Update to Hematologist appointment

Just an update from my previous post: 
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4457822/Long-list-of-La b-Results-Input-please-VitaLady/#36883556

I had my Hematologist appointment today and since I knew my levels weren't technically below normal (Ferritin 10 range 10-244) I was apprehensive. I went armed with info about the DS and all of my labs since right after my revision so he could see that my Iron values just keep going down..down. 
He was hesitant since he said I wasn't  iron deficient or anemic by medical definition but agreed to a Venofer infusion next week. He said he would just give me a moderate one and then test me in a few months and go from there. He said that since I am not anemic I will not feel any benefit from the Venofer, it only helps people to feel better if they are anemic.  This is really disappointing because I have no energy and have other symptoms that could be due to low iron. I'm still hoping it will help.
Not sure how I feel about him because I left feeling like I'm a hypochondriac but I'm taking the infusion!
I usually have a lot of trouble with blood draws and IVs so I'm going to worry about that and I'm a little worried about hypotension being a common problem with Venofer since my blood pressure is already so low.  I'll be glad when it's over because I'm a big chicken! 
Thanks again to everyone for their help.

My ferritin was at 10... I got the infusions. I can tell the difference. I do feel much better.
Some people will have low iron symptoms even when they ferritin drops below 50... I know I had them... (RLS, low energy, low BP, etc.)

So you may feel the difference.

BTW:my ferritin got up to 93. 

check:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ferritin-deficiency-symptoms. html

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin
Low

If the ferritin level is low, there is a risk for lack of iron, which could lead to anemia. Low ferritin levels (

Thank-you for the link, it was helpful.  I'm glad to hear that they made you feel better and I hope I do too.  Way to go on the 93!

After the infusion shop around for another hematologist. Specifically ask if the doctor has experience with WLS patients. I was lucky that my hematologist totally "got it" when it came to malabsorption and never had to argue with him or try to convince him I was anemic.

Are you going to an infusion clinic? I used to have my infusions at an infusion clinic at the local hospital. In my experience the nurses in those clinics are experts because that's what they do all day. Just make sure you're hydrated. You'll do fine.

This one said he had many RNY patients..who knows.
This hematology/oncology clinic is attached to the hospital and they do the infusions in the clinic. There were quite a lot of patients there so hopefully they have lots of practice!

I was just barely anemic w/ my hematocrit and hemoglobin, but my ferritin was still technically in range.  I just finished my 5th venofer infusion.  200 iu's each (or whatever the unit of measure is).  I am feeling a bit better.  I feel rested when I get enough sleep.  I could never get enough sleep, before. 

The infusion was pretty darn easy.  Small needle.  They ran over 30 mins the first time to make sure I didn't react, then 15 mins for the other 4.

I'm glad you're feeling better. What interval are they using for your infusions?  Small needle sounds good!!

They like to space them out with a day in between- So M,W,Fr and then Tu, Th the next week.

Thank-you for the replies. I'm definitely no expert on reading labs, I need all the help I can get but from what I understand I'm very close to being anemic with my Hematocrit already below normal and my Hemoglobin at the very bottom of normal plus the Ferritin of 10. I don't understand why he kept making it seem like I was really jumping the gun about it. He mentioned more than once that most women my age that are  menstruating and have had children are anemic. OK, so, what does that have to do with me? He's telling me that all the other women out there that haven't had WLS and are 'normal' are worse off or something?  And he kept focusing on my B12...I wasn't there about my B12, I'm fine with it. It's high and I may cut back to every other day but I trust VitaLady and it's not a concern. He had to use his calculator to tell me how many, I don't remember because I was zoning out, thousands times more of B12 I'm taking than his patients. I think he said they get 1000 a month and I'm taking 5,000 a day. 

Yeah, the more I think about it the less happy I am with this hematologist. But I'm glad I will at least be getting one dose of Venofer. I haven't had much luck finding anyone that knows about WLS (although this one said he had many Gastric Bypass patients) but I'll keep looking for a better one!

 I love my hemo.  She lets ME tell HER when I need an infusion.   She said most people, once they've been infused once, can "feel" when they need another one, even if things are still up in the normal-ish ranges.    As long as she sees a downward trend in mine, and it's been more than a year, I get one.   I get two doses of Venofer on a VERY slow drip, two weeks apart.