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Low ferritin levels and hep c
Does anyone have any info on low ferritin/ low iron related to having chronic hep c?
Everything that's ever studied is about high ferritin and HCV. Over the years I've had and still have extremely low ferritin, between 5-8 with the normal range being 30-80. I don't take iron supplements in fear of potentially creating more liver fibrosis, however I do suffer with all the symptoms of having low iron. Other than eating foods that are rich in iron I don't know what else someone could do. Eating iron rich meats and veggies does not raise my ferritin or taking vit. C, which helps with the absorption of iron.
If anyone has any experience with this PLEASE share.
Everything that's ever studied is about high ferritin and HCV. Over the years I've had and still have extremely low ferritin, between 5-8 with the normal range being 30-80. I don't take iron supplements in fear of potentially creating more liver fibrosis, however I do suffer with all the symptoms of having low iron. Other than eating foods that are rich in iron I don't know what else someone could do. Eating iron rich meats and veggies does not raise my ferritin or taking vit. C, which helps with the absorption of iron.
If anyone has any experience with this PLEASE share.
It's been mentioned here many times that taking supplements w / iron or using cast iron pans for cooking can cause further liver damage if ones iron stores are already too high. It's best to keep iron on the lower end if someone has HCV. The virus feeds off of iron and replicates, also excess iron may cause accelerated liver damage:
"The role of iron in the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic hepatitis C"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805519/
These are the tests used to dx either excess iron or not enough iron stores.
Total iron
TIBC
Iron saturation
And most important
"Ferritin" (Iron storage levels)
"The role of iron in the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic hepatitis C"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805519/
These are the tests used to dx either excess iron or not enough iron stores.
Total iron
TIBC
Iron saturation
And most important
"Ferritin" (Iron storage levels)
i cook my food in cast iron pans..i once heard that is good.. ?
do not know what my iron level is.. will ask dr.
i am tired all the time.. hair is fine..
do not know what my iron level is.. will ask dr.
i am tired all the time.. hair is fine..
Not sure yet bean, we shall see if I'm really corrected with the ferritin level being higher once it's checked. There aren't any studies or anything else that I could find where it says low ferritin is connected to having HCV. All we ever see and read about is having too much iron when there's a chronic HCV infection.
Having the HgB go up like that during the 12 wks is maybe a sign that so is the ferritin, let's hope so! It takes ferritin levels quite a while to climb upward, can take months so that's why I'm waiting to have it checked.
But in the meantime I'm thrilled to see the Hgb finally be in a good range after so many years of being borderline too low. Fweeeew ! Feeling better now too:-) I don't run outta energy anymore yay!
Having the HgB go up like that during the 12 wks is maybe a sign that so is the ferritin, let's hope so! It takes ferritin levels quite a while to climb upward, can take months so that's why I'm waiting to have it checked.
But in the meantime I'm thrilled to see the Hgb finally be in a good range after so many years of being borderline too low. Fweeeew ! Feeling better now too:-) I don't run outta energy anymore yay!
What a nice side effect. I didn't know that low ferritin was realated in this way. Thanks for putting some closure to an old thread.
bean
bean
During my tx with the DAA's for 12 wks my HgB and Hct went up to my surprise!
I've never in all these years been in the 13-14 range for HgB. So hopefully now that I have done tx and am successful at attaining SVR I won't have a borderline anemia issue, if HCV was the cause but who knows... Most others have the opposite, too much iron.
I'll be checking the ferritin level with my reg doc in about 3-6 months, that will for sure tell if I've improved with anemia, it's always been 5-8 on the ferritin, non sufficient iron stores. Normal range is 30-80.
I've never in all these years been in the 13-14 range for HgB. So hopefully now that I have done tx and am successful at attaining SVR I won't have a borderline anemia issue, if HCV was the cause but who knows... Most others have the opposite, too much iron.
I'll be checking the ferritin level with my reg doc in about 3-6 months, that will for sure tell if I've improved with anemia, it's always been 5-8 on the ferritin, non sufficient iron stores. Normal range is 30-80.
The post isn't telling anyone to take vit.c or any other supplements while on tx. Taking anything in addition to tx meds with out the tx docs approval is not a good idea, there's always that chance that they can interfere with the outcome of the tx. Sorry if this post confused you, it's intended for getting info from people who have chronic hep c and have low ferritin issues (non related to the tx meds).
"Does anyone have any info on low ferritin/ low iron related to having chronic hep c?"
Trying to raise blood levels with out the use of rescue meds and with only diet alone is very very difficult, I can really sympathize. I have seen many here who needed transfusions with triple tx, and that is the nature of these meds, it's rough for some people.
