Lab Results, Iron Deficiency Dose

[Andyb1205]

Hi, I just wanted to inquire regarding my mother's lab results.

Vitamin D <20 (75-150)

Ferritin <10 (15-247)

RDW 15.8 (11.5-14.5)

B12 199 (153-655)

TSH 3.82 (0.32-5.04)

She is deficient in Vitamin D and Iron, low in B12, and the TSH needs to be lower.

The doctor was in a rush and prescribed her 150mg Feramax iron pills and told her to take one a day, or two a day if she wishes, along with 500mg of Vitamin C daily for absorption. Is 150-300mg a good dose for iron deficiency?

The doctor told her to take 1000mg of Vitamin D daily which is way too little, but I will ask the doctor next week for a prescription of 50,000 D3 a week for two months which is what I had taken myself to raise my levels. I will also advise my mother to self-supplement B12 2500mg daily along with a Thorne B-Complex. In a couple months reducing to 10,000 D3 a week and 1000mg B12 should be good.

While the TSH is high I think it's best if my mother gets retested for her deficiencies in two months after supplementation. At that time I will ask the doctor to run a full thyroid panel including T3, T4, and antibodies. But yes while from personal experience I have a good idea on how much to supplement I've never had a problem with iron so thought I'd ask you kind people for advise on that.

Thanks!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Andyb1205 Apparently Feramax contains​ 150mg elemental iron (according to their website) which is the highest amount of elemental iron in a supplement I've seen. Normally doctors prescribe Ferrous Fumerate which has about 65mg elemental iron and usually prescribe two a day.

It might be wise for your mom to start with one Feramax daily and take it with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation. If she finds that OK she could try one twice daily.

To be perfectly honest, with a ferritin level <10 I would have hoped an iron infusion could be given as that would bring the level up within 24-48 hours.

It would also have been a very good idea for the doctor to do an iron panel, full blood count and haemoglobin test to see if there is any iron deficiency anaemia.

It would help if your mom started eating liver, 200g a week maximum. As a meal on it's own or minced and added to any meat dishes. There are other iron rich foods she could ensure she includes in her diet on these charts

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

**

You are right to ask for more Vit D. Don't forget that it has important cofactors that are needed, read about them here

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

K2-MK7 and magnesium are the ones most talked about here, but check the other cofactors too.

**

With a B12 level of 199 I'd be starting with 5000mcg sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges and after a couple of months reduce to 1000mcg. Recommended level is very top of range, even 900-1000.

[Andyb1205 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Her hemoglobin and blood count seems good.

Hemoglobin 127 (115-155)

RBC 4.51 (3.5-5.0)

WBC 4.8 (4.0-10.0)

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Andyb1205]

Well, they're in range. Whether they are in the best place within the range I don't know.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I think she might need an iron infusion and B12 injections (and an investigation from gastroenterology as to why her levels are so low).

[Andyb1205 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I wouldn't be surprised if her thyroid has something to do with her vitamin deficiencies. I myself had low B12 and Vitamin D deficiency, though good iron, and currently take Synthroid.