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Do I need to go back on iron supplements?

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Posted Today 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
I had been taking iron supplements back when my bloodwork showed that I was a bit anemic when I was flaring. Eventually my levels returned to normal and my gastro doc said I didn't have to take them anymore. Currently, he's trying to treat my IBS, because he believes my residual symptoms (mainly BM frequency) is no longer due to inflammation. (Don't worry, I'm getting scoped in February to be sure.) He prescribed methscopolamine for the IBS and I've been on it for at least 3 weeks. I really don't find it to be helping much with the frequency. I still go anywhere from 3-5 times a day.

So I'm wondering if the fact that I'm not taking iron anymore, and my multivitamin doesn't have iron in it, is to blame for my IBS. Thoughts?

On a side note, does Metamucil help with that kind of thing?
Posted Today 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, Metamucil can help....take it with meals so it acts like food. Start slowly...I use capsules and started with one per day for a few, then increased.

My iron level was at low normal, my doc had me start ferrous gluconate (comes in only one dosage it seems), and while my levels increased...I'm staying on it. Once after breakfast with the rest of my meds and supplements just because.

Did he at least do a visual rectoscope to see if you have any inflammation rectally?

Can you take any 5ASA meds?

q
Posted 12/3/2015 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
I am surprised you can take iron supplements - very hard on the gut. They are supposed to constipate you though. Maybe the iron slowed everything down? I would think constipation would be a bad thing because if it swings in the opposite direction....bad.
Posted 12/3/2015 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
No problems with constipation. Maybe most with anemia who take iron supplements take more or not with food or a different kind.
Constipation in a UCer are most times a symptom mild or limited rectal inflammation.
q
Posted 12/3/2015 2:51 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
Yes, Metamucil can help....take it with meals so it acts like food. Start slowly...I use capsules and started with one per day for a few, then increased.

My iron level was at low normal, my doc had me start ferrous gluconate (comes in only one dosage it seems), and while my levels increased...I'm staying on it. Once after breakfast with the rest of my meds and supplements just because.

Did he at least do a visual rectoscope to see if you have any inflammation rectally?

Can you take any 5ASA meds?

q

Do you find that the capsules are as effective as the powder? My mom always swore by the powder that you mix into water and drink.

Hmm, I've never actually heard of a visual rectoscope. I've heard of flexible sigmoidoscopies, but not that. So now, he hasn't done that. I had been doing steroid enemas for a while, but he said I could stop. He has just been using blood tests to see if there's inflammation (I know that's not quite good enough, but like I said, he does intend to do a scope soon).

As far as 5ASA's, I've been on Lialda since day one.
Posted 12/3/2015 2:54 PM (GMT 0)

ElpisUnbreakable said...
I am surprised you can take iron supplements - very hard on the gut. They are supposed to constipate you though. Maybe the iron slowed everything down? I would think constipation would be a bad thing because if it swings in the opposite direction....bad.

I can see why they would cause constipation. I try to find ones that are easy on the gut. Yeah, I wouldn't want to have constipation problems, but for right now my problem seems to be IBS-D.
Posted 12/3/2015 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
I don't see Lialda in your siggie.

Blood tests aren't an accurate indicator of what's going on in one's butt or gut.

Ask your doc for mesalamine enemas. How long have you been on the steroid enemas...and which ones?

Ferrous gluconate is a good start regarding iron supplement (was what my doc suggested). Not a high dosage and I've never had constipation issues from them.

Rectoscope sees about 8 inches.

I used the orange smooth powder (NOT the sugar-free) initially to help with diarrhea. It helped, yes...but I didn't want to have the other stuff in there and hated the flavour. It's also not convenient when I eat out.

q
Posted 12/3/2015 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
Whoa, I don't know how the Lialda dropped out of my signature! I could have sworn it's been there all along! I'll fix that.

Yeah, I had a feeling that was the case about blood tests. I mean, he knows that those tests only show that there IS inflammation, not where it's located, but it's better than nothing.

I had tried mesalamine enemas before the steroid enemas, and they seemed to make me worse, but of course it was hard to tell back then because I was so up and down all the time. So they're worth another shot, but we'll see what he sees next time I talk to him.

Do they sedate you for the rectoscope?

Yeah, I've had the powder before and I definitely don't like it, but I can tolerate it.
Posted 12/3/2015 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
You really only need to take oral iron every other day and you will get similar results.
With kess GI upset. My hematologist told me that.
Posted 12/10/2015 6:35 AM (GMT 0)
I was a bit anemic on my lab work last year and my GI told me to take Feosol. I take it every other day and every day 1 week a month (if you catch my drift). I have had no constipation issues. One thing I did notice was that I stopped crunching on those ice cubes. I googled that and saw chewing ice was a "symptom" of a lack of iron.

Feosol is an over the counter supplement, so you don't need a Rx, but I would discuss it with your GI.
Posted 12/10/2015 7:22 AM (GMT 0)
I couldn't handle any of them - even the enteric-coated. Bad stomach pains!
And my ferritin levels were very low. Fortunately it resolved in time.
Posted 12/10/2015 10:05 AM (GMT 0)
Yo GoGirl!

