Good news, Bad news

[meg321]

I saw my primary Dr. today and I am anemic...its causing my current problems...

my iron level is 14, norm (50 - 170)
the iron sat. level is 5, norm (15-50)  

Thats not so good but I now know for sure what is going on and it will improve AND that excites me to no end !!

I do have to have a colonoscopy to check for any bleeding.

hugs, meg

[Nancy T]

It's true, the Red Cross nurses always tell me, don't take calcium at the same time as iron. It inhibits iron absorption. Vitamin C increases iron absorption.

[meg321]

Hi Mary,

I was taking my iron with only vit c, but today i took my calcium with it too.  That damn calcium is hard to fit in anywhere.

I so appreciate this information, i am trying very hard to learn.  Its is so much more complex that I ever thought, but its time to get it right.  I will change that calcium and add B complex.

It takes so much time just taking pills like 2 hrs apart ..i am trying to make it easier.
I really need a better pill organizer..if you know of one let me know.

thanks so much for the info...

meg

[twopack]

Hopefully you will feel significantly better by October Meg.  It takes 7-10 days to make new red blood cells if I remember right but you don't have a good store of building material and it is a slower go with iron pills than it would be with a transfusion, IV iron or the injectable medication that stimulates red cell production.  I assume your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are also decreased.  Bringing those up will help.  It will probably take at least three months to bring your iron stores to a normal level but not that long to feel better.

I would caution you about taking your iron and calcium supplements at the same time.  Calcium taken with meals or supplements causes a huge drop in the amount of iron absorbed from food and pill sources.  

But if you use vitamin C and/or B complex, take those together with your iron supplement as they will help increase absorbtion of the iron.  Nourishing the body is aparently far more complex than we realized in the past.  Each nutrient is dependent on the cooperation of others.

Mary

[meg321]

Hi Mary,

thanks for sharing that, I am looking forward to feeling better.  Right now I am not sleeping, didnt sleep at all last night.  

I also have GERD for years now too,  The iron has not caused me any problems at all, than God.  I do have a ritual evey morning, after my morning pills i wait 2 hours and I have some food, orange or orange juice, and my calcium along with my iron.  Maybe that helps.

Approximately how long does it take to feel somewhat better ?  I have a trip in Oct and I want to be better for it.

hugs, meg

[twopack]

That is good news Meg.  It's a fixable problem.  I too remain constantly anemic or on the low side of normal if I don't take an iron supplement.  I had a lot of side effects from them IF they stayed with me.  Most were vomited up after 30 minutes as if on a timer.  I finally found FerroSequels would bring my iron levels up without me even knowing they were in my system.

On the up side, my restless leg symptoms decreased by about 75% once my ferritin level was above 50.  That allowed a 75% better chance of sleeping at night which of cours leads to a general improvement in both physical and mental well-being.  Treating the anemia also helped me breath easier and lowered my heartrate as my heart and lungs didn't have to work so hard forcing those few little oxygen carrying hemoglobin cells to supply my whole self.

I've asked more than one doctor why it is that a menopausal woman without a bleeding colon should still need to take iron daily.  None of them seem to have an answer.  Personally, I think it probably has to do with poor nutritional absorption following years and years of treating GERD with PPI drugs that reduce acid.  I also have to supplement B12 as long as I take the PPI drugs.

It will take a minute to rebuild your essential iron and then store some reserves but you can at least look forward to improvement.  Choose a few small tasks that are difficult to do now and track their degree of challenge as a measuring stick of your progress.  It will help keep you encouraged.

~Mary

[Lulu54]

Well I would take that as good news, if that is all your problem.  I always hated taking the iron capsules though - they gave me a yucky taste.  

You will feel so much better once you get those iron levels up closer to normal.

hugs back at you! L