This really is starting to concern me!
I've been anemic for awhile but I've been going down hill since the beginning of the year. My last lab were...
HGB 8.6
Iron 29
Ferritin <1
My primary doctor keeps giving me iron. I saw an internal medicine doctor who says my levels are low but not critical. He wants me to keep taking my iron. He won't even consider IV iron. I asked him how low my iron levels have to be before he does something more aggressive than iron pills (I'm taking Repliva 1x per day). He said there's no magic number. I asked him if he's seen a person with iron as low as mine reach high levels with supplements alone. He says he has. I just have to give it more time. I've been taking iron for over two years...how much more time does he want!
My primary doctor wrote me a consult to hemotologly but they didn't seem to concerned either and can get me in for another month. I really feel bad. I mean DRAINED. My hair is falling out in record amounts. My hear races when I walk up the stairs in my house. I don't know how much more of this I can take.
All the research I've read said that having iron levels as low as mine is not good. The doctor I saw today said that my levels are not dangerous and there's nothing bad that can happen to me with my iron levels like this. I don't want to self medicate without a doctor being on board, but I'm so discouraged because I can't find a doctor who seems to care.
HGB 8.6
Iron 29
Ferritin <1
My primary doctor keeps giving me iron. I saw an internal medicine doctor who says my levels are low but not critical. He wants me to keep taking my iron. He won't even consider IV iron. I asked him how low my iron levels have to be before he does something more aggressive than iron pills (I'm taking Repliva 1x per day). He said there's no magic number. I asked him if he's seen a person with iron as low as mine reach high levels with supplements alone. He says he has. I just have to give it more time. I've been taking iron for over two years...how much more time does he want!
My primary doctor wrote me a consult to hemotologly but they didn't seem to concerned either and can get me in for another month. I really feel bad. I mean DRAINED. My hair is falling out in record amounts. My hear races when I walk up the stairs in my house. I don't know how much more of this I can take.
All the research I've read said that having iron levels as low as mine is not good. The doctor I saw today said that my levels are not dangerous and there's nothing bad that can happen to me with my iron levels like this. I don't want to self medicate without a doctor being on board, but I'm so discouraged because I can't find a doctor who seems to care.
I had really sucky iron levels similiar to yours. My surgeon referred me to a hematologist for possible iron infusions.
The hematologist had me taking over the counter iron for 3 months to get my levels up. They did trend upward. I am now taking iron 2-3 times a day depending on the time of the month and will follow up in December. I don't think the 2-3 times a day is working as good.
How many milgrams of iron are in repliva?
All that being said I never felt really bad. Mostly just tired. I didn't even realize that until I knew my levels were low.
Good luck.
Belinda
The hematologist had me taking over the counter iron for 3 months to get my levels up. They did trend upward. I am now taking iron 2-3 times a day depending on the time of the month and will follow up in December. I don't think the 2-3 times a day is working as good.
How many milgrams of iron are in repliva?
All that being said I never felt really bad. Mostly just tired. I didn't even realize that until I knew my levels were low.
Good luck.
Belinda
Anchor cut TT 9/27/2007
you know I am wondering if you are having something else going on and not just anemia....
to feel really drained is something ... I have been taking iron of years.. there was a time when I wasn't even aborbing it anymore...
How are you taking the iron.. You know tea binds to iron and makes it unabsorbable.
I have been told the fact that I am of mediterian descent anemia is common.. it is call thalisemia.. Historically the med's don't eat much red meat.
Now I rarely eat red meat...
Have they tested your thyroid..
how about vit D or B12
just a few thngs o think about
to feel really drained is something ... I have been taking iron of years.. there was a time when I wasn't even aborbing it anymore...
How are you taking the iron.. You know tea binds to iron and makes it unabsorbable.
I have been told the fact that I am of mediterian descent anemia is common.. it is call thalisemia.. Historically the med's don't eat much red meat.
Now I rarely eat red meat...
Have they tested your thyroid..
how about vit D or B12
just a few thngs o think about
Please go to a site where you have access to iron rich foods and try some recipes , try to drink or eat them 3 times a day, chicken liver , beef liver , these can be prepared with onions and beef broth and garlic to be tasty. these two sources are the best. You have to be consistent in eating them to cure your anemia.
This cannot be stressed enough you need to take the right kind of iron which initself can be hit, or miss. You may want to try taking Tender Iron between 3 to 6 pills a day and be sure to take it with vitamin C. The tender iron is chewable and easily absorbed by many WLS patients and seems to be the key factor in a turnaround in many labs on this board. Just for the record it is the only thing that I buy from Vitalady and I am by no means trying to promote anyone's business it just works.
You should take a look at my last post in my profile.
My iron is 12 (they want between 28 & 170) and my B-12 is 41 and they want that around 180!
I was without any supplements over the past 3 years. I have been having a bunch of neurological problems but nobody could pinpoint why. I saw my gastric bypass doc and they found the problems right away. I have done damage to my nervous system & we won't know for months what is permanent & what may come back as my levels go up.
My doc is worried about my iron level but not as much as he is my B level. B is what is causing my numbness and severe fatigue. The iron is bad too but he said he wants to see me the end of Nov. to see if the numbers go up at all with the supplements. As long as he see's the numbers going up = no transfusion.
My iron is 12 (they want between 28 & 170) and my B-12 is 41 and they want that around 180!
I was without any supplements over the past 3 years. I have been having a bunch of neurological problems but nobody could pinpoint why. I saw my gastric bypass doc and they found the problems right away. I have done damage to my nervous system & we won't know for months what is permanent & what may come back as my levels go up.
My doc is worried about my iron level but not as much as he is my B level. B is what is causing my numbness and severe fatigue. The iron is bad too but he said he wants to see me the end of Nov. to see if the numbers go up at all with the supplements. As long as he see's the numbers going up = no transfusion.
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