So 5 months ago I had implannon inserted and no longer have periods. At that time my h/h was mildly low. Tibc was 400s, serum iron, 34, ferritin,27, iron sat, 8.... Here I am more taking 975Mg iron daily with vitamin c and b12 and my labs suck! H/H slightly lure, ferritin, 14, serum iron, 28, iron sat,9... I never get constipation from the iron supplements and my bowl movements (tmi I know) they smell like iron. Needless to sat I don't think I'm absorbing any of it. I have no active bleeding. I feel like crap and I want this fixed. Where do I go from here?
I am a similar story to you, the iron tablets did not do anything. I was on the same dosages you were. I am now on iron injections once a week for 5 weeks, hopefully this will work.
Our bodies absorb very little of the supplements that we take. With iron pills, we absorb from 2% to 5%. The most effective way to boost iron levels immediately is through an infusion, otherwise iron pills take months to see an improvement. Injections are ok, but painful and I don't like them. Infusions are more time consuming but the results are better.
You may want to get your thyroid tested as this is common in thyroid patients.
How did you mean this? Thyroid patients have problems with iron absorption?
This would explain why i can't get better ferritin and hemoglobin levels, although I'm taking the best iron pills since years...
Conditions related to iron levels in the blood are more common with hypothyroidism than in the average population, according to researchers.
Iron-deficiency anemia (insufficient iron) is more common in people with hypothyroidism. Symptoms or signs of anemia include: •Feeling tired or weak
•Pale appearance to the lining of lower eyelids
•palpitations, fast or irregular heart beat.
•faintness and breathlessness.
•hair loss.
•bruising that occurs without reason
•dizziness
•long or unusually heavy menstrual periods
I found this but cannot share the source. It may not be the problem but just a thought.
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** RAI ablation for Graves disease 2004**
If your Ft4 and Ft3, these are the frees, are up in the ranges such as in the upper 1/3, there should not be a problem with absorbing iron.
But, if you are being treated based on TSH, then you will never be well.
I have been to many doctors that want to keep me sick dosing by TSH, which makes no sense at all. So I have to treat myself, like adding more to the script they give me.
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** RAI ablation for Graves disease 2004**
If your Ft4 and Ft3, these are the frees, are up in the ranges such as in the upper 1/3, there should not be a problem with absorbing iron.
But, if you are being treated based on TSH, then you will never be well.
I have been to many doctors that want to keep me sick dosing by TSH, which makes no sense at all. So I have to treat myself, like adding more to the script they give me.
Oh yes, I know this problem very well... I have increased my thyroid hormones on my own, but I couldn't tolerate higher dose, I'v got panic attacks and fast heart beat, so I went back. My free hormones are in the lower norm range now...
where the heck is my iron going? 
Osteoarthritis 