Best thing is to eat what ever is appealing and what your body dictates, as you put it, while on tx. You can look forward to getting your blood counts back to normal once you've completed tx and your body has rid the remaining meds in your system and had time to heal. If your having trouble with your appetite that's pretty much the norm. I would just focus on eating to survive and getting thru tx, that's what I had to do, I was definitely a bit anorexic, had no appetite and everything smelled so bad, especially cooked meats. I ate mostly cold meals so that it wouldn't stink as much:(
"Does anyone have any info on low ferritin/ low iron related to having chronic hep c?"
Trying to raise blood levels with out the use of rescue meds and with only diet alone is very very difficult, I can really sympathize. I have seen many here who needed transfusions with triple tx, and that is the nature of these meds, it's rough for some people.
Best thing is to eat what ever is appealing and what your body dictates, as you put it, while on tx. You can look forward to getting your blood counts back to normal once you've completed tx and your body has rid the remaining meds in your system and had time to heal. If your having trouble with your appetite that's pretty much the norm. I would just focus on eating to survive and getting thru tx, that's what I had to do, I was definitely a bit anorexic, had no appetite and everything smelled so bad, especially cooked meats. I ate mostly cold meals so that it wouldn't stink as much:(
I am treating for 48 weeks. I am at the 22 week stage. A difficult time for some.
Oysters are thoroughly monitored here. A big industry. I eat Coffin Bay oysters. Sydney Rock Oysters have come under a bit of a cloud this week.
Hgb ref range here is 115-160 g/L.
As I don't eat much now I've finished with the Incidious (Incivek), it is very hard to eat foods to alleviate my anemia. I cannot take supplements like VitC to assist with iron absorbtion as like you mentioned, some people's iron and ferritin levels go out of wack and mine are through the roof. And adding anything else just seems to throw everything else out of wack.
I tend to eat what my body dictates.
Muddling through.
Oysters are thoroughly monitored here. A big industry. I eat Coffin Bay oysters. Sydney Rock Oysters have come under a bit of a cloud this week.
Hgb ref range here is 115-160 g/L.
As I don't eat much now I've finished with the Incidious (Incivek), it is very hard to eat foods to alleviate my anemia. I cannot take supplements like VitC to assist with iron absorbtion as like you mentioned, some people's iron and ferritin levels go out of wack and mine are through the roof. And adding anything else just seems to throw everything else out of wack.
I tend to eat what my body dictates.
Muddling through.
Hair falling out, trouble with body temperature, fatigue etc are also all symptons of hypothyroidism. And there is a strong relationship between hypothyroidism and HCV. How is your TSH, and T3's and T4's?
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Have been on a thyroid med for years, (NatureThroid) and have labs drawn every 3 months, levels of free T3 and T4 are at the higher limits of the normal ranges, so all is good. TSH gets suppressed by the med so its value will always be below normal range when taking thyroid meds.I agree these symptoms do sound like hypothyroidism, however they are the same symptoms for extremely low iron stores, also.
What is the normal range for Hgb (hemoglobin) in Australia, you said yours is now up to 103? In the US our range is around 12-15.9 g/dl.
About eating oysters. Hep docs warn about not eating oysters, (at least here in the US), especially during tx when ones immune system is low, it can be life threatening.
"Raw oysters contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus can be life threatening, even fatal when eaten by someone with liver disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system. However, there are myths that encourage people to eat raw oysters in spite of these dangers."
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/healtheducators/ucm085385.htm
Glad to hear you're improving after tx, and sorry to hear your blood counts got so low and you needed a transfusion.
Have you had your post tx PCR's and are you SVR now?
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Have been on a thyroid med for years, (NatureThroid) and have labs drawn every 3 months, levels of free T3 and T4 are at the higher limits of the normal ranges, so all is good. TSH gets suppressed by the med so its value will always be below normal range when taking thyroid meds.I agree these symptoms do sound like hypothyroidism, however they are the same symptoms for extremely low iron stores, also.
What is the normal range for Hgb (hemoglobin) in Australia, you said yours is now up to 103? In the US our range is around 12-15.9 g/dl.
About eating oysters. Hep docs warn about not eating oysters, (at least here in the US), especially during tx when ones immune system is low, it can be life threatening.
"Raw oysters contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus can be life threatening, even fatal when eaten by someone with liver disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system. However, there are myths that encourage people to eat raw oysters in spite of these dangers."
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/healtheducators/ucm085385.htm
Glad to hear you're improving after tx, and sorry to hear your blood counts got so low and you needed a transfusion.
Have you had your post tx PCR's and are you SVR now?
Fortunately i dont have any nutritional or mineral defficiences ( per Spectrocell lab) which would indicate that i need to take biotin supplementation. If the under lying issue isnt corrected then taking any supplements won't help hair loss, but correcting anemia will or should help.
Here's how anemia, low ferritin/ iron affects our hair.
ANAEMIA
We need iron to produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency leads to anaemia, meaning fewer red blood cells. Less oxygen is carried to the scalp, starving the follicles, and eventually causing gradual, uniform hair loss. The hair will appear wispy, and the scalp may be more visible than usual.
