Iron transfusions?

[BigGeekGirl]

I'm almost 13 years out. I am not anemic, however, my ferritin is low (over the last two years it’s hovered between 5-7 on a scale of 12-170).

I’m going to see a hematologist today... do you think she’ll recommend iron transfusions? Are there other options?

Between January and March I upped my iron supplements 4x what I was taking ... my ferritin actually went down (but I tested the last day of my period so that may be why?)

What questions should I ask the hematologist?

Thank you!

 

[Munchkin]

If you are done with babies, check out a uterine ablation. No more bleeding and you keep your hormones.

 

[southernlady]

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/iron-infusion-self-advocacy.5970/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/iron-infusion-levels.5739/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/low-iron-or-what-to-take-to-a-hematologist.1498/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/not-liking-iron-trend.5709/

 

[2000DuodenalSwitch]

I'm almost 13 years out. I am not anemic, however, my ferritin is low (over the last two years it’s hovered between 5-7 on a scale of 12-170).

I’m going to see a hematologist today... do you think she’ll recommend iron transfusions? Are there other options?

Between January and March I upped my iron supplements 4x what I was taking ... my ferritin actually went down (but I tested the last day of my period so that may be why?)

What questions should I ask the hematologist?

Thank you!

BigGeekGirl
Sorry, just now seeing your post.
You definitely need infusions with ferritin 5-7 (12-170 range).
I hope hematologist agreed!
Please update us?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

BigGeekGirl
Sorry, just now seeing your post.
You definitely need infusions with ferritin 5-7 (12-170 range).
I hope hematologist agreed!
Please update us?

I'm technically a Susan...lol and I see my hematologist tomorrow. Ferritin at 7, Iron Sat at 7 and HGB at 11.0. I put the ranges in another post, can't get there now...but all out of range although the HGB isn't far out of range. (OTOH it was 13 in November.)

He called me yesterday and we're setting me up for two jolts of iron.

 

[2000DuodenalSwitch]

I'm technically a Susan...lol and I see my hematologist tomorrow. Ferritin at 7, Iron Sat at 7 and HGB at 11.0. I put the ranges in another post, can't get there now...but all out of range although the HGB isn't far out of range. (OTOH it was 13 in November.)

He called me yesterday and we're setting me up for two jolts of iron.

Glad you are getting infused, Spiky Bugger.
I hope BigGeekGirl updates soon saying she's getting infused also.

I had two Injectafer sessions in September, which pulled my ferritin from 19 to 500. Feel so much better!

BTW, if you have Injectafer infusions, check your phosphorus about 8 weeks later because it has the potential side effect of lowering phosphorus. Mine dropped from midrange to just outside low range, but fortunately has almost recovered now without supplementing. A few folks have not been as lucky and had much more loss than me, and had to supplement to pull back up. Some folks' do not experience this side affect at all, but wise to recheck a couple of months post Injectafer.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Glad you are getting infused, Spiky Bugger.
I hope BigGeekGirl updates soon saying she's getting infused also.

I had two Injectafer sessions in September, which pulled my ferritin from 19 to 500. Feel so much better!

BTW, if you have Injectafer infusions, check your phosphorus about 8 weeks later because it has the potential side effect of lowering phosphorus. Mine dropped from midrange to just outside low range, but fortunately has almost recovered now without supplementing. A few folks have not been as lucky and had much more loss than me, and had to supplement to pull back up. Some folks' do not experience this side affect at all, but wise to recheck a couple of months post Injectafer.

Great info...I'll ask the hematolgist!

 

[DianaCox]

I am trying to get hooked up with a hematologist here in AZ, having not needed one in a long time (last infusion was in 2014, and last ferritin level was 154 last September). But I'm about to have surgery, it's been 7 months, and I'm not sure my ferritin level wasn't artificially inflated by inflammation, so I'm off to get a blood draw today.

However, finding a hematologist here requires that I get my PRIOR medical records from CA to their office before my appointment next Friday. My first hematologist retired several years ago, although the office still exists; the one in 2014 is affiliated with Stanford, so getting medical records from them is an agonizing process with a large system and takes time. I spent a good part of yesterday trying to figure out the fastest way to get those records to the new hematologist, including fighting with my multipurpose printer/copier/fax machine which decided to lose its wireless fax function and I couldn't find the right drivers to download (but I DID find one that tried to install a virus which caused me to have to ABORT in mid-EXE and shut off my computer). Finally got everything to work hours later - only to discover just now that at least one of the faxes didn't go through after all.

If my medical records are not received by Thursday, they will cancel my appointment on Friday. If I need infusions, that will not be done on Friday either. I have to hope my blood test today shows I'm still OK, or my surgery will have to be delayed.

I have never felt any symptoms of anemia, even when my ferritin was 12. And I've never gotten any wonderful surger of energy after infusion either. It's all empirical for me.