IBS aside, hope all's well.

Oral iron supplements are pretty tough on the digestive tract as a whole so I'd avoid those if you can and if your ferritin levels are low then see about iron infusions - that way the iron goes where it belongs, into the blood stream.

These things should help you reduce frequency and give you the right kind of bulk:

• Two S. Boullardii caps on an empty stomach with 35g Potato starch mixed with water and 10g L-Glutamine
• Heaped teaspoon of Slippery Elm bark powder 30 mins before meals (or two afters after your last eat)
• If you like them, porridge oats. Use an electric grinder to get them into a fine powder and mix 50g of the powder with 50g cream/double cream and 250g water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 7 mins.
Posted 12/10/2015 2:02 PM (GMT 0)

Kevin Watson said...
Yo GoGirl!

IBS aside, hope all's well.

Oral iron supplements are pretty tough on the digestive tract as a whole so I'd avoid those if you can and if your ferritin levels are low then see about iron infusions - that way the iron goes where it belongs, into the blood stream.

These things should help you reduce frequency and give you the right kind of bulk:

• Two S. Boullardii caps on an empty stomach with 35g Potato starch mixed with water and 10g L-Glutamine
• Heaped teaspoon of Slippery Elm bark powder 30 mins before meals (or two afters after your last eat)
• If you like them, porridge oats. Use an electric grinder to get them into a fine powder and mix 50g of the powder with 50g cream/double cream and 250g water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 7 mins.

Interesting tips, thanks, Kevin! I'm definitely still learning.
Posted 12/10/2015 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

Contentprof said...
I couldn't handle any of them - even the enteric-coated. Bad stomach pains!
And my ferritin levels were very low. Fortunately it resolved in time.

You know...today I had some stomach aches. I wonder if that's from adding the iron back in. Arggh, can't win, huh?
Posted 12/10/2015 3:05 PM (GMT 0)

UChick said...
I was a bit anemic on my lab work last year and my GI told me to take Feosol. I take it every other day and every day 1 week a month (if you catch my drift). I have had no constipation issues. One thing I did notice was that I stopped crunching on those ice cubes. I googled that and saw chewing ice was a "symptom" of a lack of iron.

Feosol is an over the counter supplement, so you don't need a Rx, but I would discuss it with your GI.

Oh okay, that seems like a reasonable option. I had never heard of that, thank you.
Posted 12/10/2015 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
Could be. It's worth using rectal meds of some kind.

No sedation for rectoscope.

q
Posted 12/10/2015 3:10 PM (GMT 0)

Dikid said...
You really only need to take oral iron every other day and you will get similar results.
With kess GI upset. My hematologist told me that.

Interesting. I'll have to ask about that. Right now I take Vitron-C 65mg twice a day.
Posted 12/10/2015 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Do you take it on empty stomach or with food?

q
Posted 12/10/2015 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
MY hematologist said the same thing about taking iron every other day. It builds up in your system pretty fast if you are not flaring. It actually is ok to be a bit low in iron. Some people's bodies are not meant to store a lot of iron and actually work better on the lower side.

There are actually tons of studies showing the health benefits of giving blood to clear out the excess iron (especially in men....because they don't menstruate.) It turns out all the medieval bloodletting did have some health benefits.
Posted 12/10/2015 4:47 PM (GMT 0)

ElpisUnbreakable said...
MY hematologist said the same thing about taking iron every other day. It builds up in your system pretty fast if you are not flaring. It actually is ok to be a bit low in iron. Some people's bodies are not meant to store a lot of iron and actually work better on the lower side.

There are actually tons of studies showing the health benefits of giving blood to clear out the excess iron (especially in men....because they don't menstruate.) It turns out all the medieval bloodletting did have some health benefits.

Whoa, that's definitely something I didn't know.

Seems like based on what you guys are saying, my frequency/loose stool probably isn't from iron deficiency. Hmm.
Posted 12/10/2015 4:57 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
Do you take it on empty stomach or with food?

q

In the morning, empty stomach. At night, mostly empty...it's hard to say because I don't have a set time eveyr night that I stop eating.
Posted 12/10/2015 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
I would recomend you see a hematologist because there are many ways to take iron and the way that it is taken can affect how its absorbed and the side effects or toxicity

for oral iron ones like ferrous sulfate are usually best absorbed
ferrous glutamate (sp) may be easier on your stomach
there are slow release ones (slow FE that cause less GI upset)
take with vitamin C to help absorption
dont take with calcium as that inhibits absorption
dont take iron with some medication as iron may bind to them and make them less effective
iron by IV is better absorbed but there is a small risk for reactins some of them have higher risks of allergic reaction but are easier (less or shorter infusions)

these are really things that need to be discussed with your doctor
i dont think this forum is meant to substitute for licensed doctors
it is a good starting point to research or to see if people have similar things, but always ask your doctors before changing your plan based on what you read off the internet
i have got some very good advice here and i have got some pretty bad advice asking my doctors is what helped me decide what is right for me
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