Low ferritin levels.
Posted , 5 users are following.
Ive had very low ferritin levels due to bowel surgeries. my surgeon organised an iron infusion, which i had 6 weeks ago . Unfortunately i still have symptoms, fatigue, pins and needles, fast heartbeat etc. I went back to see him and Ihave had another blood test to check my iron, i will see the surgeon in 2 weeks for results. My question is, would one infusion fix the problem, or could i need another one? I am ignorant about all of this. I thought one infusion would be enough. Can anyone shed some light on this for me please?
0 likes, 13 replies
sally_14743 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
hi
i had an iron infusion administered as i was coming round from the anaesthetic my ferritin was 8 and my hb 9 . i thoughtmy ferritin would jump up into the 30s after theinfusion but it went upto 11.. iwas disappointed. i too still felt awful. my gp prepscribed liquid ferrous fumerate orally and the blood management nurse adviced taking it every other day . within 4 weeks my ferritin had gone up to 19 and my symptoms were easing . i kept this up and now am no longer anaemic . took about 3 months . the nurse explained that there is evidence to show taking the strong iron every other day help sit to be absorbed . i did this to prevent problems with my tummy mainly. you should go toyour gp they should beable to log onto the hospital records and see your results and prescribe some iron to get rid of your symptoms orring your specialists secretary . hope you feel better soon. you will recover just takestime .
Rhiannon_5000 sally_14743
Posted
Thanks Sally. it would be good to know why i still feel like this. i just wonder if i can take any form of iron orally as i've had bowel surgery , and cannot get constipated. We'll see what doc says. I'm just hoping to find a reason for still feeling so lousy.
sally_14743 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
good point well you may need to have regular iron infusions i was offered them but managed to take the oral iron. if you have them regularly they do bring the ferritin up .
can you stomach liver i had it weekly i coated it in garlic powder salt to mask the taste and fried with onions it is very very high in iron.as are walnuts apricots dark chocolate etc worth looking at diet while you wait .
my symptoms were racing heart while trying to sleep. breathlessness , loss of taste, palputations extreme fatigue the whites of my eyes went blueish. dizziness etc these have all cleared up . yours will too .
Rhiannon_5000 sally_14743
Posted
Thanks Sally. Unfortunatey I'm a vegetarian so that complicates things. I would love to find a supplement that doesn't constipate, it would be great. I do eat walnuts etc. Before i see my surgeon in a week, I'm seeing my gp. He gets the results too so thats tomorrow. I'll know more then.
marie78150 sally_14743
Posted
I was going to eat liver and onions and mushrooms cuz i love liver, and asked my holistic doctor, but he said that the chicken and the beef liver is loaded with toxins and best to eat organic, but hard to find. He said the pills would work better. My ferritin is 6 and i was SO weak that i could barely walk around the house and certainly couldn't pick anything up or clean or put things away. Been on iron pills i think it's called ferrisol ...something like that...been about 2 wks now and i feel 40 percent better, but still not normal. I have to be checked for a silent bleeding ulcer which gives NO symptoms in older people. I am 70. But it was super scary as i was so weak i would wake up and still feel tired and could barely walk around the house. I also don't eat very good. I eat the same things every day cuz i like them, soup, grilled cheese, veggie burger, i only eat chicken 1-2x a wk and no red meat. I don't think i get enough iron in my diet. I am taking vit C along with the iron. Two pills a day, and strangely no constipation, but making me go to the bathroom 3x a day. It's not upsetting my stomach luckily;.
sally_14743 marie78150
Posted
hi Marie
i found ferrous fumerate in liquid form from the gp was tolerated by my stomach if i took it every other day. even at that low dose it got my ferritin levels up. i only ate lambs liver as they are grass fed and just once a week as you can overload on vitamin A
But i am now fully recovered after 3 years of chronic anaemia my blood loss has halted periods ended and within weeks of that my ferritin levels rose on the prepscription iron. i am sure once your blood loss is also resolved your ferritin levels will rise . i feel so well now . i didnt realise how absolutely exhausted and fatigued i was for those 3 years .. hope you feel better soon
martin31040 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
It seems pretty hard raising the iron store, I know taking iron supplement takes ages, can you take iron supplement as well? I take bisglycinate iron it's mild on your stomach but need to take vitamin C at the same time to help with absorption, do you eat meat? if so liver is a high source of Iron and easily absorbed, iron from meat and fish is the best source it's called heme iron and readily absorbed, iron from plant based food is poorly absorbed it's called non-heme iron.
Rhiannon_5000 martin31040
Posted
Hi Martin. No I'm s vegetarian. I'll ask doc about iron supps as i cant get constipated because of bowel surgery. Thanks for the reply.
marie78150 martin31040
Posted
I never eat beef, but i am seriously considering eating some red meat like a steak or even a meatball sub. Better than being so weak.
bernwall Rhiannon_5000
Posted
I also have anemia due to a number of bowel surgeries, it seems if you have a lot of bowel surgery you can stop absorbing vitamins. I have had three infusions and after about 5 weeks felt better then it started going down hill again. My Gi consultant says that I need blood tests very six weeks and have an infusion when my ferritin reaches about 25 so that I do not keep crashing.
In some cases one infusion will sort it, but it depends on the reason for your anemia.
Rhiannon_5000 bernwall
Posted
That's interesting. Sounds like my situation. I had a resection, then iliostomy bag for 3 months, then reversal. All since May. I've really been through the mill. I'm hoping it is the iron to be honest . I feel lousy. Thanks for the reply. Bernwall.
bernwall Rhiannon_5000
Posted
Do you have crohns by any chance?? I had colitis and ended up having a total colectomy with iliostomy, then formation of J pouch and reversal. Unfortunately I had a number of further bowel surgeries followed by anemia. Hopefully yours is due to your body being depleted of iron due to surgery and an iron tablets will sort you out.
Rhiannon_5000 bernwall
Posted
No i had diverticulitis that my daft gastroenterologist kept saying was ibs. Then got a massive infection this time last year. 2 weeks in hospital. Ended up with an absess and a huge inflammatory ball of material stuck to my bladder. My surgeon, who is amazing, said it was a mess in there. I havent been right since. Its cascaded into a back problem, bladder problems, iron problems, and weight loss. I was a really fit 62 year old before all this. Sorry to hear you have crohns, its a cruel disease.