Iron dosage question?

[Jessiepup]

I can't hold on to Ferritin levels . I had an iron infusion last December which had all but gone, back to 10 now.

I asked my doctor if I could double the dose of iron I am taking and she said no.

Anyone know of a good reason why someone like me can't do that? I am hardly going to end up with too much?

Waiting for referral for another infusion but could be weeks.

[humanbean]

You don't say how much iron you are actually taking. My guess would be that all iron supplements have to go through the liver and they can cause damage to the liver if taken in excess.

What kind of iron supplements do you take, what dosage per pill and how many times per day do you take them?

To help your body to absorb the iron you need to be taking 500mg-1000mg vitamin C with each iron pill.

[Jessiepup in reply to humanbean]

I have been taking ferrograd slow release one a day, but am trying spatone now to see if I get better effect. Hadn't thought about it passing through liver.

[humanbean in reply to Jessiepup]

If you are using slow release iron this could be why you are not making any headway with absorbing iron. According to the BNF (British National Formulary - the publication doctors use to determine what they can prescribe and at what dosage) :

Modified-release preparations

Modified-release preparations of iron are licensed for once-daily dosage, but have no therapeutic advantage and should not be used. These preparations are formulated to release iron gradually; the low incidence of side-effects may reflect the small amounts of iron available for absorption as the iron is carried past the first part of the duodenum into an area of the gut where absorption may be poor.

Source : evidence.nhs.uk/formulary/b...

Have you ever tried something like ferrous fumarate? I was prescribed this by my doctor but then discovered I could buy it without a prescription, which is a lot more convenient for me. I take :

210mg ferrous fumarate, one pill three times per day. I take each iron pill with 1000mg Vitamin C. I buy the ferrous fumarate in boxes of 84 pills which is enough for 28 days. It costs roughly £4 per box. Boots insist on a prescription but many other pharmacies don't, so shop around.

[Jessiepup]

Thank you - I gave started Spatone. I do feel a bit better and hope it carries on.

There is no quick fix it seems .

Thanks for your help

[humanbean in reply to Jessiepup]

Spatone might help. But it only has 5mg of elemental iron per sachet. The pills I mentioned have 69mg of elemental iron per pill - so in total in a day I have been taking approx 210mg of elemental iron per day. The Spatone and the ferrous fumarate aren't totally comparable because the iron in the Spatone is allegedly more easily absorbed than that in the pills. But there are plenty of people who have failed to raise their iron stores on Spatone, so be prepared to have to make another change.

[HashiSpain]

Happened the same to me until I started treating my leaky gut sindrome: which includes quitting gluten temporarily as well as treating candida. It has worked a lot for me, now I have now troubles with absorption

[Jessiepup in reply to HashiSpain]

Hi, Hashispain, I have been Gluten Free for six years, I have no gut symptoms or candida any more.

I have had my gut looked at by mri , colonoscopy and endoscopy and it all looks perfect.

I don't know what the answer is.

[HashiSpain in reply to Jessiepup]

Yaiks!!!! I have no idea of what could be then...

[ivy77 in reply to HashiSpain]

What symptoms you have from candida? How do i know if i have it?

[ivy77]

Hey hello, i have the eame issue! Yes you can take 200 mg of iron, why not.....these docs really know nothing. I realized by myself when i stop supplementing my iron will move down,and i wonder these docs have not heard of that case and dont know it when you visit google and come across person like you and me, so etimes i really wonder how their logic works,and that i am so special that noone else in the world has similar problem

You must take pills, i think infusion cleans up faster from the body, i had it once and after it you should supplement for the rest of your life , i am supplementing for 6 years and never had too much of it so dont worry....you should take it.....also if its too much i am sure you would have dhiarrea...or body would not absorb

[Jessiepup in reply to ivy77]

Thanks ivy, someone suggested iron Bisglysinate and on reading up it is very well absorbed and does not cause toxicity in the liver. I am going to start taking 200mg 3 times a day.