I'm declaring myself anemic again...poop.

I've been a bit of a slug.  I had been having a BUNCH of energy when I started Jazzercise, but then...not so much.  And twice this week I couldn't get my ducks in a row in time to get to Jazzercise.  I'm tired when I shouldn't be...I don't want to go anywhere or do anything...I felt lightheaded at Jazzercise today...I'm having a little trouble concentrating...and my feet have been really cold...poop.

I guess I'll go over to the Urgent Care side of my PCP's office tomorrow for a quickie blood test.  It's been almost a year.  Just might be time for iron infusions again.  I guess that's okay...I need to watch a bunch of chick flicks anyway.

Random GIS for "anemic poop"

Are those the signs of anemia? I have had the same things for the last two weeks. Actually got up yesterday and almost hit the floor I got so dizzy. I didn't know cold feet etc. was a sign of anemia.
Are there any other signs? If you don't mind my asking why do they give you infusions? Would taking oral iron not do the job? Does the infusion last longer? What should your iron level be?

Thanks

Sue

Are those the signs of anemia? I have had the same things for the last two weeks. Actually got up yesterday and almost hit the floor I got so dizzy. I didn't know cold feet etc. was a sign of anemia.
Are there any other signs?
www.mayoclinic.com/health/anemia/DS00321/DSECTION=symptoms


If you don't mind my asking why do they give you infusions?
I don't absorb oral iron.

Would taking oral iron not do the job?
Doesn't matter if it's a pill or a steak...I don't absorb oral iron.

Does the infusion last longer?
"Longer than..." something that doesn't work at all?  I'm not sure what you mean.  Theoretically, one round should last a lifetime.  But wls people aren't theoretical.  I had my first six-infusion round in 2009 and another round last year.  So, for me, it seems to last about a year.  (Hematologists vary wildly in which iron they prefer and how many infusions to give.)

What should your iron level be?

My doctors tell me they watch these for anemia:

• Serum iron. This test measures the amount of iron in your blood. The level of iron in your blood may be normal even if the total amount of iron in your body is low. For this reason, other iron tests also are done.
• Serum ferritin. Ferritin is a protein that helps store iron in your body. A measure of this protein helps your doctor find out how much of your body's stored iron has been used up.
• Transferrin level, or total iron-binding capacity. Transferrin is a protein that carries iron in your blood. Total iron-binding capacity measures how much of the transferrin in your blood isn't carrying iron. If you have iron-deficiency anemia, you'll have a high level of transferrin that has no iron.

This place* lists these reference ranges for those tests...I'm too lazy right now to go see what MY lab says:

Iron Studies
Total Serum Iron (TSI)		76-198 µg/dL (Male)
		26-170 µg/dL (Female)
Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC)		262-474 µg/dL
Transferrin		204-360 mg/dL
Ferritin		18-250 ng/mL (Male)
		12-160 ng/mL (Female)

*pathcuric1.swmed.edu/pathdemo/nrrt.htm

            Sounds like a good plan!
         I use Buffalo liver capsules to boost my iron. They have the intrinsic factor, a protein that is needed to absorb iron.( I don't have enough in my body to work) and I hate needles of all varieties....
     They work slowly...I usually see a difference in my energy level in 3 or 4 weeks. I get mine  from the Vitamin cottage in Denver, mail order. they are made by Carlson labs under stringent rules.about $45 a bottle.
 There are also some prescription Iron preps that will stop dependence on infusions.
     One of them is Foltrin, it's cost last time I bought was about 38$ for a months supply. It is a capsule, and easier, better shaped... than the generic one from wal greens.  Denise

I don't have a problem with the infusions.  I go to the oncology-hematology doctors' office renting a video on the way...I get a recliner...I plug the movie in as they get ready to plug ME in and in the time it takes to watch a movie my husband would not care about, we're done.  They have really good snacks, but not good for DS people.  So I take little bag of trail mix (including an extra one for my doctor) and a protein bar and they provide water or juice.  I've always done this for six infusion visits.

I'm not charged for an office visit, just for the infusions and the lab work they do on the premises...it runs about $200-250 out of pocket on an 80-20 PPO for the whole series, which is actually a total of about eight visits.  If I were working or didn't want to sit there that long, I'd nag about the one-visit type iro that others use.  But I haven't bothered yet.

/quote
            Sounds like a good plan!
         I use Buffalo liver capsules to boost my iron. They have the intrinsic factor, a protein that is needed to absorb iron.( I don't have enough in my body to work) and I hate needles of all varieties....
     They work slowly...I usually see a difference in my energy level in 3 or 4 weeks. I get mine  from the Vitamin cottage in Denver, mail order. they are made by Carlson labs under stringent rules.about $45 a bottle.
 There are also some prescription Iron preps that will stop dependence on infusions.
     One of them is Foltrin, it's cost last time I bought was about 38$ for a months supply. It is a capsule, and easier, better shaped... than the generic one from wal greens.  Denise
/quote


Instrinsic factor helps take dietary B12 and turn it into active form. Yes, B12 is part of the iron equatiion.  Intrinsic factor is produced primarily by the fundus, the stretchy part of the stomach. This is why it's so important for DSers to do sublingual B12 or shots (muscosal absorption or deep subq, respectively). 

All ferrous iron, no matter the formulation, absorbs in the duodeum via active transport. This is bypassed in DS.  Heme iron is absorbed in the small intestine and is absorbed via passive transport. Proferrin is the star of the heme iron supplements for DSers. Many DSers, like me, can take iron vats full of ferrous formulations and still walk around anemic (although we will poop green bricks or totally stop pooping all together).

Foltrin is a multivitamin that contains a mixture of intrinsic factor, vitamin C, B12 and iron.  I can't find the exact forumulation, but with the vitamin C, I care to bet that the iron is a ferrous formulation as Vit C helps in the absorption of ferrous iron.

Hope this information helps.
Hugs,
Ratkity

edit: so sorry, quote box messed up!

 I Don't know, or really care what kind it is.....but do  I know I can't take the chealated or the across the counter Iron  that are normally given for low Iron....
      .. but the foltrin,   and buffalo liver caps are the only two that  are available in pill form
                that I can use and absorb.
                It hurts my guts to go Green!    LOL!
           My reason for posting is,.............. If I can absorb, these with 12 feet total,                                                   of  digesting small intestine and colon combined,
             then maybe,  it will help someone else know about it, and be useful to them. I don't have insurance, so all my costs are out of pocket..   and...JUST FYI.Of all who post on this subject, while i have the opportunity ..... I lost my insurance after WLS!.    So  the less needles = less money as well. 
                                                                                                                                  Denise

I think you and I are in the same boat with our iron issues. Like you, I just don't absorb it orally. My infusions have been averaging about 6 months apart so you've got me beat by a bit being able to go a year. I just can't seem to store any.

Do you also crave certain foods?  I must need protein and iron right now because I've been on a ribeye steak kick.  BIG ribeye steak.  Huge.  Hubby has to go low cholesterol...so it's a local restaurant that fixes his mahi mahi tacos and my ribeyes.  I eat it for dinner and then maybe a small a snack and then breakfast and maybe, depending on how hungry I was the day before, lunch the next day.  I lay low for a day and then I want it again.  They KNOW that when I say "medium rare" I do NOT mean "medium."  LOL