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Anaemia low iron and chronic disease.

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martin31040
martin31040

Hi all, if anyone with RA has low HB iron like me, mine is around 12 to 13 and the iron store is 37, I've been doing some reading about anaemia and chronic disease, apparently it's your own bodies reaction to inflammation that lowers the level, basically it's a defence mechanism to starve a pathogen or invader or cancer cells of iron, the store locks iron in only releasing enough into the system this enough is usually lower than normal depending on inflammation levels, excess iron taken is captured and locked in the Store which can be dangerous if the store gets too high.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Gloria814
    Gloria814 martin31040

    Posted

         Thanks for that information, Martin.   It's amazing what the body can do but obviously it makes mistakes at times as in autoimmune diseases.   Are you tolerating the iron pills better?  Hopefully so.   I am on the biologic Cimzia and is really helping to control pain and progression of RA but always worried about potential very serious side effects.   So far so good

    • martin31040
      martin31040 Gloria814

      Posted

      Hi that's great biological is working, I took the iron ferrous fumarate capsules for a week, bad cramping bloating and constipation, so went back to GP now on the liquid form of iron it might be less problematic, I'm on Benepali biological and it works great.

  • debbie_39876
    debbie_39876 martin31040

    Posted

    Hiya ...i have ra ..my iron level runs constantly at 9-10 ..but I've never been explained things ..just get slung iron tablets..so thankyou for the information 😊

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