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loriloftness
loriloftness Posts: 476 Member
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I am in my 6 mo pre-op weight loss program phase. I had my first appt a week ago. Thankfully I can do my weight-loss program with the people who will do my surgery. I got a letter from them last Friday indicating I am anemic and will have to get my iron back into the normal range before they can do surgery. Thankfully I've got another 5 mos to get there. For those of you who have had the sleeve surgery already, do you take iron pills? I'm just thinking if I have to take iron pills after the surgery I may as well start them now to get my hemaglobin back into the normal range. I think iron pills will get it there faster than trying to eat protein-rich foods. Any thoughts or suggestions would be really appreciated. Thanks and have a great day!

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  • JeanneMarie11111
    JeanneMarie11111 Posts: 57 Member
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    post op is going to be 60-80 gms of protein a day, but less red meat. you could try spinach I know that has a lot of iron in it and pretty sure it has more if you cook it, you could do a search on iron rich foods to raise it naturally. And not ruin any of your diet plans
  • kdougl01
    kdougl01 Posts: 3 Member
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    I had to take Iron pre-op but 2 weeks post op my labs came back good. So far 5 weeks out my anemia hasn't returned.
  • JeanneMarie11111
    JeanneMarie11111 Posts: 57 Member
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    ooops sorry I re read your post and my reply looks like I ignored everything you said. I think the vit pills they want you to take have some iron in them, but I am not sure how much. Mine were kind of expensive about 24.00 for one month. They are bariatric chewable vitamins by a company called Fusion.:smile:
  • loriloftness
    loriloftness Posts: 476 Member
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    Thanks, I'll have to remember that name. I am currently taking a gummy vitamin but it does not have iron in it, so I'll have to take an iron pill until I use all of those vitamins up.
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I take E Z Fe forte. About $22 a month at Kroger. I took them before and after surgery because I have always been borderline anemic. The cheap iron pills just hurt my stomach and don't work. That said I always take my pills with supper, never on an empty stomach. Iron does not come up quickly so listen to your Dr.s and don't miss a dose. That's my advice.
  • loriloftness
    loriloftness Posts: 476 Member
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    Thanks. I started taking a slow-release iron pill this morning. Hopefully if I take one daily I will have my iron back to the normal range in 4-5 mos so I can still have my surgery this fall.
  • juliebccs
    juliebccs Posts: 233
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    Spirulina powder is high in protein and iron. Not sure how you go about using it though. Just researching that myself atm.:smile:

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