I'm concerned about Nutrient absorption. I was recently told that I was iron deficient as a result of my gastric bypass. So I had two iron infusions, and will have to be evaluated every 3 to 4 months. I've continued to take my sublingual B12 over the years. My question is if my stomach is causing malabsorption of iron, what about the calcium, and vitamins I take daily? Thanks
16 years post-op
- Thread starter maryelk
- Start date
dianeseattle
Member
This sounds like an issue for your doctor. I feel kind of skeptical about attributing low iron to gastric bypass surgery. If you look at the statistics of the tens of thousands of people who have had this surgery, I don't think you would find many people with this problem. However, we have had about 5 people here in the group in the last 2 years with severe iron deficiencies. Some had to be hospitalized for infusions.
But those problems were unique to their own physiology, not a side effect or result of gastric bypass surgery. Stick with your doctor and increase your iron consumption and keep us posted. If you are 16 years post op, you shouldn't be having any problems that are related to gastric bypass surgery. I am 13 years post-op and my physiology is completely adjusted to the surgery and my digestive system works the way it is supposed to work.
I think it's important to note that obesity causes a lot of chronic problems, and many of them are not even known until a patient loses a lot of weight. We all readily admit that we are pre-diabetic or have other comorbidities, but we don't always realized the devastating things obesity has done to our bodies that hasn't come up in blood test yet.
I take prescriptions and supplements 4 times a day. My metabolic panels are always fabulous. Sometimes people need instructions about how to take these meds. For instance, with minerals, you should never take them less than 2 hours apart. That includes calcium and iron. So I take my calcium in 500 mg doses, because the body can't absorb any more than 500 mg. I take them with breakfast lunch and dinner. Then before bed I take my iron supplement.
I used to do it wrong. I used to take a whole bunch of pills at one time, although I did space out my minerals correctly. You can probably study up on this online, but if you are iron deficient, and especially if you are severely affected, stick with your doctor and make sure you rule in and rule out any kind of disease or disorder.
But those problems were unique to their own physiology, not a side effect or result of gastric bypass surgery. Stick with your doctor and increase your iron consumption and keep us posted. If you are 16 years post op, you shouldn't be having any problems that are related to gastric bypass surgery. I am 13 years post-op and my physiology is completely adjusted to the surgery and my digestive system works the way it is supposed to work.
I think it's important to note that obesity causes a lot of chronic problems, and many of them are not even known until a patient loses a lot of weight. We all readily admit that we are pre-diabetic or have other comorbidities, but we don't always realized the devastating things obesity has done to our bodies that hasn't come up in blood test yet.
I take prescriptions and supplements 4 times a day. My metabolic panels are always fabulous. Sometimes people need instructions about how to take these meds. For instance, with minerals, you should never take them less than 2 hours apart. That includes calcium and iron. So I take my calcium in 500 mg doses, because the body can't absorb any more than 500 mg. I take them with breakfast lunch and dinner. Then before bed I take my iron supplement.
I used to do it wrong. I used to take a whole bunch of pills at one time, although I did space out my minerals correctly. You can probably study up on this online, but if you are iron deficient, and especially if you are severely affected, stick with your doctor and make sure you rule in and rule out any kind of disease or disorder.