RE: Craving Ice (and my Blood work)

[Guest guest]

Tara

Your ferritin is low at 8 (normal is 15 to 150). Your iron saturation is

also below the normal range. I don't see your hemoglobin or hematocrit, but

with

what you have here, it shows you are anemic which explains the ice craving!

You need to up your iron, take it w/vitamin C for better absorbtion, make sure

you do not take it within 2 hours of taking calcium, and definitely discuss

this with your doctor as you will need to be rechecked after getting on an iron

supplement to make sure your levels are coming up. Do not take ferrous

sulfate - too hard on the pouch. I take the polysaccharide iron from

(vitalady). To give you a guide, my ferritin is 71.

I also think your B12 is a little low even though it is within the normal

range. How much B12 are you taking? I take 500 mcg sublingual a day and my B12

is around 800.

Good luck Tara. Keep us updated.

Sandy

Boca Raton, FL

postop ~ 03/27/02

265/112

[Guest guest]

Your ferritin is in the mission-critical LOW ZONE... Ferritin is your

long-term iron storage. It looks like the only reason you've got iron in

your blood is that you've been stealing it from your storage, for a

while, no doubt. Your iron saturation is also very low. Your B-12 isn't

rated low because the lab low value represents where permanent nerve

damage can begin. Many doctors want their patients to have serum B-12

levels of 600 or even 800 or higher. My " natural " food-only pre-op B-12

level was 1151 and that is my " target " . With B-12 shots every two weeks,

I stay over 1000 and feel much, much better. So I think it's worth it to

ask your PCP about starting B-12 shots. They are easy to do yourself and

a supply of needles and the vitamin costs less than $15 for a whole

year.

Given your levels and your reported pica symptoms (craving ice), you

should go back to your PCP ASAP and ask to be put on an iron supplement.

Chromagen Forte has worked well for many in our community. Don't forget

that you can't utilize time-released meds, and ferrous sulfate is so

hard on the GI tract that I know several hematologists that say that

NOBODY should take it. If your PCP is oblivious to these issues and/or

doesn't know much about bariatric surgery folks, either seek out another

PCP or a naturopath (ND). Naturopaths have much more education in

nutrition issues than your average GP, though they may or may not know

specifically about GB. If you let this problem continue, eventually you

will be so anemic that you will have other health problems, including

lowered oxygen to your organs, which can cause a heart attack, and you

will probably require infusions to rebuild your blood.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000569.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000584.htm

Keep us posted!

Z

Open RNY 09/17/01

Formerly diagnosed with pernicious anemia

http://www.ziobro.us

http://www.GreatKibble.com

Re: Craving Ice (and my Blood work)

Hi- A few have responded with the question on my Blood work , I honestly

did not know there was connection with the Iron and craving Ice. Ihad my

blood work Done Sept 26th 2003. Here is a run down on he b12 and Iron

stuff i got back.

B12- 379 normal range (250-1100)

Folate 18.7 normal 3-17

Iron 62 ( 46-178)

UIBC 326 (110-370)

TIBC 388 (260-430)

Iron Saturation 16(20-50)

Ferritin 8 (15-150)

[Guest guest]

Tara, as others have probably told you already, your Ferritin is in

the toilet...there's your answer. Strange, but this seems to be the

most common dive taken at the 2-4 year mark...for men & women alike.

So, to all new posties, forewarned is forearmed...be on the lookout!

in NJ

***************************

> Hi- A few have responded with the question on my Blood work , I

honestly did not know there was connection with the Iron and craving

Ice. Ihad my blood work Done Sept 26th 2003. Here is a run down on he

b12 and Iron stuff i got back.

>

> B12- 379 normal range (250-1100)

> Folate 18.7 normal 3-17

> Iron 62 ( 46-178)

> UIBC 326 (110-370)

> TIBC 388 (260-430)

> Iron Saturation 16(20-50)

> Ferritin 8 (15-150)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tara, one other thing, haven't you been rather tired lately? That's

usually a symptom, too.

in NJ

*********************

> Hi- A few have responded with the question on my Blood work , I

honestly did not know there was connection with the Iron and craving

Ice. Ihad my blood work Done Sept 26th 2003. Here is a run down on he

b12 and Iron stuff i got back.

>

>

> Ferritin 8 (15-150)

>

>