Understanding my iron labs

I ordered labs myself through Walk In Lab and had them done yesterday, since my insurance hasn't taken effect (effective 1/1/2018) so I paid for them myself. I have my results and they are not good, but I need some help understanding some of them. Ferritin is 4. Serum Iron is 15, Iron saturation is 3. My TIBC is 435 and UIBC is 420. Is it normal for the TIBC and UIBC to be normal with the rest is so low? I'm not even going to mention what my Hematocrit and Hemoglobin are, they are critical, and I"m trying to hang in there til my insurance kicks in and will go to the ER. I know I"ll get blood transfusions, and am hoping they will give me IV iron while I'm in there. I'm also searching for a PCP with knowledge of gastric bypass and I think I've found someone, but as a first time patient, it'll take me awhile to get in, so it'll be the ER for me.

You are going to need a hematologist. You will never get your iron up without transfusions. You must be terribly tired. My insurance wont pay for the iron infusions unless my hemoglobin is under 10. All kinds of insurance restrictions come into play and the iron infusions I get cost about $3000, so the hematologist makes sure that they will be covered.

The ER is for emergencies, not chronic health problems (including low iron).

You don't need a blood transfusion, you would need an iron infusion, which is completely separate and can't be done in the emergency room-- you would get that from a hematologist.

It can take a long time to get an appointment with a hematologist, so I would suggest calling one now to get an appointment that will occur after your insurance kicks in.

she might need a blood transfusion as well as iron infusions.

My ferritin got so low , I had to have a blood transfusion and after that, iron infusions.

Agreed, she won't get the iron infusions in the ER..

Ferritin requires iron transfusions, Low Hemoglobin depends how low if you need a blood transfusion. I have had blood transfusions for low hemoglobin and it's nothing to mess with, Do not pass go, do not collect 200.

Do you have your insurance card? I wouldn't go to ER first, what are you going to say, I am having an emergency of being tired? Find out if one of those walk in clinics are covered and go first thing New Years Day. They don't mind if you come in for routine stuff. They will probably do their own blood work, but it might get the ball rolling, and if they think you need to go to ER they will send you.

I don't live in s state where you can do your own independent blood work so not sure how that works with showing up with your own blood work.

My emergency isn't from being tired. I'm tired, weak and my hematocrit is 12.6 and hemoglobin is 2.7 Those are extremely critical values (life threatening) and any pcp I go to is going to send me to the hospital for blood transfusions. As for the blood work, you can go to walkinlabs.com and can order your labs in most states (there are a few that you can't). They are performed through either LabCorp or Quest Labs, and are cheaper to pay for that way, and a lot of times they have codes where you can get a percentage off.

Your lab results might not be something the ER will accept, they might want to run their own tests prior to treating you. Plus your results might be different on the day you go to the ER than the day you got your lab test.

I don't think the ER will treat you in the way that you think by showing up with lab results. They're more likely to refer you to your Dr. Getting referred there by the walk in clinic like NYMom suggested might get you treated by the ER.

I am well aware about blood transfusions and hemoglobin at critical values. Been there done that, that's why I said don't wait.

Coming from NY that is highly regulated we don't have any kind of get your own blood work done abilities.... Just wasn't sure how ER would handle walking in with your own blood work and if it would get messy because you waited for insurance to kick in. 'Pre-existing' crap.

I have been there and done that. But when mine was found, I also had a twisted intestine. So they put me in for that treatment and took care of it all at once. I did get 2 units of PRBC's those brought my hgb up to 8.6( or so). That Internist never would tell me what my levels were... Do not allow them to put you on hold for weeks... I used liver one to 2 ounces 2x daily for 6 weeks and it brought my hgb, up from that 8.6 to a 9.2.. so very slow., but effective over long periods. So also eat liver, it is the only food with iron that has everything you need in it, to absorb it. I now take dessicated liver( organically raised beef or buffalo) capsules and foltrin alternating., this is a slow process...( don't tolerate either daily). this is what it takes to keep mine near acceptable levels. No insurance , no money for labs... can't get iron transfusuions or see a doctor... but I am doing better with less dizzy spells and better color. less ice cravings. Will get labs done if i have to go to ER for anything, You also need to know.... low Hgb, and Hct levels also affect the way your body responds to infection, slows response bad. So immune boosters are in order short term for you immediately.

Another good alternative to hematologist , would be to seek an internist. They might repeat part of your labs for a verification, but insurance will pick that up now. If you go thru a quick clinic, those levels are considered critical and should get you a hospital admission... that could connect you with a hospital internist/hematologist or combo to utilize. also consider what hospital Your chosen follow up doctor uses and go there for an admission, once referred by a clinic... sometimes the walk in clinics will have a reltionship with certain hospitals ..choosing that walk in clinic carefully might get you an "in" to your chosen Dr quicker.

A few years later I had a crisis with low iron and Dr sent me to a big city ER, thinking they would admit me, give me blood... they sent me home with nothing, no even a rx i could not absorb. i did get a big bill.

That it is definitely critical! I'm a nurse and suggest not waiting to go to the ER. No ER would minimize those values. If you are that anemic, you don't have enough oxygen carrying capacity. It can actually effect your breathing, you could pass out, suffer a heart attack, or worse. This is a health disaster waiting to happen. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Hoping you are able to seek treatment ASAP.