Donating blood

Wow, I didn't realize 28 was that low since it was in the normal reference range. My B12 was 915, up from 388 and high enough that they had me cut my supplement back to every other day. Vit D was 68, first time it's ever been above 30. Folate was >22.3. That's all they tested. I wonder if they'll do a more comprehensive panel at my 6 mo visit next week.

28 is low for me... I would have all the symptoms of iron deficiencies.. RLS, lower energy, depression, etc... 

plus my iron-ferritin can drop from 60-80 to 30 in 6 months...so when i get below 30.. my doc doesn't want to wait and he loads me up...

It took me a while the first time - I lived with ferritin 9-11 for 2 years... I was miserable... it took 3 years for my ferritin to drop from 100 to 10... post op RNY.  

add higher chances for us to have complications that would require surgery..(hernia, GB removal, .. etc etc) Having good (iMO - 80-150;  ferritin is very important. ) 

also - i am not sure if you menstruate - but if you do - you are losing blood every month - so it is really critical to make sure you have enough of iron, B12, copper, D, A, and platelets..(my platelets are always low normal - I bruise very easily) 

28 is extremely low. 

Mine was 29 and based on that ended up with an iron infusion 3 months ago.

I wonder why my results say the lower end of the normal range is 10 then. It's strange...it definitely seems low compared to everyone else's experiences, but the feedback I got from my doc was just that my "bloodwork looks good." About a month ago I switched to carbonyl iron though, so I'll see if there's any improvement next week.

I had to fight for iron infusions when my ferritin was 9-11..

 For woman - they think it is OK to have lower.. grrr..... only after I had low Hemoglobin, RBC, etc.. and it was getting worse over time as I supplement with iron - (and dealt with severe gut pain while taking iron - any iron) that my hema was able to get authorization for iron infusions.. But after that - since i don't cant take much oral iron - I can get infusions as needed. 

But - iron infusions are not "walk in the park", "no big deal"... Every Time you get IV meds - you risking serious complications... including death... plus it is expensive.. 

what was your ferritin before? is it steady - raising or dropping?   that is important to know. 

You know, I just looked it up, and I was wrong about my ferritin -- I must have been confusing it with another measure, but 28 is the lowest in my medical record. In October 2014 it was 47. I think I'll just have to see what it's at next week when I get blood work again.

Most insurance companies will approve iron infusions at 20 or below. 

My ferritin ranges from a low of 280 to 355.  I can't imagine having a level of 28.  Do you take an iron supplement?  I did immediately after surgery, but was told to stop taking it when my labs came back with the high levels of ferritin.

The internist in my surgeon's office suggested I get tested for hemochromatosis.  I had my gastro oncologist look at my lab results in August for a second opinion. He said it was highly unlikely that I had it.

Your ferritin is so high because you chew nails.