Iron: What gets it down?

[mike716]

Okay, I'm probably posting too much. So I'll ease up after this one. But I've seen some suggestions by forum members about how to get down iron levels, and I thought it would be a nice idea if everyone who knew of some way to do it posted it so that we'd have a list of them. I'm into organizing things. I know it's annoying but I can't help it, it's a mania of mine.

Like, I saw a post from MerryBe about a drug named desferal or something that reduces iron and maybe could even replace plebotomy. She also mentioned that black tea binds iron. I didn't know either of these things. I've got high iron and i want to get it down, if possible before starting therapy.

There's this webpage I read (http://lefcms.lef.org/protocols/infections/hepatitis_c_01.htm) that says: " Despite substantial scientific evidence, however, few physicians implement iron-depletion therapy before beginning antiviral therapy. This partially accounts for the high failure rate of conventional drugs in eradicating the virus (Boucher E et al 1997; Martin-Vivaldi R et al 1997; Tsai NC et al 1997). So it seems like it might be important for me to start doing something now rather than later about my high iron, but I don't really know what to do. I mean, there's lactoferrin and IP6/Inositol as supplements, but there are also probably a lot of other things that reduce iron. I'd really like to know what they all are so I could decide what to take.

Maybe others would benefit from the same info.

So, if I'm not making too much of a pain in the a$$ of myself, could I twist everyone's arm who knows something about this to post it here?

Thanks!

Mike

[alagirl]

desferal is, I believe, the oldero chelator that is the most difficult on the body.  Its the one you would want to avoid I think.  I really think though that your body is going to use the iron making blood in the early stages of treatment.  And also, I don't think they can prescribe a chelator until you are over 1000.  I went from over 3000 to 61 just restarting my bone marrow after treatment with no phlebotomy or chelator.  

The ribavirin causes reduced red blood count in virtually everyone.  I would at least talk to your physician about the odds that you will use your stores in the first four weeks of treatment.  I only built up such high levels because I had so many transusions in such a short time during treatment and my treatment was still successful.

[mike716]

Thanks for all the info, links, and good ideas, Merry. I'm trying hard to control my diet, and have started doing some natural supplements. I'm eating a lot of whole grains and fruit, and drinking green and other teas instead of coffee. Still trying to find sources here in Argentina for ppc and other supplements, especially nartural iron chelators, but so far not much luck. However, I persevere...

Mike

[mike716]

What are those chelation drugs you mentioned?

What I have in mind is using natural chelators until going on tx. But I can't find any info on which ones to take, how much, and when to stop.

[merryBe]

3 answers I forgot...I've switched to golden raisens...that lowers the iron content.
yes to milk in coffee...any calcium with iron will help bind it....like even cheese if you insist on some red meat....ergo philly cheese steak, pastrami with cheese, cheeseburger...even if not a bloody meat, like chicken breast still is heme..and so still think dairy with it will help.

as to oatmeal and PPC....well my cholesterol went from 150 to 123 on oatmeal alone..
the PPC has lowers it a little more....116.....so my guess is the oatmeal has the greater effect, though the ppc has more antifibrotic action..so both are good from that standpoint.
make sure you look for Milk that is not fortified with iron.
mb

[merryBe]

Yes you are right, it does get confusing. A doctor saying no big deal, who has no idea how much your Meld is changing, or why you iron has doubled or if it will go back down...  I mean, sure when I start taking no SOC drugs in 10 more months, my iron will go back down as my HGB goes up...it's the meantime I'm worried about...and since they won't give procrit until you basically can't walk....meanwhile where is the iron going and what damage is done and how fast?

here's something Cocksparrow wrote me privately that I don't think he's mind me sharing.
he knows a lot about it...and this should help you get some more clarification.

>>>>>>>>I Don’t have time to do this justice in the thread.
Basically when you have anemia you get high Iron

This is off another forum. This is pre Tx not during Tx.
Dwight, your serum iron level will probably become elevated after you've
been on tx just a couple of weeks, all those dead red cells will dump
lots of iron into your blood. It probably wouldn't hurt to continue
phlebotomy until your hgb drops below 12 or so.
Elmo

http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Here are a couple of links
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7699235

http://www.indianjnephrol.org/article.asp?issn=0971-4065;year=2007;volume=17;issue=4;spage=188;epage=193;aulast=Prakash

http://www.hcvets.com/data/hcv_liver/iron_and_ribavirin_increased_hep.htm

You will get the idea
Search on Ribavirin Iron you will get quite a few hits.

From the last link. It old but explains what happens quite well
Accumulated iron deposition within the liver might reach excessive levels during prolonged treatment, especially in patients with high preexisting concentrations of hepatic iron.

Now this is why I don’t think it is a big an issue as we think it is. Its high Hepatic Iron that the problem not high serum Iron, You had no liver iron so even if Riba is putting some there it shouldn’t be causing you many probs.
Not much you can do about it anyway.
(author Cocksparrow to MerryBe)

hope this helps. I'm not as nervous as I was following the above answers.
mb

[alagirl]

One other thing.  Just initiating treatment may bring down the level as your body pulls from it to fight the red blood cell loss from the ribavirin.  Something to think about.  

They typically won't use the chelation drugs unless your iron is at least 1000, but at least one of the chelation drugs is very difficult on the body although I understand there is a least one new chelation drug that's a bit easier.