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Diana OClair · 01-23-2011, 06:15 PM

Hi.... I am trying to find out about Ferritin Deficiency and its treatments (specifically IV as oral supplements have proven ineffective).

I am new to this board. On Friday after a month of iron treatments or oral iron I was diagnosed with a ferritin deficiency. I had never even heard of ferritin. Since Friday I spent an immense amount of time reading as much as I can locate on anemia caused by low ferritin. I am still very confused.

I sit typing on here with a copy of my blood work beside me:

Whit Blood Cell 7.8
Hemoglobin 10L (I thought this was great as I was admitted to the hospital the Sunday after Thanksgiving because it was 5.8L)
Hemocrit 33L
Platelet 440
Mean Corpuscular Volume 75.2 L
Mean Corpuscular HGB Concentration 30.3 L
Red Cell Distribution Width-CV 22.2

Iron Level 19 L
Total Iron Binding 581

% Transferrin Saturation 3L

Ferritin L4

I am supposed to hear from a hemotologist this week to have them set up some type of IV treatment. I know sooo very little about all this. If anyone can enlighten me, please do!

Thank You.
Diana

jenj770 · 01-24-2011, 04:45 AM

I have no idea if this would apply to your situation but when my Ferritin was low I took Solgars Gentle Iron (iron Bisglycinate 25 mg) 1 capsule 3 times a week for three months. This brought my levels back up as indicated in my next lab test. Your situation seems more complicated, though, but just thought I'd offer this.

Best,

Jen

liberty4034 · 06-23-2011, 06:30 AM

i dont know either. im looking for answers too. I had been having horrible muscle cramps in my legs and pains that seemed to be related to some type of nerve damage (due to neck injury and surgery). the dr put me on ferritine 3x per day and told me to try that. After about 3 weeks, the muscle cramps were gone. However, i started to have a metallic taste in my mouth so i stopped taking it. After being off of it for about 2 weeks, the cramps and severe pain are back.I dont know how the stores can get so low so quickly. I know that the body doesnt absorb it. I do have heavy periods and i am on thyroid replacement. Wondering if this is some sort of disorder or just a fluke thing and i will need to keep playing the take it dont take it game. I dont have any health insurance and am unemployed so going to the dr right now is out of the question

Nerdlie · 07-29-2011, 08:10 PM

Hi there,
Iron deficiency is really tricky to treat. It takes a long time to build up stores of iron in the body, and therefore see results. Often, people with damaged intestinal lining or low stomach acid/poor digestion experience iron-deficient anemia. I have struggled with all of the above for years. I had a ferrritin level of 8 at one point. What has worked for me is taking b-12, vitamin C, SOLUBLE (dissolve under tongue) phosphorous ferrum pills (they're really small, and hard to find.. I got mine from naturopaths), and a good iron supplement (I use ortho Iron -- no digestive side effects, like with many iron supplements, and is also very well absorbed and tolerated, as well as a complete ferrum complex). Eat lots of spinach, too! And other iron-rich foods. I had to start taking betaine HCL + pepsin pills in order to increase my stomach acid so that I could absorb the supplements properly. Maybe look into the digestive/absorption issues?

Also, I have heard that IV iron-supplement therapies don't really work to "fix" the problem permanently and can have lots of negative side effects.. although I hear B-12 by IV is pretty well tolerated and effective.

Good luck!!

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