Ferritin Question

I am new to this board.  I hit my one year mark in march and have been at goal since January.  Well I finally went in for my 1 year bloodwork and my Ferritin came back really low.  I was at 5L with an acceptable range of 10-145 (i can't remember the exact high number).  But I was really low.  I went back in to have some more comprehensive panels drawn but I am not sure what the Ferritin measures.   Do any of you guys have any idea?  I also had to have a full Anemia panel done b/c my CBC levels came back low.

I just wrote this today, so here's my analogy. I have a regular frig/freezer in the kitchen.
> In
> my storage room, I have a freezer. I buy chicken, burger, etc on
> sale. I put them in the freezer, rotating of course. I go out grab a
> handful of misc food, bring it inside to the freezer. I use out of
> the inside for my daily needs. About once/week, I go out and get
> another armload to use daily. When stuff I use is on sale, I go fill
> up my outside freezer.

>
> This system works great for keeping us fed. I fill outside, which
> fills inside, which feeds us.

>
> My outside freezer is ferritin. My house one is iron. We're the
> cells, heart/brain. So, as long as the ferritin stays full and the
> transfer system is working (me, in this case), WE will stay nourished,
> brain and so on will continue functioning correctly.

>
> When the freezer gets empty, I can't fill inside and it runs out very
> quickly since we'll eat it up and then it'll be gone. Then we starve.
> So
> simple. It just takes awhile.


What are you taking for iron? Which kind? How much? With what? Not with what?

That is your iron level.. and yes that is low.. iron is hard to replace when it gets low and some doctors will order iron infusions to bring it back up.

The major symptom you will feel is being really tired.. there are others but that is the biggiest indicator for low iron.

My blood came back and I was at the low end as well.. My doc told me to add vitamin c when I take my iron pill. it helps with absorption. Also look for iron pills that have absorption aiding elements to it.. I use iron complete from GNC. It has things that help with absorption. Hope this helps.

Your ferritin level is your level of iron storage.  I used all of my iron stores and am receiving iron infusions currently.  I go in once/week to receive it.  It takes about 2 hours.  I have completed 5 of 10 and can already tell a difference.  The hematologist said that I may have to come in every so often to have the infusion done.  We will have to wait and see if my body does a better job of absorbing the iron and if I do a better job of taking the iron tab on a regular basis.

Thanks for your response, does your insurance cover the iron transfusion?  I don't get my full panel anemia results bac****il Friday but I am just trying to think ahead.  I went last night and bought some Iron pills with c in them and started taking them.  And I am going to make a concetrated effort to remember to take my vitamins everday.  With my friend Valeries help, I know I will do better.  I have no one to blame but myself for not being more careful with my vitamin consumption. Does the transfusion hurt?  How expensive is it?

I need iron infusions.  My ferritin was 2, but I also have cancer.  Once a week the nurse puts in an IV in my arm and I get the infusion.  Insurance pays for it.  Does it hurt?  I guess that depends on whether or not you are afraid of needles and getting an IV.  It's not all that pleasant for me, but it really doesn't hurt.  We are all different.. Best wishes and I'm happy for you that you will take your vitamins regularly.  You know how important they are. Paula     299/123  @5'3"

Ferritin measures your level of iron storage in the body.  My ferritin was nearly 50 pre-op from pre-op through 6 months post-op.  Then at my 1 year post-op visit it had dropped to 16.  6 months later, it was 13, and my hair had been falling out for the last 3 or 4 months.   The hair was very thin over the crown, and it seemed like the brown hairs fell out and the grey ones stayed put.  My hemoglobin and hematocrit were always very normal. I started taking 2 Gentle Iron capsules daily last summer.  By my 2 year labs, my hair was starting to grow back in, and my ferritin was back up to 37.  I can't wait to see what it is at my next labs in June.  My hair has been growing back in from the outside edges inward, and it is still a bit thin in the center top.  The color seems to be back, too.  I had started coloring it with temporary color but I haven't done it for over a month now and it looks like I'm back to my normal color. good luck with your tests,

I'm five years post op RNY (proximal).  I started needing IV Iron infusions about two years ago.  My iron stores (ferritin) were depleted.  I now recognize the symptoms for me: exhaustion, pale skin, dizziness and shortness of breath.  My hemaglobin has always  "looked" normal @ 12, but you need iron studies to see the whole picture of iron needs.  My Hematologist says that I lost the area of absorbtion during my RNY surgery.  She orders IV iron infusions whenever my ferritin drops below 50.  I tried several oral irons and combinations of them, nothing brought up my numbers like the infusions.  HTH

I have heard that the infusions are just a temporary fix.  Do you take IRON daily and your levels still drop?  Or do you just rely on the infusions?  I am trying to get a list of questions and scenarios together for when my doctor calls me back (hopefully today).

I took oral Iron for the first 4 1/2 years post-op.  They didn't bring my numbers up.  My iron continued to drop.  At one point I was taking five iron pills a day!  ( I was trying every oral iron and combination of)

I ended up needing a prescription laxative. My PCP kept saying take more iron, I kept taking the iron. I took it the right way-consistently. (away from caffeine, dairy products and calcium supplements) So, for my body the infusion is the only way to go-if I want to sleep less than 12 hours a day My Hematologist said to not bother with the oral iron, it isn't helping me.  So we do blood work every three months.  I have found support at yahoo graduates and othe post-op groups.  Many regular PCP's don't understand the complexity of iron issues.  Please do your research and stay ahead of it.  I  am happy to have a specialist taking good care of me finally.