Iron Supplements and blood loss....?
I went into the ER last night and had an emergency surgery because I was losing massive amounts of blood.
I feel like shiiiiite now BTW... but anyway they discussed a transfusion and I was like, "NOooooooo!!"
maybe this is stupid but I didn't want someone else's blood and honestly during my trauma this is all I could think of.... that I worked so hard to be healthy and I was going to end up with who knows what. In the end I did not have to have a transfusion. But it was a big deal to me.
At the hospital I got a vegan meal in the AM and it included a packet of margarine.... with whey (the very last ingredient) now normally i may, or may not have eaten it since this was obviously a special situation and the choice was between marg or smucker's jam with HFCS *sigh*... I opted for nothing instead... but this morning i actually had to remove the margarine from my tray and place it on the other side of the table until i was comfortable to continue eating. obviously, getting someone else's (non-vegan) blood was a huge issue for me so since I've been home (literally a few hours) I have decided to be even more careful about ingredients.
So.... that said.... the doctor prescribed me iron supplements because of my blood loss. Where does this iron supplement most likely come from?? If it is not a vegan source I am so torn because I know I cannot find an adequate vegan sub in such a short amount of time. It would probably have to be mailed to me. I should have already taken a pill and I know I NEED these since I had significant blood loss.
I don't want to not take them and have any problems as a result be blamed on my vegan-ness.
I want to do what is right for my health but with my new found need to be SUPER vigilant I'm just lost. I just stare at the bottle.
Basically, I guess I know the answer... I have to just take them, don't I? :(
Sorry to hear that you've been suffering all of this! What a tough thing to deal with :-[
Unfortunately, yes - you do need to just take them until you can get a shipment of vegan capsules. A few iron supplements do come from animal sources - usually referred to as "heme" iron. But, many do not come from animal sources. Yeast (brewers and/or nutritional) is a common source.
Ask the pharmacist, because they may have a variety of sources to choose from (after all, people have allergies and intolerances), and the PDR may let them know which have what. You may be able to take a multi-vitamin that is high in iron, if you ask. I assume you're dealing with a military hosp where you will have some options.
A very low hemoglobin (which is, I assume, what you have) can cause a stroke or heart failure. You really need to cooperate with treatment for the sake of your health and longevity.
BTW, Iron usually constipates - be prepared :-\
Thanks Anna,
I was informed that a multi will "absolutely not" give me enough iron. :(
I was worried about constipation too... aparently I was given the kind with stool softner... yay.
I'm pretty sure that the military hospital = lack of things to choose from ;)
*sigh*
I think you are right, of course, I do need to take them and I will just have to have someone send me some veg iron from the states ASAP
:)
Thanks again.
I hope it does help :)
Bummer about the multi!
If the pharmacy in the hospital cannot offer variety, the doctor may be able to recommend an acceptable over-the-counter option you could get from the bx/px or commissary - or maybe even "on the economy."
But, luckily, there are, I think, more vegan irons than animal source ones, so, odds are, you're getting the better choice.
Hope you feel better soon!
Jennifer, I can't help you much with information about iron pills (glad Anna's on the board to help). But I just wanted to say I hope you feel better really soon. You've been through a lot lately, both mentally and physically. No need to worry so much about being so strict. Take it easy on yourself and concentrate on resting and getting better--I want to see you recover soon and back in good spirits! You are in my thoughts---((Jennifer))
I just wnted to second what anna said that you have a better chance of getting vegan iron than not. I am sending positive vibes your way. Please take care of yourself.
I'm not an expert on supplements, but I wanted to add that Vitamin C helps iron absorb.
1. antacids inhibit iron absorption
2. manganese and zinc compete with iron absorption
3. Vitamin C facilitates iron absorption
I hope you're feeling better.
iron is poorly absorbed from multis--it competes with zinc for absorption. you're much better off taking an inro-free multi plus a separate iron supplement (don't take it with meals, as zinc and calcium bind/are bound by iron). Vitamin C enhances iron absorption, so consider taking your iron supplement with a vit c source.
FEEL BETTER!!!
We are thinking of you,
All the best :)
p.s. ultimately, you have to make your own choices....but I think that extreme medical emergencies call for extreme (sometimes non-vegan) measures. If the iron the dr. gave you is what you have and you need to take it, then.....i would just take it if I were you (at least until you can buy a supplement that you're more comfortable with)
Jennifer,
I am so sorry about your day and the decisions you had to make. I had blood transfusion when I was a kid but the world was probably a kinder place then.
There is a great iron supplement called Floradix.
Here is a link although it is not to the company. Just so you can see the products and maybe look for it. I think it is actually a German company.
http://www.iherb.com/store/ProductDetails.aspx?c=Herbs&pid=FLO-14770
Isabela, my previous dog was on it when she was anemic. As well, my friend's elderly mother who has since passed was very low in iron and couldn't tolerate any iron pills and didn't absorb the iron from the pills. She started taking Floradix and readily absorbed it. It is vegetarian!
