Ferritin / Iron / Hemoglobin Levels

Hi everybody.

I have been having consistent problems with Ferritin / Iron / Hemoglobin Levels dropping every 3 months or so.

In few instances Hemoglobin dropped below 5 requiring blood infusions.

In other instances my iron has dropped quickly and I have gotten Iron infusion.

Does anyone else experience this?

The doctors believe I have GI bleed but repeated testing has found no bleed.

Can this be purely about Iron absorption?

I don't remember seeing anyone talking about hemoglobin/blood transfusions but the low ferritin and iron infusions seem very common due to the malabsorption.

many of us absorb iron from tablets or capsules just fine - but there seems to be a fairly substantial minority that doesn't, so they need to get occasional infusions. You may just be one of those...

Yes, People who have A+ blood often have lower levels of enzymes/factors needed to break down and utilize certain elements of digested food.It is not uncommon...to have drops n iron levels. I am 25 years post op and have had issues with my hgb/Hct after year 4. or so..Having sufficient iron is needed for many body functions. It affects our immune system and our ability to move necessary nutrents and medications thru the body.

When my levels dropped and i ended up in hospital w/a twisted gut and blood count so low- Internist would never tell me what it was til i had received 2 units of PRBC's..then he told me what it was up to.( He was afraid it would send me into shock.) He explained that i do not have sufficient supply of "intrinsic factor" needed to utilize the iron i was taking in. He said the only natural food source of this vital absorption need is: liver.

I ate liver 5 days a wk for weeks and it raised my Hgb levels significantly... Hgb went up by one whole point...That was investigated when i had a URI..those 8 weeks later. i was eating 1-2 oz liver patty... 2 x a day...think salmon patty but with liver, high protein powder+ eggs, a little flour and seasonings. My teen daughter even loved them...

The intrinsic factor i s available in prenatal vitamins- usually. and also in a rx'd iron called Foltrin..( it has a generic that works).I took it 2x a day for a while.. I am currently using desiccated liver. i prepare liver, slice it very thin , dice and dehydrate at 145-150 degrees til crisp. then i powder and encapsulate. i have used beef calf.., pork, chicken and rabbit.

.I have purchased it pre- prepared from young calf or buffalo calf, organically grass fed.

taking an iron that has the intrinsic factor and all vital needs for iron absorption Can keep you out of the doctors office to receive infusions. Up to you.Adress low iron now or later.

Liver and Foltrin both have those covered..

Very interesting.

I am A+ and having issues with Hemoglobin diving quickly across 5-10 days.

As I understand B12 Folate Copper and Iron need to be absorbed properly.

I need to do a better job of supplement action and monitoring to understand how I can manage.

Any feedback appreciated.

everything needed is in the Foltrin or desiccated liver... I burned myself out on liver but started an understanding of what it takes.. ..also vitamin c is needed..

It's easier to take one pill twice a day( as i took the foltrin) than a half dozen more.. Sounds like your body is destroying your iron pretty fast...You need evry advantage absorption can give you... If you can eat cooked greens of any kind they are high in iron that is absorbed well with these. I would also cook food- everything possible- in an Iron skillet.

I would advise you get it checked, and take 8-12 weeks of something you can stick with- DILIGENTLY. whether liver capsules or foltrin, or a prenatal that has the intrinsic factor. use as many iron sources like the greens, etc. as you can and recheck it @ end of that time frame . and when you go home be sure to continue what you have been doing unless you have proof it did not work.Wth that kind of drop( n numbers - short time.)even holding steady as you tweak your diet and intake...would be a plus.

. I also avoid all nightshades, they are hard for me to digest as anA+

Make sure there is a 2 hour window between any calcium taken (including in foods) and your iron. Iron supplementation requires an "acid" environment, that is why you take seperate from calcium. Iron should also be taken seperate from medications that reduce acid such as omeprazole (and other PPIs) and pepcid (or other H2RAs). If you are supplementing with copper, you also need to supplement with zinc since they bind to the same receptor in the body, which can result in deficincies (vice versa is also true).

Hi.

Thanks for your reply.

Can you comment on the need for zinc with Cooper?

According the the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery the recommendation for the Copper-Zinc supplementation is 1mg Copper for every 8-15 mg Zinc. Your bariatric MVI should have this recommendation. This recommendation is for those who are supplementing additional copper or zinc. As stated in the earlier email, both zinc and copper target the same receptor site within the cell. Zinc generally has a stronger affinity for this receptor. However, if you supplement with either zinc or copper alone you can create a deficiency.

Thanks for posting the ratio's for oral pill supplementation..and the receptor connection to levels.. i had never been told these ratio's./connection in levels.

We should be aware that those supplementing with zinc lozenges may absorb more than and quicker leveling up of zinc..( the unintended result could be a resulting in lower copper levels). From experience .. With diets from commercially processed many are deficient in BOTH copper AND Zinc.. They ARE NECESSARY and have many roles in the body.

MY Zinc and copper- BOTH -were low..

Most common s/sx of Zinc levels low is hair loss. (From my surgeon)

I found-( yes i do my own research) copper deficiency is evident when hair suddenly turns grey and like old hay-dry and brittle... and blood vessels burst in hands .I am 25 years post-op an early WLS,(no longer done)this many years out no one wants to order those labs.

We need to understand this is not about your hair color it is about your HEALTH! THIS is a sign of weak blood vessels that could lead to STROKE!

I began supplement with 220% of RDA and this s/sx went away.( in a daily mvi-otc, commonly avail.) womens 50+ from a big box store.