on the anemia front.
good choice on the liquid. it is much faster acting than than pills. i was told it takes 4-6 weeks for the RBC to replace themselves, so it could take that long, but i usual feel better withing 2-3 days of starting the iron. did your doc set you up for follow up blood work? very important to keep on top of your counts.
i like to take my liquid Fe in a glass of OJ, pound a glass of water, then go get the morning run in. i do this because traditional breakie drinks like coffee and tea have tannins which interfere with the iron absorptions. when i get back from the run, it's time for the STBX.
don't be surprised if you have to take iron for quite some time. once i get through the initial crisus, i have a script for my iron pills. much better absorption rate that the off the shelf stuff. i am permanently on them.
and learn to love the red meat. cheeseburgers have become a big part of my diet in the past 2 years. scary when you think that eating one is actually "heathful" when you are anemic.
good luck.