For those of you with Iron Deficiency, at what level does your Ferritin need to be before the MD treats it (provided you get Iron Infusions or Iron Injections)?

I know mine says he likes the Ferritin to be around 35. Mine is normally at 8 or below (normal for lab is 10-250). Right now, mine is 8, and I know he would treat it, but the lab supervisor at the office is telling me 8 is just fine. I am putting a call in to him, but was curious to see the experience of others.

Thanks in advance!

Mine is a 5.....I have started taking Hemocyte tabs...I don't feel like doing anything. My hemoglobin is an 8....The doctor tells me to rest and not to become stressed out. Is this "the usual" advice? I have 5 kids--thank God three of them are young teens (13,15,17) and can help out some.

My ferritin is only a 2. My hemoglobin is 9.1. I've started taking over the counter iron supplements twice a day as I was told to do by my doctor. We are still trying to find out what exactly is causing my iron-deficiency anemia. IV's of iron have not been mentioned.

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Sorry, I haven't had my ferritin tested since February, but I think the treatment really depends on your other levels, like hgb.

My hgb was at 9 a few weeks ago, but I think it is less now as my symptoms have gotten much worse. I take iron pills twice a day and tolerate them well. My iron-binding went up within a week on them so they stopped checking my iron. I think that iron pills are standard procedure before IV iron. It seems that IV iron is usually used when people can't tolerate the iron pills or don't respond to them.

my hgb is 11.7, but my ferritin is 3, and the MD has given my liquid iron, but I can't really tolerate it, i'm really panicked since she told me if i dont' get it my brain will stop functioning and now i'm afraid i have something serious cause my heart started hurting..oh well..my hct is 36

i started to feel really tired and burnt, so i a CBC, and i was stunned that my H&H was 12 and 35, i mean it's not life threatening but it's not great either. so then i looked at my RBCs and many were ovalocytes. then i ran an iron and ferritin, and my iron was 19 and ferriting was 25. still not horrible but compared to other people's the numbers are on the low side. my numbers are not low enough for a doctor to want to treat me but i have started taking iron supplements and have begun working out again. exercise causes oxygen depletion which signals the body to produce erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to start making blood cells. i checked my cbc again and my ?H&H was up to 13 and 36...

I have been iron deficient for at least 23 years (since first pregnancy). I don't know my numbers as you all have quoted, but just wanted to share something with you all. My doctor is really wanting to find out the cause for this anemia ... I think it's hereditary and diet based for me. But she has put me through all the horrible tests over the last 3 years more than once and they all come back okay. She sent me to a blood specialist who confirmed it's "just" an iron deficiency - said my love of chewing ice was one indication. Anyway, last January I started exercising with a personal trainer, three times a week. I've been pretty sedentary for many, many years. Probably since high school (25 years ago)! I had blood drawn three weeks ago and I wasn't anemic!! First time in ... well, the first time for me! lol I just wanted to agree with the poster just above me, that exercise is very important. I was taking Chromagen prior to my start of exercising. I no longer crave ice, either! I hope it continues to be normal! Good luck to everyone!

What's a cbc?



i started to feel really tired and burnt, so i a CBC, and i was stunned that my H&H was 12 and 35, i mean it's not life threatening but it's not great either. so then i looked at my RBCs and many were ovalocytes. then i ran an iron and ferritin, and my iron was 19 and ferriting was 25. still not horrible but compared to other people's the numbers are on the low side. my numbers are not low enough for a doctor to want to treat me but i have started taking iron supplements and have begun working out again. exercise causes oxygen depletion which signals the body to produce erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to start making blood cells. i checked my cbc again and my ?H&H was up to 13 and 36...

A CBC is a blood test - Complete Blood Count, and measures your red and white blood cell counts, and the associated factors of each - such as percentage of red blood cells, the size of the red blood cells, etc. It also measures your platelet count. Your doctor can tell if you're anemic with a CBC, and to a certain extent can tell what type of anemia you may have. Hope this helps!

What type of liquid iron did your doctor give you? I buy it online and it is 20 mg per tblspoon. However, I do not know if that is enough. I still feel tired all the time. I go in next month to have my levels checked again. Thanks for your help. Deezy