iron in blood not going up

[glasgow007]

i was diagnosed PMR in february .started 60mg prednisolone.now i am on 5 mg .reducing 1mg every month,but check by doctor every 3 month and taking iron tabs daily still 114 last result.any idea how can improve on this .i take iron tab with orange juce every morning.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I wonder why you were started on 60mg pred for PMR? That is the sort of dose usually used for GCA.

The anaemia of chronic disease which is what is seen in PMR is much more complex than ordinary anaemia and it used to be said that iron supplements were not the best way to go about correcting it - but there does seem to be a change in view. The usual recommended approach was to correct the underlying disorder and only then is it thought the anaemia will be successfully reversed. Although you are on pred, the disease process underlying the symptoms we call PMR is still active - and that may mean that the cause of the anaemia is still there.

The other potential problem is that the iron you are taking could be being stored in the body rather than being used to make haemoglobin.

Have you asked your doctor about it?

[glasgow007 in reply to PMRpro]

GCA was primarily doctor thought.but hospital doctor then rule that out.Yes I was speaking to my GP today they referred me for further examination.from throat and stomach.

Thanks for replying so quickly.

Any one else can share their experience please.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to glasgow007]

Patience - not everyone looks at the forum every day and it is a very international group with members across the world.

[Queenie1901 in reply to PMRpro]

I can relate to this exactly! Same happening to me. Referred for all tests going! All negative! I keep asking whether it is PMR related but no- one seems to want to address that cause so far. Hmmmm🤔. In the meantime I am doing all I can with diet and iron supplements in the hope it helps.

[bluenumbertwo in reply to PMRpro]

I joined this group in august I was diagnosed with PMR during the first lock down my GP quickly worked out what it was and started me on 15mg prednisolone with in 2 days i felt a whole lot better. i reduced to 8mg a day over six months but any time i drop to 7.5mg i have problems fatigue and more shoulder and hip pain. i take 10mg one day and then 7. 5 the next,

this seems to work for me as i work 40hours a week as a hair stylist.

at the time of my diagnoses i was also told i had pernicious anemia, tablets did not work so now have 12 week vit b12 injection.

in January this year after complaining about fatigue another of the doctors at my practice did a raft of blood tests and found that my iron levels had dropped from 125 to 25. her first thought was an ulcer or cancer so in 4 weeks had a endoscopy and a colonoscopy luckly all clear. anemia was diagnosed and have been taking 200mg of Ferrous sulfate a day since then

until i read this post i had no idea that anemia was linked to PMR as now one has ever mentioned the link to me.

just thought i would let you know i now have a new perspective on things

thank you

[Hopelessatbest]

The usual for anaemia is 1 iron tablet three times a day. You should not take tablets within two hours of drinking tea, coffee, or having anything with milk content as that affects absorption. My serum ferritin was down to 4 and it took 18 months on dedicted treatment to get it back to anything like a low normal level.

[glasgow007 in reply to Hopelessatbest]

I thought I am only one having very low iron levels.yes you are right it will take time.thsnks for sharing all of your experience.thanks

[5lupins]

My docs iron test was always on the border line but ok. Rheumatologist did further tests and said it was ‘ true iron deficiency,’. I looked this up and and it is a bit different and low. Maybe it is similar.

[Misseyj55]

Hi is your iron a good quality one like ferrogradumet. If you are not taking a really good quality iron your body may still not be getting enough from the tablets. Talk to your pharmacist about it . Are you eating well and healthy.Are you walking a bit . PMG wise I can’t get off 5mg. Daily . Every time I try I’m back to dreadful pain and get into so much pain . So my GP suggested not to fight it but to increase my prednisone back to 5 Mg if I got crook . Which I have just these last 5 days . It’s really hard getting off pred. That’s for sure. I’m also on 2 panadol osteo 2 times a day which j in think has made a nigg th of difference for my know arthritis as well. Getting older sucks I think … best of luck . Jo

[glasgow007]

What you mean by good quality iron.please elebrate little.one I take 5 mg ferrous sulfate one every day.

[glasgow007]

SORRY i take 210mg tablet daily not 5 mg .and it is Ferrous Fumarate.