Hope this helps and hope you feel better soon!!!!!
hugs
Di
Just found another link so am adding it! http://www.florahealth.com/flora/FloraHealth.htm
Jennifer, I didn't have time earlier but I wanted to add that I think that you made the right choice about the blood transfusion. I would never tell someone in a life and death situation not to have a transfusion but way to many get them w/o knowing all of the risks. Infectious diseases is the least of risks today. There are many other complications that can go along w/ a blood transfusion. As many as one in a hundred people develop complications.
Sorry, I don't have any links right now but I know that they are out there.
I still give blood on a regular basis because there are people in emergency situations who have to have it. My BF was one of them last summer. He required 14 pints of blood products.
Again take care of yourself and get lots of rest. Your body heals best when you sleep so take the chance to sleep in and get breakfast in bed ;)
Hugs!!!!!!
Arrrrrrgh I am soooo sore i can't even move today!!! and not sore in surgery sites just all over... like i was hit by a car.
My husband says he thinks the doctors must have beat me while i was under and the video is going to show up on you tube sooner or later.
Good news:
I am pretty sure the iron I have is from a vegan source.
Bad news:
the very bottom of the outer box mentions that lactose is an "other ingredient" ....I guess in the stool softener.... the non-vegan nature of lactose is bad enough but the fact that lactose/dairy is consitpating (at least to me!) and the add it to a stool softner just seems so idiotic.
*sigh* whatever i'm taking it and i'm just pretend i didn't read the box.
thanks everyone for your advice, support and good thoughts.
Does the iron supplement itself contain stool softener? If not, there are plenty non-lactose ones..
And hey, don't feel *too* bad about the transfusion. I mean... sure there might be a lot of cholesterol in other people's blood and whatever kind of mercury/arsenic/etc they're getting from their food, but I donate blood and I'm sure many vegans do too (it kinda goes with the whole preserving life thing, I guess).
Make sure you get B12 too; it's an integral component to making red blood cells (the cobalt in it is a cofactor or something) and apparently is a pretty common reason for anemia in the general population (despite everyone thinking it's because of iron... hmm...). It sure makes me feel a lot better after blood donations (plus oreos, 'cause they've got iron and I like chocolate. It's mostly about me liking chocolate... ::) ).
OMG Jennifer, I totally missed this thread.
I am so sorry for everything that you have gone through lately. I do hope you are feeling better. Please take care of yourself. It is going to take time to heal physically, so take it slowly.
((positive healing energy))
Alanna
Well, I'd say you've certainly had your quota of negative stuff to happen recently. Hopefully from here on out things will be looking up for you and that your husband won't be leaving until after you are well on the road to recovery. You have been terrifically upbeat (at least on VegWeb) for all you've been through. I admire that immensely. Take care of yourself (as I see you are trying to do) and keep us up to date.
Thanks bookmama... I am trying to stay positive about things becuz I can't actually DO anything to change most of the things that are going on. So it's not going to help to be miserable about it... even if I am. Vegweb actually helps distract me from it all a little bit too.
We have no idea when he will be leaving and even if I had a better idea I couldn't post it here. We just joke around about our bad luck with each other and then start sobbing sometimes. It's the only thing we can do. More bad things have happened to us lately... my 2 year old tried to climb out a 2nd story window DH make a quick decision and ran up two flights of stairs and saved him... and now has nightmares about him falling... it's a good thing i didn't see or I'd be in a mental hospital... both our cars check engine lights came on and needed to go on the shop at the same time! That happened on the day I went to the ER... ::) LOL ... on top of that all FIL is coming to visit in July (who i like!) .... but MIL is coming after FIL leaves and she will be a lot of work... ::) ... and DH is going to be away for the month of June and some of July at a class.... so I get to get ready for his parents all by myself! yay. :P
I am having headaches and dizziness... It is slowly lessening and probably normal but I feel like with my luck lately I need to call the doctor. ugh.
Honestly, the ONLY good thing that seems to have happened lately is that we haven't crumbled over all this stuff hitting us at once... and i am NOT about to let go of the ONE good thing i've got! :D
Well, that confirms it. You're amazing! I would be under the couch by now. Surely things will settle down for you now. Take care.
Hi Jenniferhughes, just wondering how you are these days. i have just read that nettle is one of the best sources of iron for anemic women and thought perhaps you could try nettle tea, if you like herb teas that is; I'm sure I've tried one that has blackcurrant in it too (will have to check my cupboard).
:-* K
Jennifer...you are in Germany? I buy an iron tonic that comes from Europe. It is vegan and tastes so yummy, never constipates and is rapidly absorbed. I know during a pregnancy, my crit was 37 and I got it up to 40 in about 5 weeks on that stuff.
I remembered...Floradix or Floradex. It may be produced in Sweden or Denmark, but it is imported here for sure.
Jennifer...I am so sorry for all that you are going through. I hope you are feeling stronger with each passing day, both physically and emotionally.
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this, but when my friend's little boy was anemic, besides the supplements, the doctor had her cook all his meals in an iron skillet.
Feel better! :)