total iron blood work

[Lespenney]

I recently got my blood work done. I am a bit confused as some numbers looks”normal”, 1 low and 1 high.

Iron is 15.13 (N)

Unsaturated iron binding capacity is 45.5 (H)

total iron binding capacity is 60.63 (N)

percent saturation is 25 (N)

ferritin is 21.1

For those who know a lot about the blood work and rls, what do you think?

my rls has kicked up an notch lately and my oxycodone is not cutting it more then a several hours. Getting lost of muscle twitches and feeling rls in my arms too. Sleep has been horrible again.

Thank you!

[SueJohnson]

Your high Unsaturated iron binding capacity would indicate you have too little iron but you list haemochromatosis which is too much iron so I am confused.

[Lespenney in reply to SueJohnson]

Thank you Sue. I didn’t mean to tag haemocbromatosis.

Does one of the blood work types mean that? Of not, i just tagged it in error.

[Madlegs1 in reply to Lespenney]

Your ferritin is very low and warrants supplementation.

[SueJohnson in reply to Lespenney]

No which was why I was confused. To elaborate on what Munroist said, take 325 mg of ferrous sulfate or 25 mg of iron bisglycinate with 100 mg of vitamin C or some orange juice since that helps its absorption. Ferrous sulfate is fine for most people, but if you have problems with constipation, iron bisglycinate is better. Take it every other day, preferably at night at least 1 hour before a meal or coffee or tea and at least 2 hours after a meal or coffee or tea since iron is absorbed better on an empty stomach and the tannins in coffee and tea limit absorption. If you take magnesium, calcium or zinc, even in a multivitamin take them at least 2 hours apart since they interfere with the absorption of iron. Also antacids interfere with its absorption so should be taken at least 4 hours before the iron or at least 2 hours after. Don't take your iron tablets before or after exercise since inflammation peaks after a workout, don't take tumeric as it can interfere with the absorption of iron or at least take it in the morning if you take your iron at night. If you take thyroid medicine don't take it within 4 hours. It takes several months for the iron tablets to slowly raise your ferritin. Ask for a new blood test after 3 months.

If you want to take it every day, take it 24 hours apart as hepcidin is released when you take it which prevents iron from being absorbed for up to 24 hours.

Since your ferritin is so low try to get an iron infusion

[Munroist]

The normal range for ferritin is between 25 µg/L and 250 µg/L, so yours is off the bottom end of the scale and it looks like you would definitely benefit from iron supplementation. Usually RLS sufferers are recommended to have at least 100 µg/L and frequently people benefit from higher levels, such as 200 to 300 µg/L, although they are difficult to achieve using oral supplementation and infusions are sometimes given as you may have seen from other posts on this forum. Hopefully supplements can raise your levels although this doesn’t necessarily happen quickly. Iron bisglycinate taken every day with some vitamin c to help absorption can be effective. Needs to be taken 2 hours away from any food or magnesium.

[Lespenney in reply to Munroist]

Thank you. I have taken easy iron in the past, but get this terrible pain in my left side when I take the iron. But looks like I am just going to need to suffer through that. Where I live they don’t give iron infusions unless you’re severely anemic.

[SueJohnson in reply to Lespenney]

You might want to try the ferrous sulfate instead.

[Hidden in reply to Lespenney]

Yes, suffer through it one more time. You must try one more time only this time take it an hour before bed on an empty stomach. I take 50mg of ferrous bisglycinate this way and it relieves my RLS in one hour for one. Doing this will elevate your serum iron at a time when you need it most. Serum iron is way more important in terms of RLS than ferritin.

[DicCarlson]

Very low ferritin. Mine was 49 - raging RLS! Supplements (ferrous bisglycinate chelate, AKA gentle iron) eliminated the severe aspect of RLS within 3 months, raising Ferritin to 105. Daily supplement (mid-morning, away from food), then every other day, then 3X week, then once a week. More info here... (FYI, you may need to Google equivalent values for some metrics)

bloodtestsresults.com/iron-...