I haven't been on here for awhile!!! Busy, busy, busy!!! Hope everyone is doing well. I ran into a bit of a dilemma and thought I'd ask y'all. I have very low ferritin (stored iron) and relatively low iron. Anyways, I've been taking Walgreens slow release dye free iron forever. I just ran out and went to buy it, but they've reformulated and added dye!!!!!   I've looked high and low for a slow release dye free and can't find it anywhere. The closest thing I found online was Mason's natural slow release iron, but it has sodium lauryl sulfate in it. I thought that was for shampoos!!!! Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this. Why do they have to dye everything????? I tried iron "gentle on the stomach" capsules from the health food store, but they messed me up.

Hi brigitte,

I went thru this too. It was before I knew about mast cells but I couldn't tolerate pills either. I used a cast iron pan and ate medium rare buffalo meat which is high in iron.  It worked. There may be other options listed on the web.

If you need to buy a cast iron pan, I've read that it's best to get an older one. They were made better  but I can't remember the details. I used a new one tho.

I had one iron iv because my numbers were so low. I was supposed to get several but my doctor changed his mind. I don't know why.

Tc .. Marcia

Thanks all! I do need to get a good old fashioned iron pan for sure!!! I am very anemic as well as extremely low ferritin. So I called Sam's Club and it sounds like their iron is dyed with I think he said titanium oxide. I went online to look  at the inactive ingredients in Zantac (as I think I can tolerate whatever makes them "pink") and the ingredients for Zantac for color are yellow iron oxide, FD&C yellow No. 6 and aluminum lake. So it seems as though I may be able to tolerate the slow release iron from Sam's Club. Does anyone have issues with Zantac coloring?? I know for sure I cannot tolerate red #40. Thanks again! As far as going to a vitamin store, all they have are regular iron tablets or capsules, and for whatever reason, my stomach cannot tolerate them. So frustrating!