Emergence of Pica (Ingestion of Non-food Substances) Accompanying Iron Deficiency Anemia after Gastric Bypass Surgery

Pica, the compulsive ingestion of non-food substances, is a common, yet less well known symptom of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Ice eating or pagophagia is one of the most common forms of pica associated with iron deficiency and IDA, and has only recently been identified among patients who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP). This article presents additional cases of pagophagia in women which emerged after RYGBP and resolved with iron treatment. These cases, added to the literature, lead to further discussion of how healthcare providers can subtly probe patients for the presence of pica.