Will they give me an iron infusion?

[Bioluminence]

Will I be offered an iron infusion? my ferritin is 16 just in range....GP told me I'm normal but has referred me to a haematologist I'm seeing them in a weeks time...becasue I've been supplementing heavily since last August when my level was 4 I've only just made 16...why won't they help me? I've tried to get my levels higher but nothing has worked!

[Bioluminence]

i just feel so tired and washed out all the time! I'm also going for an endoscopy as well but i haven't even got an appointment for that yet. The gastro diagnosed gluten sensitivity so that might back up my theory that my GI tract is damaged....will they offer me some sort of boost? I've tried so many different iron supplements and the ones the doc gave me nearly turned me inside out i felt so ill on them so tried other things which were more bio available

I'm totally gluten free and supplementing heavily VIT D, B12, folate, and iron and have been for months!

will they help me i just need some hope because i can't function like this any more

please someone give me some hope????

im in UK by the way

and willing to pay! ill try anything

[radd]

BL,

If you haven't been diagnosed with Iron-deficiency anaemia, I don't think they will give you an infusion. Have you had a full iron panel - ferritin (stored iron), serum iron (circulation iron), %saturation (bound iron in serum % evaluated by measuring the ratio of serum iron and total iron-binding capacity) ? ? ...

Iron can take ages to raise and many of us have gut issues caused by low thyroid hormone that will inhibit iron absorption. Have you tackled any gut issues ? Have you looked into candida, parasites, etc ? ? ..

Have you tried Betaine with Pepsin ? ? ...this was my life saver and even after a year I continue to take very high doses. I read some have to take it forever. (Don't take with NSAIDS or with stomach ulcers).

Many of us have gluten sensitivity...it goes hand in hand with Hashimotos. If your gut is inflamed , supplementing glutamine with slippery-elm and marshmallow extract will help.

Ironically I actually suffer from iron overload ! ! ... so am not the person to advise on supplements but will say heme iron attaches to haemoglobin in blood and is found in meat, seafood, dairy and eggs. Nonheme iron absorbs into plants through soil and water so found in vegetables, grains, fortified foods and dietary supplements. You need BOTH types.

Consuming dairy products, coffee, tea, chocolate with iron can interfere with the absorption. (I often have a glass of milk with my spaghetti bolognaise to reduce red meat iron absorption ! ! ... ) ..Medicating antacids, proton pump inhibitors (to treat acid reflux) or calcium supplements with iron can inhibit absorption.

Members have recommended Ferrous Fumarate taken with a 1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation (or Apple Cider Vinegar). Solgar Gentle Iron, Spate and Floradix are gentle because they don't have much elemental iron.

Iron should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds to prevent it from binding and reducing thyroid hormone availability..

[Bioluminence in reply to radd]

pretty much know all of the above and am following most of the advice...i am currently using apple cider vinegar...i eat a very healthy diet and have been to a nutritionist who has helped me to clean up my diet.

I've been supplementing heavily with iron for the last year....August 2015 my iron was 4 its now 16 and i have been using so many supplements,

floradix, spa tone AS WELL AS iron glyconate and iron gluconate as they were deemed more bio available....ive used combinations of this for months! I've doubled up and i eat red meat and foods containing iron....seriosusly nobody has researched and tried harder i can assure you!

taking the iron on an empty stomach, with copious amounts of bit c to stop any contipation issues as well...i know the drill seriously

The gastro i saw said i was more than likely a celiac but i refused the test and she totally understood that 8 months of gluten free diet with improvelemts in gut issues HAS to be a bonus....her diagnosis was i am gluten sensitive i am going for a endoscopy at some stage...

i very rarely take any pain killers or meds for anything other than my throid and vitamins and supplants....

what hope is there now?

[radd in reply to Bioluminence]

BL,

There is obviously something inhibiting your absorption of iron and there is no point in supplementing if you can't absorb.

Have you tried the Betaine ? Without gastric acid, we don't absorb. Apple cider vinegar is ok for encouraging our own gastric acid to secrete but won't replace the missing, caused by years of low thyroid hormone.

Gastric Acid, is made on demand via the parietal cells that line the stomach every time we eat. Sometimes low thyroid hormones, various meds and aging can lower the acid level causing stomach inflammation and irritation and meaning food isn't digested properly. Protein (especially meat and so iron) requires gastric acid for digestion & absorption.

Also low amounts of bile which is reduced with low thyroid hormone ...can jeopardise proper digestion of essential fatty acids, the absorption of improperly digested fat globules, disturbing cholesterol levels and leading to deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins (Vit A, E, K and D) so I supplement Ox Bile.

Eating gluten free (if intolerant of gluten) will reduce inflammation and the histamine response. Histamine helps control stomach acid and too much will further disrupt gut issues. Everything is a vicious circle.

Have you had a full iron panel to see what is going on ? ? ...

Is your nutritionist sympathetic in particular to low thyroid hormone issues ? ? ...

.

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/hypochl...

[bluebug in reply to Bioluminence]

Floradix and spa tone have low levels of elemental iron in them so won't help you if you have any form of iron deficiency. I don't know what tablets of iron glyconate and iron gluconate you took but you need some that have at least 65mg of elemental iron in each tablet and you are suppose to take 2 per day. This is why ferrous fumerate is recommended as even though it causes bowel problems e.g. diarrhoea the majority of people can raise their iron levels on 2 tablets per day in 6 months.

If you don't have gut problems and don't have menstruation issues and the haematologist thinks you have adhered to a course of supplements, then you may have to undergo a bone marrow biopsy to see what is happening.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I wasn't even offered ferrous fumarate with under range ferritin until I'd been to see gastroentrology. Never offered an infusion, but haemotology might do it. 3 months of tablets got my ferritin to 28 and then they just lost interest.

[linda96]

Low iron could be MTHFR gene fault. Do you have low B12?