Iron supplement question

[SherryW 4]

Hello All, I didn't see a Health thread or anything close so I hope I'm posting this to the right one. I have a question regarding Iron supplements. When I had my first fasting bloodwork with the bariatric center it came back with a few things funky so they sent it to my PCP. My PCP hauled me in and told me my iron was low and she wanted me to take an iron supplement. A slow release one such as SlowFe. So here is my question.....I wasn't taking Vitamins when my bloodwork was done and I've taken them since. The vitamins (Flintstones chewables) has 15mg of iron...well...do I still take the supplement? If I remember right...my PCP said the iron levels have a wide range from 20-150? Mine was at 25 whatever that was. I thought I understood it better when I was there. Anyway...anyone else experience this and what are you doing to help your iron levels?

[Jachut 487]

I'd still take an Iron supplement if you've been told too. Generally if you're low in iron the small amount in a Multivitamin wont be enough. It's the same deal with Calcium - they cant put enough in a multivitamin becuase both iron and calcium will interfere with the absorption of certain other Vitamins and minerals. So you generally need to take extra if you're levels are low.

[Iluvharleys 15]

I would take them still, but I would also check with your doctor's office. Too much Iron can be bad. Just a telephone call would let you know for sure.

[j.s. 0]

Sherry,

I was told my Iron level was pretty low too, not anemic but right above that. I was taking two childrens Vitamins daily at that time and had been for 6 months (give or take). Anyway I had to start taking Fergon (high potentency iron supp.) I had been taking them with the vitamins. Then I was told by a pharmacist not to take the iron with vitamins. That I was suppose to take the iron with Vitamin C (OJ) because of iron needing to bind to Vitamin c. So now i take my iron pill with my glass of OJ and i have graduated to one adult chewable vitamin per day. I asked my doc how long I had to do this for and he said until my next blood work which will be in a few months. I was told that my levels being so low was probably the reason I was tired a lot and that I had probably been really low for quite a long time.

[SherryW 4]

Thanks all for your input. I'm taking both the Vitamin and one Iron supplement. Hopefully my iron levels will improve soon.

take care!

[jdemzi 9]

I have been taking Iron since my one week post op. I was told to not take the ferrous sulfate iron because it is hard on your stomach, and I found the only other iron I could easily find (at Target) that was okay, Feosol, was very expensive. So, I went to vitalady.com and they have an iron that is easy on your stomach and you can't beat their prices. Vitalady.com really has competitive prices and many things that are hard to find (non soft gel Vitamin E for instance). So, if you are looking for vits, check out vitalady.com. Although my multi-vit is the Flintstone's complete and that is the one thing I don't buy from vitalady.com.

But anyways, I do take 150mg a day of iron. I will get my bloodwork mid-April and that will tell me if I am taking too much or too little.