Suggestions for iron deficiency?
I can't get iron infusions. I have ibsc an iron deficient due to heavy cycles and I need an iron supplement stomach friendly that won't hurt me more is there anyone who has a tried and true supplement that they recommend
Bummer that you have a hard-to-treat iron deficiency. Have you talked to your medical team about this? Gynecologist and primary care doc? Between your doctors and PLwIBS (people living with IBS), there ought to be some choices they all can suggest that fit your needs. Here's hoping that our readers will chime in with the ideas you seek. Kind regards, Kim, moderator I'm not recommending this product to you, just sharing an FYI. A while back, I purchased Geritol as a possible tonic for my needs. It was formulated for old people who had "iron-poor blood," and it also contains B vitamins. Taken off the market for a while after making outrageous health claims, it's now marketed as a multi-vitamin and iron supplement. I decided not to take it though. I am not iron-deficient, so an iron supplement would only create a problem for me that didn't exist previously: too much iron in the blood! Turns out though, pregnant women have been known to take Geritol because it is rich in B vitamins. I'm offering it up as something for you to research and run by your medical team/experts. --Kim, moderator
I have B12 and Iron deficiency anemia and have had every test they can think of, by the hemotologist and gastrologist. I have diarrhea every day. Iron supplements go right thru me so I get infusions 3 or 4 times a year. All the test come back negative for chronic, colitis, Ibs, and every other thing they can test for. This has been going on for 5 years. I have the camera swallow test again next week. My body just doesn't absorb Iron. Anyone else like this?
I'm so sorry you're struggling so much and the tests don't find anything... I hope you'll get some answers from the test this week. Please keep us updated about that!
As for absorbing iron, do they think it's related to your digestive issues? It would make sense that your body can't absorb anything when you're having constant diarrhea...
Have you tried adjusting your diet and/or keeping a food journal to see if it's related to something you're eating?
Big hugs, Karina (team member)
The hemotologist thinks I am bleeding somewhere intestinal, that is why I have had so many test. The gastrologist hasn't found anything except a large hiatal (sp) hernia. I have tried taking away foods and adding foods. I need the iron found in animals and have tried eating beef every day for a month. It did not make a difference. I think I just have to continue to live with this. I have been as low as 8 an a scale of 35 to 150. The fatigue and other symptoms are rough when the iron is low. I try no to eat if I am going out, but that doesn't always work. I carry extra clothes and supplies with me at all times. I have had some close calls.
I can only imagine how hard it is to have such low iron levels in addition to digestive issues. 🙁 It's good that you're getting the capsule endoscopy done, this should hopefully help them see if you're bleeding somewhere.
Regarding food, I had also tried eating beef to get my iron levels up (mine were low for years despite supplements) and it didn't work. Beef liver worked a lot better for me, I don't know if you have tried that?
Since you mentioned that you have a hernia, I wanted to link an article we have about this: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/hernia, it contains the following info:
"One thing it's important for people with IBS or suspected of having IBS to know is that a hernia, especially if it is significant enough, can cause symptoms very similar to IBS. Even a small hernia can cause complications that mimic IBS. That is why some researchers on the issue have cautioned that doctors should always thoroughly evaluate patients who have IBS-like symptoms for an underlying mechanical reason like a hernia and rule it out before simply assuming IBS is the only culprit."
Karina (team member)
