Need some help with blood work...please

Hi all, I just want to compare my blood work to someone else's. Do you have copies? I am also specifically wondering how low your Ferritin has to be for how long before they think od doing Iron transfusions? Mine was at 1 and moved to a 4 in three weeks. Hemoglobin is up to an almost normal range but that is from 4 units of blood being transferred. So, has anyone here had blood work that showed anemia? How did they treat you? Thanks! Kimberly

THey treat you with iron . . . Oral iron - I'd try FerroGels Forte, w/ 4-5 Tender Iron/day.  Chew or swallow the Tenders with vitamin C. Or infusions.  I haven't had 'em, but several I know get infusions when ferritin gets to either 50 or 100 (depends on doc).

Hi there, I am on iron....we'll see what the next step is! Thanks!

Rachel, do you think the oral iron will bring Kim's levels up at that level?  I do agree though the Tender Iron is the BEST I've found to work for me.

Kimberly, I just finished having IV Iron Infusions of Infed. 2 times a week for 4 weeks. My hemotologist never lets me get passed 4 or 6 now since last year when I dropped below 0. Your ferritin is stored iron and usually for me anyway when my ferritin is extremely low my hemo goes up to almost normal.. Happened again this week. My new ferritin was taken a week ago last Thursday and iron was so high I thought it must ******ror but they say no. Taking iron by mouth even a script didn't work for me. This has been a lifelong problem for me and on the 3nd of Apr I am seeing my internist and we are running some tests to see what is causing it since we know for sure I am not bleeding internally.  I did some reasearch online myself on some medical sites and its possible I may have a blood yeast infection which lives off stored iron. My problem has nothing to do with gastric bypass. My hemtologist agrees with me this can be the probem but he didn't in 5 yrs I have been his patient suggest we try and  find out why other than  EGD/colonoscopy to rule out internal bleeding. I am seeing my primary on the 2nd and going to ask him to run some specific blood tests. Are you under a hemotologist/oncologist now and is that who sent you for blood transfusion? I think my problem came from a blood tranfusion, since I have had at least 7 in  my life time. How are you feeling?

I am currently under a PCP and cardiologist. This all started because I went to the regular doc because I was having severe chest pains. I had trouble breathing. She referred me to the cardiologist after a bad EKG. The cardio looked at the labs my regular doc had just ordered and saw that my hemoglobin was 6.2 and ferritin 1 with several other very low blood levels. They admitted me to the hospital with severe life threatening anemia. I got 4 bags of blood and was released. Had an angiogram next morning and it was fine, no blocked  arteries. Still have chest pain. Had a CBC and ferritin done last week and hemoglobin was 10.8 and ferriting was 3 or 4....up from 1 in the hospital.  I am still having a rapid heartbeat and chest pain. The cardiologist ordered a CT pumonary angiogram which showed no blood clots in the lungs. I also have a CT stomach and pelvis scan on Tuesday to check for internal bleeding. I don't think I have anything wrong except for very very low ferritin levels. I just started my period and it is pretty heavy so I am sure it will just go down again. I have more blood done on Friday! Thanks for any advice you have!

The rapid heart beat and chest pain is the anemia and low ferritin. I went to ER in 2001 with chest pain thinking it was heart attack, they took some blood work immediately and gave me 4 bags of blood which wasn't easy since I am O Neg, took a day to find my blood type. They explained to me the reason I had chest pain was no oxygen was getting to the heart because my hemoglobin was 4 or 6 I can't remember but it was very serious and I had to stay there 4 days. After scans and xrays, etc and many many blood tests they wanted to do EGD/colonoscopy but I didn't want it done right then and there as I knew I was not bleeding internally. Shortly after I was having this rapid heart beat thing again and it continues to happen to me when I drop down to around 12.  With a ferritin of 3 or 4 you should be having Infusions...don't you feel tired or wiped out? I  haven't had a period since I was 32. I stopped having it after surgery for endometriosis where the surgeon by accident ruptured my left ovary. Of course there was a transfusions there as well.

Sounds like you are having similar problem to me, your numbers are right were mine were a few weeks ago but my hemotolgist/oncologist had me right in his cancer clinic getting iron IV within a few days. I see him every 3 weeks or so...don't know how it drops so fast but what is really scary is last Thurs. (15th)  after my last IV we took my blood work and my iron was at "348". Very high and never been that high before and I felt awful. This week I feel better. When I got the results (21st) I called saying its too high and he said come in, its probably down to 121 so that scares me...where is it going????  I just went to check the report they faxed me and reference range says "10-232" for ferritin. I am on a mission to find out so if you want after I go to my new primary (my 2nd visit) who is an internist on the 2nd and he runs the tests I mentioned in my last reply regarding candidia yeast blood infection I will email you and let you know what I find out. If that is what it is, then all I need is antifungal drug like Diflucan and then I should become an "honorary doctor" since I am doing all this research without help from my dr's. Now there are some people who have anemia problems after gastric bypass, as I mentioned mine has been lifelong...what about yours? And if those periods are extremely heavy you may have issues like I had with endometriois or just something to do with your period. If you are having an early change you can bleed very heavy as I did just prior to stopping all together. My daughter is going through this right now and she is 35...that is the same age I was. If you want to email me privately just click on my name. I will be happy to help any way I can.

I emailed ya!

Yikes!  Kimberly sorry to hear this, with a ferritin level of 4 you need iron infusions.  I'd demand them, there is no why with you ferritin level that low that oral iron will bring it up.  Maybe for a normal person but with the RNY malabsorption it won't happen.  Is your hemo knowledgeable about gastric bypass?  I'd suggest you find someone that understands your malabsorption issues and will see you get infusions soon.  The chest pains you speak of are signs of severe anemia. Just to give you an idea of ferritin levels my level is at 100.  I do take 6 Tender Iron a day with 500 mg of vitamin C.  My level hasn't gotten below 80 but as I saw (I trend in Excel spreadsheet) the levels dropping I changed my vitamin regimine.  The Tender Iron (purchased from www.vitalady.com) works great and doesn't cause me any pouch problems or constipation. Best wishes! Dana

Hi there, Is this a common light complicaiton of our surgery? I have not even seen a hematologist....only my primary care doc and the cardiologist. Neither has suggested seeing a hematologist....and they think it will be cured with 3 iron pills a day. I have been taking it for three weeks and it went from 1 to 3 or 4....and now I am on my period, so I wonder if it is going to drop back down. I was in the hospital when my hemoglobin was a 6.2. FUn!!!