Low iron no matter what---anyone else?

[Babs659]

Since getting diagnosed, I was found to have low Vit D and iron.  My GP sent me to a Gastro, who did colonoscopy, BW and biopsies to rule out Celiac.  All was negative.  But my ferritin level was real low, too.  He thought maybe I'm gluten and lactose intolerant.  So I was avoiding those things.  I eat plenty of red meat and green vegetables, beans, etc. 
He gave me a supplement called Ferrex 150 Plus, which I have taken every day for three months.  I was able to bring my D level up some with supplements, but my iron is still very low.  As I am going through menopause, I have two or three months with no period, so it's not that.  My B12 is okay, as is every other level.
Why would my body not be absorbing iron all of a sudden?  I asked the pharmacist if the supplement was interacting with my other meds and she checked them all out and said no.  I'm not anemic yet, so he says, but I'm sure it's headed that way.  Anyone else have problems just with iron?   (I also have Hashimoto's and Raynaud's, as well as GERD and restless legs syndrome).
At my wits end!

[Scottietottie]

Hi Babs 

I'm sorry - I don't know the answer to your question but I know I had a friend who was low in iron once and they gave her shots of it to get it back into her system.

The only time I ever took iron was when I was pregnant and it used to pass right through (probably because I didn't actually need it - it was just standard procedure to give it then) How do I know it passed right through? I used to end up with stools that wouldn't flush!    Most embarassing.

I hope the doc keeps an eye on this and gives you shots if necessary.

keep us posted. take care - Scottie 

[wednesday mc haggis]

babs

  i have no idea, but attacking it with diet intake and supplements might help...guinness had a good amount of iron, as do dried apricots,dried figs, baked beans and boiled eggs, maybe that might help, lets hope so, oh and the quinine in soda water helps restless legs as well, as does for some reason i cant say bovril, old nurs ei worked with swore by it for patients, and strangely it works a treat at bedtime

T x

[anita]

Hi Babs,

I have had iron deficiency anemia for years (along with Sjogren's).  The hematologist told me they can be related.  My ferritin was also very low (7) and I have tried iron supplements with no luck.  The ferritin is your iron stores.  Your blood pulls from the ferritin (stores) when there isn't enough iron being absorbed...to keep you from being anemic.  Your blood levels will eventually drop if you don't keep your ferritin in a more normal range, or improve your absorption of iron.  i receive Ferrlecit IV infusions of iron to keep my ferritin high enough...which keeps my hemoglobin up.

I also have gastroparesis (autonomic dysfunction from the Sjogren's) and my GI believes it is the reason I don't absorb iron via food or oral supplements.  If you have problems keeping blood levels (including ferritin) in normal range, then you should consider seeing a hematologist.   After all, they are the experts on blood.

Hopes this is helpful. 

Anita

[SassieCat]

I have the opposite problem, I store iron.  I do know that vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron.  Also, teas, apples, whole grains help the body to pass the iron through more quickly without absorbing it. 

Shell fish, red meats, organs and beets help the body to build it's iron stores. 

Hope it helps, and good luck to you with it.

Sassie

[Babs659]

You've all been very helpful.  I really appreciate it.  I am going to research gastroparesis, and consider going to a hematologist.

[Lesleybird]

  Just a thought....are you taking any stomach acid inhibitors like protonix or nexium or the like? I have read that iron is best absorbed in an acidic environment. Also taught in a nutrition class that drinking a glass of orange juice with iron helps in absorption. Maybe you need a different type of iron with better absorption? Don't know, just some thoughts.      Lesley

[Babs659]

Hi, there.  I also heard that about PPI's.  I am on Aciphex.  I asked the pharmacist and she said no problem.  Go figure!

[Lesleybird]

 The pharmacist probably looked it up in her drug books to see if there was a drug interaction and it said no. An absorption problem is not the same as a drug interaction. The iron and the Aciphex probably don't interact together, but the reduction of acid in the stomach can interfere with the absorption of the iron.  Lesley

[irish]

The PPI's can inhibit some of the iron absorption, but generally I would think it is part of the autoimmune complex. I had low ferritin(down to 6) and hemg of 9.6 or something. It happened in a matter of months. I was on iron for a long, long time and the last time ferritin was checked it was up to 38 or so. Not high enough but high enough to be less of a problem.

I saw hematologist and was told to take iron every day of my life. I tried for a while but it drove me crazy with the vitamin C, calcium and then I have to take so many antibiotics and that gets involved. It got so I had to take a pill every 2 hours to get them all in. I gave up taking it. I eat Total every day as it has 100% daily iron requirement. Also, I check the inside of my lower eyelids because when I get anemic they lose the pink color. Docs do the CBC several times a year also.

I am under the impression that this can be an on again-off again problem. If you do the research you will find many articles that refer to the inhibition of the bone marrow that is caused by the autoimmune process and results in anemia for many people. Irish

[Julie]

Those of you that have had iron infusions, can you please tell me more details about the procedure itself?.  I have to have one on Friday and I am nervous because the hematologist told me that there are people that are allergic to it.  I have reactions to so many things.  He said they usually pre medicate with Benadryl and Solumedrol to act as an allergen preventative.  I am concerned about reacting to those too.  My body just does not like anything foreign chemicals of any kind.
My ferritin is pretty much non existent at 2 !  My hgb two weeks ago was down to 7.6 when I saw the rheumy.  Yesterday at the hematologist's office, it had dropped to 6.9.  I freaked!  I asked him HOW it could have gone down when I have not had any "known" active bleeding in those 2 weeks. That's when he explained that cells only live for so long and without the ferritin/iron stores there is nothing to replenish them.  My mind always reels with thoughts of cancer, but he said for right now, he thinks that I just have trouble absorbing and keeping iron in my system.  He didn't really see any red flags that say cancer. ::whew:: 

I would appreciate hearing from everyone, but especially those that have gone through these infusions.  I was kind of hoping that a blood transfusion would be the doc's suggestion.  But, he said that those are far more risky than iron infusions and that it's much better to let my own cells regenerate as long as we can get the iron built back up.

Thank you for your help!

[Pisces24]

Hope your eating habits are good. I am one of the very few that push myself to eat 75% of the time due to I usually don't feel hungry.

Dr gave me an antibiotic once (I don't remember the name) but a potential side effect was loss of appetite. I really didn't notice I wasn't eating well. Dr was upset about my iron drop but took me off the med and retested me 2 weeks later. I went from a 6 I think to a 9 in those 2 weeks so he was sure it was the med causing the problem. Read the possible side effects of any med you take.

Also taking a multivitamin w/iron every day helps. Good luck.

[Babs659]

Hi, Pisces.  Boy, do I eat good!  Too good!  Lots of many types of food!  And I already take many many vitamin supplements.  I am on a prescription Iron pill that has magnesium and B and other things in it.

Thanks for your thoughts

[tuckerdog]

I just came from our Houston SJS meeting.  I may have the answer.  The rheumatologist who was speaking said that SJS can cause us to not secrete enough stomach acid.   If there is not enough stomach acide we can become iron deficient because without sufficient acid iron will not absorb well.

Tuckerdog

[Babs659]

Thanks, Tucker.  That's good to know!  New one on me.....