I haven't started treatment yet, but I have low iron and always have  My doctor won't let me start treatment until my iron levels are normal, so she had me start iron supplements and I have to take them for a month and then get my blood checked, and if it is normal then I guess I can finally start treatment.  It is all very annoying.

Not sure if I will have to continue to take iron during treatment or not.

hi,  hope your doing well. The walmart oats are 10% iron both old fashion and quick. I have some from Harris Teeter Village Farm and they are 10, so maybe the brand your looking at is higher at 25.really doesnt matter because the instant works for you. .  I was going to trade in 1/2% milk for almond, but milk has more protien, maybe I'll go organic milk ..Michaele

Michaele wrote:

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walmart  Great Value   Honey Crunch 6% iron in 3/4 cup  100 kcal without milk It sweetened puffed wheat, so it isnt gluten free, taste pretty good, no frutose. Happy Hunting

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 Thanks. I found that almost all of the "puffed" cereals are around 6% for 3/4 cup, which is doable. I definitely have to add some sugar and cinnamon to it though lol The oatmeal was a good idea too. Most oatmeals are 10% for 1 packet, so I picked up a few boxes of them. Strangely enough, regular plain oatmeal is 25% iron.

I was told that the Riba destroys our red blood cell walls and then the iron component is released back into the blood stream and can be reused.  So you should have no shortage of iron unless you were deficient before treatment already.  That is why taking iron supplements can overload you to toxicity if you confuse our anemia with one that is caused by a shortage of iron.

walmart  Great Value   Honey Crunch 6% iron in 3/4 cup  100 kcal without milk It sweetened puffed wheat, so it isnt gluten free, taste pretty good, no frutose. Happy Hunting

oh, and your hemoglobin can drop very fast so I recommend blood tests every week to make sure it is rising after your doc takes action.  Mine dropped so fast and continued to drop after dose reduction and procrit...it took a few weeks for it to start coming back up.

Malcom is right in that the anemia from treatment isn't iron related...its hemolytic anemia...your bone marrow isn't producing as many red blood cells thanks to the inteferon and the ones that are getting made are getting destroyed by the telepravir/bocepravir/ribavirin faster than the body can produce new ones.  Even if you eat 200% of your daily recommended allowance of iron it's not going to help. 

Often reductions in the riba and or interferon OR perscription of procrit or other epo OR blood transfusion OR a combo of these is needed to help the hemolytic anemia.

My doc went with dose reduction of the ribavirin and added procrit to my regimen for 8 weeks.

Good luck,

Meghan

I'm trying to find a low iron cereal and it seems nearly impossible. I never realized so many foods had iron in them. Anyone have good low iron food ideas?

Hello, I had a problem as a cereal addict. Love the stuff ; crunch,  sweet, and cold. Some of the ones that are suppose to be so healthful have 100% . WTF  Any how , Im doing hot; made in the microwave , quick oats @ 10%, there are a few cold cereals that are 10% , but even cheerios are 25%. Hot oat meal with almond milk isnt bad. I tried some with a little flavored coffee creamer; bout  1 tsp plus 1/2 % milk. Wasnt to bad. Actually , if your mouth is sore a bowel of warm comfy oats may be just what you need, Use your imagination, Maple syrup, bananas, anything you can handle. I was doing 3-4 bowel of the cold a day and a vitamin for a few months before I realized I might be hurting my self. When I had a biopsy I didnt have any stored iron in my liver, but iron is also stored in brain and joints. Now no vitamins , and may be 1 bowel of the cold stuff. I dont eat meat and since my son is never home for meals I rarely cook. hence I was eating  all the cereal. Im back to eating better.  Good luck  Michaele   Graham crackers are only 6% of iron, less sugar than most cereals They fall into my sweet and crunchy slot.

That`s interesting, Phil.  I was also advised to avoid iron, and multi vits and minerals containing iron.  As tx wore on I found I had a craving for red meat though which I don`t usually eat, but as I had little appetite I just let myself eat whatever I could face at the time.

~ Jill xx

I started taking an OTC iron supplement AT MY DOCTOR"S ORDER when my riba was reduced at week 17. My iron level was normal pre-tx, and hasn't been checked since. I haven't always agreed with my doctor, but was committed to follow his instructions with no deviations one way or the other. That was a new behavior for me!

The anaemia we develop during Rx has nothing to do with iron defiency. It is an haemolytic anaemia due to direct action by all 3 drugs on red cells. Many patients with chronic HCV develop high iron levels. Iron is stored in the liver as ferritin, and is released into the blood when liver cells are damaged eg by HCV. Such people should be on a low-iron diet. Some Vitamins (particularly Vit C) increase iron absorption from the gut. This is why Vitamin supplements should only be taken with your doctor's approval. Some multivites also contain iron- check the label. A blood test for Iron Indices will tell you your iron status. This will check your serum Iron, Ferritin , Transferritin and Iron Binding Capacity. I have this checked at least once a year, and have always been normal. So I eat my steak happily ( in moderation).

We were told to avoid iron as well.  I don't understand the body's chemistry, but last week when my husband's counts were in the tank and he had to be transfused again, his iron was way too high.  I would agree with Alan, definitely check with your doc before taking any vitamins or minerals or even herbals.  These meds do strange things to whack out the human body.

Has anyone tried taking iron supplements for the anemia? It would seem a reasonable option to counter low blood counts thus helping you to have energy during treatment.

Thanks