I am one year post op bypass. I had my labs done and all were good except my bariatric PA states I do not need to start iron supplementation. Based on my results, it seems like I could become deficient in the next year. I'm not in the medical field so I don't kniow. My program doesn't require I take extra iron. Here are the results:

Iron 41-156 Result 58

TIBC 232-386 Result. 397 (A high reading indicates deficiency)

Transferrin Saturation. 15-57 Result 15

Ferritin serum 15-150. Result 16

Can anyone explain why I don't need to start supplementation if I don't have my labs checked for another year?

Have you been on iron up to this point? Are you taking your multi with iron? It looks like you are definitely on the low end of normal, but as you are a year out and able to start eating more meat and maybe adding something like a little liver once in a while, you will probably be OK with your current regimen. If it was me, I would keep taking my multi with iron and start adding more red meat/liver. Personally, I would not want to deal with constipation or GI irritation from iron tabs.

Another thing to think about is getting an "iron fish." Google it. It is a little iron fish that you drop into your soup pot and adds elemental iron. Kind of like cooking in cast iron. Elemental iron is not well absorbed - not nearly as well as the iron in animal protein, but it sure can't hurt and might boost you up a bit.

No I haven't been on any iron besides what's in my multivitamin. However, for about 8 years (before surgery) I was anemic and was on high doses of iron. I had been off of the iron for about 1 year before surgery.

I already deal with chronic constipation so no don't want to make it worse by taking iron!

And I wonder why when I had an Iron INFUSION in March, nobody ordered another blood lab in June? And before my INFUSION, my iron was 27, should there not be a little bit of curiousity to find out whether I need more? Most research I have done says " should be re-done quarterly" 4 times a Year? Sounds like every 3 months to ME!??? And I looked up TIBC, I guessed right, Total Iron-'Binding Capacity or Transferase Iron-Binding Capacity. The rest of these were never shared with ME, ______I'm only the patient, ____Let's Keep Everything Secret, shall we? Yoohoo, see the hand ?waving over here? I DO FEEL A VESTED INTEREST IN IT ALL!

with a ferratin level at 16, I'm shocked they're suggesting you stop taking iron supplements. Some WLS patients start getting infusions when they get down that low. Yes, it's within the normal range, but it's low - and those levels can drop fast.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear...my program doesn't require any extra iron supplements after surgery do they didn't tell me to stop taking them because I wasnt taking them to begin with .

I've know several people who are in different bariatric programs and I just don't understand how vitamin regiments after surgery can vary so much. It makes no sense to me.

Edited June 25, 20197 yr by animallover1247
Added info

21 minutes ago, animallover1247 said:

I'm sorry I wasn't clear...my program doesn't require any extra Iron supplements after surgery do they didn't tell me to stop taking them because I wasnt taking them to begin with .

I've know several people who are in different bariatric programs and I just don't understand how Vitamin regiments after surgery can vary so much. It makes no sense to me.

I think the best guidelines to follow are put out by the American Society of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgeons. Some surgeons keep up with current research, some don't. ASBMS reflects the research. I follow these now (although these are pretty much what my clinic recommends, too). You have to scroll down a bit to find the vitamin recommendations:

https://asmbs.org/app/uploads/2008/09/ASMBS-Nutritional-Guidelines-2016-Update.pdf

I was anemic for years also and was afraid that after surgery I would become so again. I have stopped having periods now due to turning 50 so that may be helping me also. My 8 month after RNY labs came back this week and were great on the hematocrit and iron and RBC’s. I am faithful on my vitamins and rotate daily between Flintstones with iron, bariatric fusion, and centrum multivitamin. If one is lacking I will get what I need from the others. I also take B12, biotin, D3, and Cal mag zinc. I don’t eat a lot of meat but do lean towards mostly Fish and chicken if I want meat.