Severe Iron Deficieny Anemia

Hello my name is Kathy and I am a 38 year old female, I had gastric bypass surgery Nov07 and everything went fine all my health problems disappeared l like magic to include the weight. Now almost 2 years later i have been diagnosed with severe iron defciency and folate deficiency. I have had to have several iron treaments since april and had one just this past thursday. My blood count was at 5.6 and went up to 9.8. I was told by my hematologist and gbs that hysterectomy would be beneficial due to abnormal bleeding and uterine fibroids so i had the hysterectomy and now by blood count went down again to 9.2, with ferritin iron at 2 and folate also a 2. I am not sure what these numbers mean but my hematologist wants me to continue treatments. I complain of constant fatigue and heart palpitations and leg cramping. He states that is what i am feeling due to the anemia. Is thier something I can do to bring my levels up I take oral iron and folate pills plus i get a b12 shot every month as well as a thiamine.  I am also having trouble remembering and explaining my self when i speak. I wish i could fix this this is going on now for more than six months with no definitve answers. Is anyone else having a similar problem or can a physician make a suggestion. Please help I am extremely frustrated, seems like i fixed my weight problem but at what cost. They dont tell you this happens before the surgery, and mg gbs doctor swears it is not due to malabsorbtion.

Thanks, Kathy :)

[SassyLassie]

Hello~I am sorry you are having so much trouble.

I am not a doctor, but some of this seems to me to be due to mal-absorption. When you do not absorb food etc, you will eventually get vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and can have the problems you are mentioning.

Here are some things that I would do and maybe they will help you too. First, I would have my vitamin B-12 shot increased for a short while to one a week, vitamin B-12 is water soluble, and your body excretes what it does not use, I give myself shots daily, and it is helping, I am very low in it, and it will take awhile to build up, just one shot a month will not do the trick. Second, I would take a good digestive aide and pro-biotic this will put the enzymes back in your system and friendly bacteria as well, both of these will help in digestion. Third, I would take a good, food grade B vitamin and multi-vitamin and mineral, this will help to get all the needed nutrients in your system. Fourth, for the foggy thinking and other problems, I would most certainly add a good, bio-identical progesterone cream, this is a cream that is identical to the progesterone your body makes. Since you had a hysterectomy, this is very important. I would also buy the book by Dr Lee called "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause" it will amaze you. He also tells you how much to use and what to expect, in my way of thinking, it is imperative for any woman who has had a hysterectomy or in menopause. Fifth, I would add a good liquid fish oil to your diet. Carlson has a great one, I take it and it is great for lowering blood fats, foggy thinking, palps, and many other things. I take 2 tablespoons a day.

I hope some of this is of help, if you have any questions about what I wrote, please feel free to PM me I will be happy to help in any way possible.

Susie