Desperate, ferritin of 5 and iron level of 71

Hi ladies!

Baby is due in 6 weeks, yay!  But my ferritin is only a 5 and iron is a 71 and of course I feel like death.  Last summer I was a ferritin of 2 and an iron of 21 so something is a little better.  But ob wants to refer me to an oncologist once baby is born for iron transfusions.  Can you guys please tell me when they should make me feel better?  I am scared I won't be able to care for the baby from total fatigue.

Are you not allowed to supplement iron at all in these last 6 weeks?

Once you get a transfusion, it should have you feeling better almost immediately. I've never had one, but I've read many stories from folks who have on these WLS boards.

Why are they making you wait until the baby is born???? I'd make the appt to see the Hematologist now! Some bloos loss is normal with delivery and your numbers could dip even lower. I was a 14 when I went in a 6 when I went home - the OB told me not to worry about it - WRONG! Hematologist had a fit and said I should have been getting infusions in te hospital. I was totally wiped out trying to take care of a newborn, I did it but that was all I could handle doing. I couldn't walk through the grocery store, clean the house, do laundry nothing. I slept when she slept. WE got through but when I get pregnant again I'll be doing monthly maintenace infusions and possibly more towards the end.

I've gotten about 15 iron infusions in the last year. I feel like total crapola for 36 hours after wards, full effects kick in in about 2 weeks. Of course you don't really start to feel great until your numbers are "normal".

Good luck!

I would get a second opinion about those Iron levels. Something is not right. Are you able to take the Liquid Iron at all? There is one that they sell at HEB or at health food stores and it has to be refrigerated after opening but I take it a few days before my period is due, the whole time I am menstruating and a few days after if I need and it helps with the fatigue from the blood loss I have due to heavy periods. I can't imagine that your doc is ok with your Iron not being the best it can be before birth? I've never been pregnant so I could be wrong but it just sounds weird to me. I get magnesium infusions for migraines so I don't know why they can't order some Iron infusions to help you get to a better level.
Hope that things turn out alright, keep us posted.
EstherStar

The ob/gyn referred me to a hematologist for August 15.  My due date is Sept. 13.  They didn't seem alarmed because my hemoglobin was 11.7 which is the lowest it can be before it is too low.  But I do need some help.  I hope those levels will go up for me to take care of the baby.  I feel awful all the time but honestly am used to feeling like this.  I can't imagine how wonderful it will be when my levels rise.  I worry that baby is not ok but they say he is healthy. 

I have had the liquid iron, Floradix, but my list of things not to take includes "liquid iron" so I am scared to take it.  The orals I am just not absorbing.  Last summer when the ferritin was a 2, I then supplemented iron for a year, and wow, it's now a 5!  I really hope this doc will infuse me, for my sake and the baby's sake.