Iron WAAAYYY Down...HELP!

Okay, so the short of it is that I just had labs done after over two years due to lack of insurance.   My hemoglobin is 6 (12 is the min) and the local WLS surgeon I followed up with wants me to get on top of it ASAP.  Problem is, I chose a really popular GYN as my PCP and my appt isn't until NOVEMBER (I made it in early June)!  Anyhoo, I made an appt to see a hematologist on Monday and fully plan on requesting iron transfusions to get my levels up and then follow-up with better pills (been taking HEMAPLEX).  I have to be honest, I'm not the greatest at daily supplementation, but I would have never expected my iron to be that low because I do supplement.

Anyone else initially choose transfusions over extended oral thearapy when given the option?  If you saw a specialist, did you have to suggest it/fight for it, or were they pretty forthcoming?  What were some of the side effects and did your insurance cover it?  I have come to realize that the sluggishness, odd cravings, and tiredness does NOT have to be my reality on a day to day basis and I want to get things right as quickly as possible if the opportunity presents itself.

Thanks so much!

I had issues with low iron for months, I was up to 3 iron pills a day and it didn't help. I finally asked to be reffered to a hematologist. I had really bad before this problems with my stomach and she told me the iron pills were hard on my pouch, she reccommended a transfusion. I had it in march. I went in today and my levels are great. I get checked every three months and will get another transfusion as needed. I like not taking pills!! Good luck Connie

I should clarify that I got an Iron transfusion not a blood tranfusion

My PCP had me go into the hospital for a blood transfusion when I got a HGB of 7.  You must feel awful.  There are decent iron pills out there that won't mess up your stomach like most of the over the counter stuff.  Check the thread a little further down named ferritin.  Lots of good info. Torrey

My iron dropped very low and I was unsuccessful bringing it up with over the counter iron supplements.  My dr. prescribed Repliva.  He asked my wl surgeon before giving it to me and my iron has been great for the last year or so with using it.  It is what is mentioned in the previous post 'ferritin' the other poster referenced.  Ask your dr about this.

Mine hasn't gone that low but was dropping over time.  I had to switch forms of iron and that made a great improvement.  Michelle who posts on here often (vitalady) has an iron that improved my labs greatly.  They are soft enough to chew - though they do taste a bit metallic but you can cover that taste with a chewable vitamin C at the same time.  I suspect that being able to chew they improves absorption.  My iron level went from 40s to 80s.  I had some anemia a few months ago due to a bleed in my breast after mastectomies and was able to get it back up in 4-6 weeks by using more of the iron.  The iron is called Tender Iron and it is carbonyl iron.  I formerly used Vitron C from CVS per the nuts at my hospital.  In fact, I've heard of folks getting told to take that for anemia.  I just didn't see the form being absorbed well in me. Good luck! Kathy

Thanks for the feedback guys!!  I will check out Vitalady's Tender Iron, but still plan on requesting whatever treatment will have the quickest effect on my levels short term and hopefully help me feel better before the new school year starts.

I, too, have had great results with Repliva prescription supplement.  It doesn't give the yucky side effects of other iron supplements either.

Oh, I have soooo been there. I'm also very anemic, a problem that I had even prior to surgery. My hemoglobin has gone as low as 7 (hematocrit of right about 22 percent) and I ended up with a blood transfusion last year because I felt so awful. It made a big difference but because I had such intense menstrual bleeding it didn't last long. I got the bleeding under control and thought that just taking iron as prescribed would bring it up. Boy was I wrong. My 'crit was back down to 22% and wasn't budging, although I felt a lot better, since my body started getting used to being so low. So I was referred to an endo and she did a bunch of labs. My iron and ferritin were very low, but my labs were otherwise normal, including my erythropoeitin levels (the hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to make rbc's). This was reassuring, and led us both to believe that it was definitely iron deficiency anemia. She gave me my choice and I opted to get very serious about oral iron for a month, and I started on a type of iron called Chromagen, available by prescription. It has "dessicated stomach substance" which is intrinsic factor, something we're missing after RNY and causes pernicious anemia. Anyhow, I take two of those, twice a day, with orange juice and nothing else. In just two months my hemoglobin has gone from 7 to 12 and my hematocrit has gone from 22% to 36%. For me the most important thing is to take it with orange juice or vitamin C, and away from any other foods, particularly coffee, tea, or dairy, and with no other supplements as well.  And it's weird, I didn't realize how badly I felt but I feel so much better now. I'm warmer, with more energy, and I'm no longer obsessively chewing ice. I had the option of IV iron but we give it where I work so I know the potential side effects. It can cause severe reactions and I tend to react weirdly to medicines (anaphylaxis from a tetanus vaccine is one example) so I opted for trying the oral first. It's worked great for me, but it's so important the timing of it. That made aaaalllll the difference. Good luck, Vickie