Any Recommendations for iron supplements?

Hi Guys,

I saw my GI today and I am making progress but still have a little way to go. I am recovering from UC and C-diff that put me in the hospital for several weeks. My Lab work shows my sed rate has dropped from 115, 4 weeks ago to 29. But my Hemoglobin is still 10.7 and has not moved for weeks. I am eating well eggs, meat, poultry several times a day. It has been worse, it was at a 7 which caused me to get a Blood transfusion, I have had three since being hospitalized. I have had 3 Remicaid treatments and am only taking 30 mg of pred. I am not having any bleeding so I guess the UC has cause mal-absorbtion of nutrients. My Doc advised I go pick up some over the counter iron pills to see if they might help. Can anyone recommend a brand of iron pills one gentle on the stomach, I hear they have time release pills. Thanks

Slow FE is what I took in the past. It's super gentle on the gut. But if you haven't take any iron supplements in the past, just know that any iron supplement will turn your stool black as tar and you will not be able to see any blood on the stool if you have any.

I also was told Slo-FE is easiest on the gut, and that's what I used.

thanks guys I will ask about the prescription kind too. I am getting ready to go back to work in a few weeks so I want to make sure I have energy. I might even ask about the iron infusion since I have not progressed.

I will look into the b12 also thanks Peety, I found the Slow Fee at Walgreens on sale so I stocked up.

be careful, i have read a bunch of studies showing that iron tablets excerbate UC symptoms in the colon.

catch 22... we need them, but cant take them.
i bleed a lot and cant take the iron tabs so i have to go in for iron infusions at the hospital.

Well I saw my GI Today it seems the iron pills have not increased my Hemoglobin I am still at a 10.7. He wants me to take them twice a day now with vitamin c pills. It is kind of discouraging since it has not moved in two months. Sed rate dropped again though to 25 it was 115 5weeks ago so i guess that is good. Hopefully this works I don't know what else to do.

You may want to ask your doctor about iron injections. I had them last year, a series of five weekly injections of Venofer. I was severely anemic and that sure did the trick. Since the Venofer I have been able to keep my iron levels up with just the multivtamin.

Meesh