Anemia and IBS
#65165 - 04/27/04 10:45 AM
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bamagirl
Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 1407
Loc: Alabama
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I strongly suspect I am a boarderline anemic based on the total lethargy that comes after my monthly and previous unrelated bloodwork. If this is the case, how do you incorporate more iron in your diet without making IBS-C worse? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am already on the Acacia 1t x 3 times a day and the Peppermint Caps 3 X daily.
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I'm pretty sure that if you have soy products you will get iron from the protein in that....I'm not 100% sure though...
I know before I started this diet my doctor had me on 600mg of pure liquid iron/day and it was really bothering my stomach so I stopped taking it and just dealt with feeling crappy. After I started this diet and incorporated lots of soy into my diet I went back for a blood test and my iron was completely normal again.
Maybe someone else will know something more concrete than this....
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Kimm - Thanks for this information. My IBS is not really severe, and I tolerate red meat in small amounts as well as small amounts of dairy. Would this be the same as a protein source? If so, I guess I just don't get enough. Do you think it would be alright to try a low dose iron supplement?
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Iron supplments can cause your C to get even worse...so just be careful if you're gonna try that.
You can eat red meat and dairy?? Are you sure you have IBS?? Cuz those are a couple of the biggest triggers for most of us. Maybe it's just cuz you're eating small amounts...I dunno??
Protein from red meat should help if you can eat it I guess...
Just remember to be careful with those iron supplements!!
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if you haven't gotten a confirmation from a Doc that you're anemic, i suggest you not take the iron supplement because it could aggravate your tummy.
when do you get your bloodwork done?
many of us feel very tired and have symptoms that are similar to those of anemia. some of us have the theory that we're feeling that way because our diets (pre-Heather's of course) were so limited. for those of us with D, feeling drained and weary a lot seems to be almost a natural result of the IBS, especially for those of us going 14 or 15 times a day!
i personally think that many of us don't get enough protein because we're afraid to eat a wide range of foods... or we're heavy on the carbs (rice, potatoes, noodles) but we're not eating frequently enough and/or adding other foods to our meals. certain carbs tend to be used by the body fairly quickly, and if you're depending on breads and noodles to keep your body running, you need to eat more frequently so as not to suffer an energy crash! that's why adding protein and insoluble fibers in as broad a variety tolerable is so important...
many of us may benefit from more protein. up the soy (slowly, so as to get used to it!), which is a great source of protein. (soy is the only non-meat complete source of soy!)i've just recently started adding back beans into my diet, for the protein. i make sure to have some kind of protein at every meal and i've noticed an improvement in my day-to-day energy levels.
by the way, if you're not anemic and you want to boost your energy levels, i use a soy powder in my smoothies that gives a nice kick to the beginning of my day! it's not too high in calories but has a ton of protein (more than twice the amount than the soy powders in the grocery store and fewer calories- by A LOT!)
hope you get your blood straightend out quickly and start feeling better! 
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Yeah. IBS was diagnosed about 12 years ago....3 GI doc's and tons of the nasty tests. I was D then, and now it is C. I saw another internist who treated with Zelnorm, but the Acacia and Peppermint have been better for me. Yes, it is IBS, and only in the past 8 months has it reared it's ugly head again to the point that it has become inhibitive. I have been IBS stable for some time. However, extreme life stress has pulled it back to center stage.
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Thanks for the input! I really may try adding some soy powder! I'm learning that nature supplies our needs (the Good Lord is so smart that way!), and that may just be the thing to try! Thanks!
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Here's the one I use... you may want to take a look at it. i didn't have time to get to the HFS to pick it up this weekend (i think GNC has it, too, but i wasn't there, either!), so i picked up another brand at the grocery store. as i mentioned, it was more calories for half the protein. i'd have to add double the amount of the crap brand just to match the protein in the 100% soy protein powder, and then i'd have to eat grapes the rest of the day so as not to get fat! 
anyway, this link has the nutritional breakdown, just so you can compare with whatever you find. no need to put in extra calories if you don't want them!
100% Soy
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that makes sense to me. however, you may want to consider skipping out on the milk and red meats and other "forbidden foods" while you're flaring since they are proven GI irritants. you just may find that you get back to stable more quickly...
then, once you're feeling better you can go back on them since you tolerate them well when healthy (not flaring).
just a thought 'cause i want you to go back to stable! 
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Thanks again for all of the GREAT information! I desperately want to get back to stable too! I have learned a lot from this website, and it is better sometimes to bake a sweet potatoe and call it a meal while everyone else is eating burgers and fries, or in the case of lastnight's supper...BLT's! My tummy would have really rumbled then! I'm going to look into the Soy and see if that won't help my low energy levels right now. THANKS again!! I LOVE this website! Actually - it's the people that are great! Thanks!
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