieSparklePants 95]

Ok, sorry newbies, I need to hear from folks 1 plus years out. I'm 14 months out RNY and my Iron levels keep plummeting despite upped dosages of iron. Has anyone had infusions? Has anyone had infusions for the rest of their lives? Im honestly regretting this surgery now as it may kill me. Im eating iron rich food and taking larges dosages of iron. Ugh. I find out Monday if I get infusions. Im scared to death. This is just proof that you can do everything correctly with this surgery and still have major problems.

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am sorry this is happening to you. I am guessing you are younger and not post menopausal.

I did not reading about this issue early on and honestly you can adjust your diet but the deficiency may not be overcome solely through diet and supplements or infusions may be your only option outside of having a revision that changes your surgery so that more of the Iron from the food you eat is absorbed.

So many think that malabsorbtion in bypass ends after a period time. I cannot find anything that confirms that, everything I have read states it will continue and that is why we are on Vitamins for the rest of our lives.

I really hope that your doctor can find a solution that works for you and I hope that you feel better soon!

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am 3 years post-op RNY gastric bypass. After my first yearly blood workup, they noted that I was Iron deficient.

So I was asked to take an Iron supplement. They asked me to take Ferrous Sulfate. Apparently there are two types of chemical formulations on iron supplements and Ferrous Sulfate is the best absorbed.

I thought that perhaps my deficiency might be related to when I took my iron supplements. Iron and Calcium do not mix. There has to be time spacing of at least two hours between taking them. Although I tried to give it some separation I drank milk and thought perhaps the Calcium in milk might be interfering with my irons. So I moved all my iron supplements to the end of the day just before bedtime. My next annual blood workup showed iron was O.K.

[aelovelady 243]

I have heard that liquid Iron is better!

[LPNAshley 194]

Not speaking as a vet or newbie, just as a nursing student. It has been pounded into my brain throughout school that Iron is best absorbed with Vitamin C. Don't know if it would make a difference in your levels but if you can stomach OJ it might be worth trying.

[jess9395 5,450]

@livsmum is a member here and she has posted about it. Perhaps you could search for it. Here is her blog:

http://themeiamnow.blogspot.com/?m=1

[StefanieSparklePants 95]

UPDATE-

Thanks for all the responses. I got a hold of my Dr. Before 5PM and asked about my levels. (I couldnt wait until Monday) She said my Iron saturation percentage is improving. So, i dont need infusions at this time. But she said something that REALLY confuses me, and im not a medical professional, so i dont know if this is true, but she said ferritin levels can go down as saturation percentages improve. That doesnt make sense to me. It's true my saturation level 6 weeks ago was at 10% and now, today, it is at 18%. I dont know. I thought ferritin was suppose to improve as the saturation percentage improves? Something is not adding up.

[RobingAlaska 30]

Are you making sure to not take Iron withen 6 hours of Calcium?

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[angie42870 1]

I have had my first Iron infusion and it isn't that bad.

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[StefanieSparklePants 95]

Angie,

How did you feel after it? Did you have a reaction or anything? The idea of infusions kinda scares me, but I want to feel better. I dont need infusions yet, but if I keep heading in the direction I'm heading, I will. Anemia sucks.

Edited August 7, 2016 by StefanieSparklePants

[StefanieSparklePants 95]

Djmohr,

Thanks for your response. I keep hearing in several forums that absorption comes back. I also have not found any evidence to support this. I'm not sure if people's surgeons are telling them this or not. I recall hearing a few people say something about the receptors (or something) within the intestines " grow back," and then more absorption occurs and that this magically happens when a honeymoon period is over.

Everyone's honeymoon period differs, though. I only lost weight for 9-10 months, then I was done, and I'm still anemic. So, i dont know. Like you said, there's no evidence of this. It's weird what people will believe.

Thanks for the input!

[honey740 0]

I am pre-op and I have infusions. Got my first this past month. Not bad at all. I have very low ferritin levels despite oral Iron.< /p>

[NewAngela 60]

UPDATE-

Thanks for all the responses. I got a hold of my Dr. Before 5PM and asked about my levels. (I couldnt wait until Monday) She said my Iron saturation percentage is improving. So, i dont need infusions at this time. But she said something that REALLY confuses me, and im not a medical professional, so i dont know if this is true, but she said ferritin levels can go down as saturation percentages improve. That doesnt make sense to me. It's true my saturation level 6 weeks ago was at 10% and now, today, it is at 18%. I dont know. I thought ferritin was suppose to improve as the saturation percentage improves? Something is not adding up.

My understanding is, ferretin is an Iron containing Protein. Iron saturation a percentage calculated from blood serum levels over iron binding capacity. Anyways, if your ferretin stores are going down and iron up, your body may be using the stores to replenish blood iron.

It is also a calculated value. If your total iron binding capacity goes down, you saturation will go up. The total iron binding capacity is a measure relative to ferritin Protein, so mathematically less ferretin means higher saturation.

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[reinventingme63 3]

I have had my first Iron infusion and it isn't that bad.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Out of curiosity, how is an Iron infusion conducted?

I am 3 years post-op RNY gastric bypass. After my first yearly blood workup, they noted that I was iron deficient.

So I was asked to take an iron supplement. They asked me to take Ferrous Sulfate. Apparently there are two types of chemical formulations on iron supplements and Ferrous Sulfate is the best absorbed.

I thought that perhaps my deficiency might be related to when I took my iron supplements. Iron and Calcium do not mix. There has to be time spacing of at least two hours between taking them. Although I tried to give it some separation I drank milk and thought perhaps the Calcium in milk might be interfering with my irons. So I moved all my iron supplements to the end of the day just before bedtime. My next annual blood workup showed iron was O.K.

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[TristanNicole 169]

Its encouraging that your saturation is going up, and I agree with @@NewAngela about what she wrote in regard to ferritin level and saturation. I also agree with taking Vitamin C along with your Iron supplement to see if that help, Vit C is suppose to ad in the absorption of Iron. I'm an RN and we use to do Iron infusions in office, I've given about 100, maybe more infusion. It isn't a big deal for the nurse and it didn't seem to be a big deal for the patient either, the biggest complaint is usually the stick from the needle to place the IV and even then most people either said they didn't feel it or it didn't hurt. People can have allergic reactions to the iron so you'll want to be aware of how you are feeling and if you start to feel unwell. There are quite a few different types of IV Iron and some are more prone to cause reactions that others. There is also differences in the time it takes, some types its just an "IV push" where the nurse will push the medication in over like 5 mins, other types are an infusion that can take up to a few hours and it goes in more slowly. For my doctors I work with we ususally start looking at IV iron when saturation is 15% or less, 20% and up is normal I believe. Keep working at what you are doing and you should get into normal levels and then you wont have to worry about the infusions at all!