Labwork Iron numbers

Morning all. I had bloodwork done last week including my various iron numbers and would like your input on them. My PA isn't concerned but I know that I need to watch them like a hawk even with my supplements.

Iron: 89

TIBC: 440

UIBC: 351

Iron Sat: 20

Hemoglobin: 14.1

Ferretin: 13

The only number that is out of normal range per LabCorp's standards is the Ferretin and nothing else is even borderline. I know that the Ferretin is the iron storage and I've often had problems with that over the years even pre-WLS.

Thoughts or resources?

With my lab normal ferratin range is 13-150

With 14.1 hemoglobin, you should have plenty of energy. Check with your doctor about increasing your iron supplements. You dont want your ferratin any lower and want to get it much higher. Aim for the upper end of normal.

I've been on the anemic side since I was a teen, even when I take supplements and wasn't menstruating heavily. I've had iron infusions in the past and the hemotologist said that most likely my duodenum didn't absorb the iron well. I've been using iron patches from PatchMD plus oral so I guess that's why most of my numbers are in the normal range. My ferretin just seems not to respond though.

Since I am having fainting and dizziness, I just wanted to be sure that my iron was okay.

Thanks

your ferritin is not responding because your body is pulling from that storing regularly, because you are not getting enough iron by using your other methods.

The ferritin is being continually depleted. Since you have a history of anemia and have required iron transfusions before, I would be getting some scheduled now before it gets any worse.

As I understand it, a higher TIBC can indicate a problem converting Iron to Ferritin. This is how my numbers normally look - Iron totally normal, high TIBC (or the high side of normal), and my Ferritin is low.

My doctor suggested Megafood Blood Builder iron and I'm giving that a go, but I think some people are successful and some are not. My Ferritin has been in slow decline since 6 months post-op and I'm VSG.

Pre weight loss I had lots of anemia issues and I used the blood builder you mentioned - it helped and was so much easier on my stomach than some of the other iron options!

Hi Janet,

I felt I needed to respond because lab work and specifically ferritin numbers are something I am passionate about!

In my opinion a ferritin of 13 is totally unacceptable, regardless of what the "range" says or what your PA says.

In June of 2013 when I was approx 18 months post surgery my ferritin was a 4. I felt like a walking zombie. I had no idea that a ferritin that low could have so many nasty side effects. I turned to the Vets here on OH and they all told me to get an iron infusion stat. So I did. Took me months of iron infusions to get my ferritin to an acceptable level. "Acceptable" for a menstrating woman is 80 - 100. I menstrate very heavy each month so I keep my ferritin in the 150 - 200 range. I get blood work done every three months to keep an eye on my ferritin and a few key other labs to ensure I am maintaining and if I need to adjust I do.

I highly suggest you google "low ferritin anemia" or "low ferritin side effects," and something that was suggested to me was "exercised induced anemia/low ferritin." You like me early out of surgery worked out like a fiend and for me with heavy menstration and working out 6-7 days a week I was not able to maintain a healthy ferritin. And when I say "healthy ferritin" I am not talking about what the range on a piece of paper says, that's pure BS IMO.

A few other labs to note that the Vets have stated they keep their values at that are more than the "ranges" you see on the lab print outs are:

Ferritin: 80 - 100 ug/ML for all men & women, higher in the 150 -200 if you menstrate

B12: minimum of 1000 pg/mL, best to keep in the range of 1400 - 1500

Vit D: minimum of 60 nmol/L, better at 80

PTH: this number should be on the lower end, not high: 30-40 pg/ml (or 2-5 pmol/L)

I am in Canada and accessing iron infusions is way easier than it appears for you all in the US and I am sorry about that because to me a ferritin of 13 is a major health concern. I know the Vets on here have said that Proferrin Iron is the best oral iron to take, its not cheap but its our health we are talking about so why not get the best. Taking vit C with the oral iron helps absorption. Never take Iron within a couple of hours of drinking coffee or tea, the caffeine blocks the iron absorption.

I only use the Vitamin Patches, I use Iron, Multi, VitD & Calcium and oral sublingual B12 that I get from Costco. I literally had blood work done yesterday and my ferritin is at 145. My PTH is on the rise (it should be low not high) so I am going to add in an oral Calcium pill.

I am not even remotely surprised all your cardiac tests are coming back negative. IMO this is not cardiac related, its your low ferritin that is causing you dizziness and lightheadedness/fainting, seriously inform yourself on low ferritin anemia, iron deficiency anemia etc, its eye opening.

Best of luck Janet, I hope you feel better soon and can get your numbers up.

Thanks Daisy, I'm really glad you chimed in because we've talked about this before.

I've been anemic on and off most of my adult life. As a teen and young adult, it was probably mostly due to heavy periods, but after about 35, I seldom had a heavy menstruation. I've been post menstruation for about 4 years now and am also now post-hysterectomy, so it's not that. I did have iron infusions once pre-WLS when my ferretin was 6 and I'm well aware that 13 isn't very far above that. Unfortunately, getting a doctor to prescribe iron infusions and insurance to pay for them (I had to pay out of pocket last time more than $5000) is really hard and last time my other numbers were also very low.

As far as this not being cardiac, I do have the right bundle branch blockage which can cause fainting but I haven't found anything relating to the EXTREME exhaustion that I am still having even with enforced rest. I know that I've really burned myself out over the last year and half but this isn't going away.

I just printed out my labwork from the last 2 years to take with me to the cardiologist tomorrow just in case I need to show him those numbers too.

I'm always so grateful for folks on OH who have life experience to base their information on and not just what they've read in a medical journal...

Just wanted to add that I am using Iron patches (as well as multi and Calcium) plus a Feosol (carbonyl) 45mg daily.

I had similar bloodwork in that my hemoglobin was fine ferritin was low. Took a long time to get them to treat it... made a huge difference once I got iron infusions. Sometimes you do not realize how bad you felt, until you feel better.