can ferritin rise 7 points in three weeks or did the doctor give me to much iron i was told to take 600mg for three weeks then drop it to 400mg six months on i still feel ill what do you think :confused: shirley

Hi Shirley,

My levels hve gone from 2 upto 65 following iron infusions. Im not to sure as to how quick it can rise by taking oral iron, but your body is obviously absorbing it, so i'd keep following your docs instructions.

hi, thanks for your replt,do you feel better in your self,i feel as if my ferritin is going up and down,after heavey periods,(fibroids) just had more bloods done to see what going on,can ferritin drop fast with heavey periods,:confused: thanks shirley.

Hi shirley,
One of the main causes of low ferritin is heavy periods. I do start to feel better after the infusions, but generally know when im due for another as the symptoms return ie; headaches, tiredness, breathlessness and generally feeling crap. My biggest problem though is my hair, it is extremely thin due to low ferritin levels.
Linds

Hair!!! Is that why I'm losing my hair so quickly nowadays??? My ferritin was 6 in Jan, 4 in Feb & down to a 2 in March. My blood doc wants me to do IV iron, but I prefer to try one more "last resort." He was OK with that so I'll be taking an "herbal" iron for 2 months and see how I do. But I didn't think of my hair being affected by my iron levels. Oh, good grief!

Hi shirley,
One of the main causes of low ferritin is heavy periods. I do start to feel better after the infusions, but generally know when im due for another as the symptoms return ie; headaches, tiredness, breathlessness and generally feeling crap. My biggest problem though is my hair, it is extremely thin due to low ferritin levels.
Linds

hi lindsalou,in six months my feriten has gone up from 12 to 32,i asked for another blood test becouse i diddnt feel it was going up,my hair is still falling out,but reading the board i have a way to go yet,what i cant under stand is why i feel so ill after my periods could be the amount i loose in a short space of time,i get neck pain,feel shattered and tensed up,it starts to ease off then period again,my doc is sending me to see a gyny,hope they can do somthing,it seems never ending.shirley:wave:

Hi shirley,
Almost definately the blood lost during a period can cause levels to drop again. Ive just had a period and i feel terrible again,its a vicious circle. If the problem is caused by your periods you gyane should be able to offer a solution. I was scheduled for surgery 12months back, stupidly i still havent has it done.
My heamatologist told me for hair regrowth, ferritin needs to be above 70, the highest mine has been following infusions has been 68, two months (and two very heavy periods later it was back down to twelve (but i also have an absoption problem.
I feel knackered, extremely anxious and generally unwell.
The neck pain you feel is proberbly cause by being stressed.
Please go and see the gynea doc.
Best wishes
Linds

lindsalou : I am still only a "junior expert" in the deficiency/anemia area. One area I still don't feel comfortable with is the daily dosage of iron. I know you are doing infusions, but I wondered if you know what a safe and well-tolerated maximum daily dose would be. I wish I had seen a hematologist who felt 70 was a good number to have, instead the one I saw (one visit only) told me my 18 ferritin was fine and NOT to take iron, even after I told him about the crippling fatigue and the fact that I am hypothyroid. Hair? Been losing it since I was in my early 20's (now 40) and gave up on finding the reason.

I am taking 44 mg elemental iron liquid, though I know some pills have 65mg elemental iron. I went up only to 20 ferritin after a month of supplementing. I really don't want to wait a year or more to get up to 50-70, my goal. Any advice? Thankx:wave:

Sorry to jump in here, but I'm a little confused.
When you're saying your ferritin levels went from 5 to 20 and you want to get them up to 70 or so (as an example) -- is this on the scale I'm looking at, which says the range is 10-232 ng/mL ?

Generally speaking (I know we're all different) but should I be hoping to get up to 50-60-70 too?
(I'm at 9 and my doctor seems so indifferent! In fact, various doctors I've seen over the last 15 years have offered me anti-depressants or basically dismissed my concerns.)

ElliDi: Me too. But, fro reading these boards, esp the examples in which people are seriously anemic, with virtually no ferritin, I came to see that some hematoligists, etc were recommending that these people's levels get up to 50, or 70. I also read some medical articles, some of whcih state supplementation is helpfuk in diminishing fatigue in people who have under 50 ferritin (BMJ article). I also read some dematoligist articles stating on hair loss and ferritin, and there is belief that 70 is the ideal ferritin to stop hair loss.

You say you are a 9. What is the range?

Incidentally, I have seen a few articles on "iron depletion" that give a general figure of <16ng/ml as a cut off, without specifying a range.

Most of my drs were not concerned with my 18 (9 end of range), but given the experiences of people here, and the articles I have read, AND my extreme fatigue, I am now of a different opinion.

Can you get another opinion? I just can't afford it, so I am self-treating, tho cautiously. I did mention to the NP at my drs office I was taking iron and she said "ok". So, I will continue to monitor my ferritin and make sure it doesn't get too high, but I am not too worried about supplementing for the time being. :wave:

Hi Sparkles
The blood test results say reference range 10-232 ng/mL and my was noted as LOW at 9

I've also been losing hair, but my doctor decide it was thyroid and nearly gave me thyroid toxicity with a thyroid drug. (my thyroid levels were normal!)

I do need a second opinion, but sheesh- I'm too tired and anxious to start down that path! I did order myself an at-home anemia checker.. I know others on the board have said this is a bad idea, but I want to check my level again now, take supplements for 3 months and see if I improve. I was looking into Floradix, which says it has no risk of excess iron storage, so I'm going to get some.

From what I've read, going from 9 to even a 20 might take some time-- especially when still menstruating. Imagine feeling good??!!

lindsalou : I am still only a "junior expert" in the deficiency/anemia area. One area I still don't feel comfortable with is the daily dosage of iron. I know you are doing infusions, but I wondered if you know what a safe and well-tolerated maximum daily dose would be. I wish I had seen a hematologist who felt 70 was a good number to have, instead the one I saw (one visit only) told me my 18 ferritin was fine and NOT to take iron, even after I told him about the crippling fatigue and the fact that I am hypothyroid. Hair? Been losing it since I was in my early 20's (now 40) and gave up on finding the reason.

I am taking 44 mg elemental iron liquid, though I know some pills have 65mg elemental iron. I went up only to 20 ferritin after a month of supplementing. I really don't want to wait a year or more to get up to 50-70, my goal. Any advice? Thankx:wave:

Hi there,

The best advice i can give is to try to adjust your diet. Dont take your iron pills at the same time as tea, dairy products, indigestion remedies, calcium supplements and carbonated drinks. Try a product called spatone (100% natural iron supplement - which is supposed to contain the equivelence of iron content as 8lb of brocoli!).
Try eating plenty of iron enriched foods like green leafy vegatables, red meat, pulses, and also get plenty of vitamin c which helps the body absorb iron.

The bad news is that unfortunately your iron levels will not increase overnight, it does take time (other than having infusions). The good news is that as your levels are raising is a good sign, but it can be a slow process.

As for your current iron dosage, i would not want to advise you as i am not medically qualified to do such, if you are uncomfortable asking your doc, speak with a pharmacist/chemist who are the guys in the know about safe dosages.
Good luck,

Linds