Question:
Is pre-op supplemental Iron necessary?

Hi! I'm now in the waiting phase for my surgery which is on 5/21/01. I'm doing my labwork this coming Tues. (5/8) so I'm praying that all the results come back normal & they don't find anything to cancel the surgery. I'm taking all my pre-op vitamins, but I'm wondering, do I need additional IRON pre-op? The multi I'm taking only has 4.5mg. iron, as aminoate complex. If I do need more than this, how much? And what exactly is aminoate complex? What form should I be taking? I bought some iron last week, but it's Ferrous Sulfate and I was reading that this form is bad (or is that just for post-op?). Anyway, I didn't start taking it b/c I didn't know HOW MUCH I should take, if at all. I'm gettig worried b/c my labwork is only a few days away & my surgery is almost 2 weeks from now!    — lalasmommy (posted on May 4, 2001)

May 5, 2001
You probably should not take extra iron without some lab work in your hand showing you where you are in the range. If the seal is not broken on your fe sulfate, I'd just return them. They're not that absorbable by anyone and they block absorption of vite E, anyway. Fe gluconate is technically OK on paper, but our people don't seem to do well on that one, either. For your post-op or if you know you are low now, you might want to hunt down some ferrous fumarate or carbonyl iron. The bis- or tris- or glycinates seem to be fine, too. All iron is taken with C (any vite c that is not delivered in oil), not with anything else, no caffeine or milk or Tums... nothing else. Although fumarate and calcium citrate can be taken together on paper, again, in real life, it does not seem to work for our people. Given a choice today, I'd be taking 2 multi, 2000mg C, 90g of protein supps & some hair preparation pre-op.
   — vitalady

May 6, 2001
Here's what I did...I ran into a Physician's Assistant who worked for a surgeon and she suggested Cal-Mag, which is a dreadful Calcium and Magnesium supplement that I drank everynight for a couple of weeks post surgery. It is important to get both of them because they have a synergistic (sp?) reaction. Also, get your required post op vitamins now and start taking them so that you will know how they react in your body. TRADER JOE'S MARKETS have a great B-12 that dissolves under the tongue. You will also need the chewable Iron (1000 mgs. 3x wk) and Flintstones vitamins because they are the only ones with enough folic acid. I got the calcium chews too, which are like taffy. Two weeks post surgical, I can totally feel a difference in my day if I miss the vitamins, especially the iron and B12. Good luck! SW
   — Sandra W.