Other symptoms include pale skin, lethargy and fatigue. An iron supplement may help. Lack of Vitamin C and consumption of caffeine and alcohol can also hinder iron absorption. Drinking a glass of orange juice with iron-rich food aids absorption, helping hair grow back.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282466/Thin-hair--You-anaemic-stressed-just-hungry.html#ixzz2Z2pZUwnB
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I do beleive in preventing yeast over growth and maintaining normal intestinal flora so taking a good pro biotic is good for anyone, especially after tx. I'm glad you're improving, it does take a while for your body and immune system to get back to norm, every system is affected by tx. I think I would look into eating all the iron rich foods and retest your ferritin in 3-6 months, it takes months to raise ferritin even with iron supps, but if you do end up needing extra iron supps and are SVR then I'd consider it, after getting clearance from your hep doc. Good luck, I'm wishing you a speedy recovery!
Here's how anemia, low ferritin/ iron affects our hair.
ANAEMIA
We need iron to produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency leads to anaemia, meaning fewer red blood cells. Less oxygen is carried to the scalp, starving the follicles, and eventually causing gradual, uniform hair loss. The hair will appear wispy, and the scalp may be more visible than usual.
Other symptoms include pale skin, lethargy and fatigue. An iron supplement may help. Lack of Vitamin C and consumption of caffeine and alcohol can also hinder iron absorption. Drinking a glass of orange juice with iron-rich food aids absorption, helping hair grow back.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282466/Thin-hair--You-anaemic-stressed-just-hungry.html#ixzz2Z2pZUwnB
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
I do beleive in preventing yeast over growth and maintaining normal intestinal flora so taking a good pro biotic is good for anyone, especially after tx. I'm glad you're improving, it does take a while for your body and immune system to get back to norm, every system is affected by tx. I think I would look into eating all the iron rich foods and retest your ferritin in 3-6 months, it takes months to raise ferritin even with iron supps, but if you do end up needing extra iron supps and are SVR then I'd consider it, after getting clearance from your hep doc. Good luck, I'm wishing you a speedy recovery!
I was complaining to my PCP a few months ago about how even though I'd finished tx in Sept 2012 and achieved SVR I was still very tired all the time and still had brain fog, plus intestinal issues. She ran a lot of tests and told me my ferritin levels were low too. Mine are only at the lowest end of the normal range, but she quoted recent studies showing women scoring at the low end who complained of fatigue had a 70% chance of feeling less tired with iron supplementation. I haven't started it because there were other things I wanted to try first, and because I would want to run it past my hepetologist first too. As it turns out, my fatigue and brain fog have improved significantly in the last month, which happens to coincide really well with when I started taking a good probiotic. Could just be coincidence, but I'm not planning to stop the probiotic (I did run that one by my hepetologist first too). As for hair loss, you might want to consider adding a biotin supplement to your diet. A lot of us on the forum have found them helpful with hair loss from treatment. Good luck!
Hi Dee,
Thank you for Looking. I have tried to find something for quite some time on Hep c info for individuals with low iron issues. The majority have high iron stores and there's plenty of info on that.
When I asked my hep doc a couple of years ago about my chronic low ferritin/ iron, he said that the virus feeds on heme in a small population with chronic hep c, and that was all I got out of my question to him. He did not recommend taking iron supplementation, so I've been living with sevarel symptoms, like being cold even in hot weather, fatigue, mental tiredness and some hair loss. HgB has always ( even before tx in 2006) been borderline, around 12 and same with Hct, borderline low.
I'm looking forward to the new (all oral) meds and hoping to tx successfully then I'll see if my chronic low ferritin/ iron gets resolved. I think maybe this will be the answer and keeping my fingers crossed!
Congrats of your SVR Dee!
Thank you for Looking. I have tried to find something for quite some time on Hep c info for individuals with low iron issues. The majority have high iron stores and there's plenty of info on that.
When I asked my hep doc a couple of years ago about my chronic low ferritin/ iron, he said that the virus feeds on heme in a small population with chronic hep c, and that was all I got out of my question to him. He did not recommend taking iron supplementation, so I've been living with sevarel symptoms, like being cold even in hot weather, fatigue, mental tiredness and some hair loss. HgB has always ( even before tx in 2006) been borderline, around 12 and same with Hct, borderline low.
I'm looking forward to the new (all oral) meds and hoping to tx successfully then I'll see if my chronic low ferritin/ iron gets resolved. I think maybe this will be the answer and keeping my fingers crossed!
Congrats of your SVR Dee!
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My hgb got down to 73, and now is at 103. My platelets were at 55 for 5 months during treatment. I only needed one blood transfusion, and as we don't get Procrit here in Australia as a rescue drug, I had to do it through diet.
I eat oysters, and swear by them. i also eat a lot of steamed spinach and lemon juice.
My hgb levels have risen, and my platelets are back up at 67.