Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Jo, My Iron levels and ferretin was normal but I still had no iron stores. As a precaution I would take the iron anyway as I would never have known what my iron stores were except for my biopsy. I had no measurable iron in my marrow. So you can show a normal ferretin on the low side and still be in trouble. If someone looked at my labs without the biopsy, they would never see the problem I have. As a side mention, The doc who used to do my pain management said my anemia was my fault because I was overdosing on iron orally. He said that if you take too much iron your body doesn't absorb it as a reaction to prevent overdosing the body. He said that babies are born with a normal iron level from the mother and does not absorb iron. He said that when they use up the reserves from the mother then the body sends signals to the gut to absorb iron and they start absorbing it as needed. So until a baby has a Hgb drop they don't use their own iron. (I hope i am making sense) He also cited a tribe in africa who all died from iron poisoning after white men introduced them to cooking in Iron pots. So anyway it is an interesting theory, But I'm to chicken to test out his theory...LOL. Mel In a message dated 12/21/2008 2:18:45 P.M. Central Standard Time, moobabies@... writes: Your Ferritin is a Iron Storage Protein. With your ferritin being low you don't have much " reserve " . Iron deficiency anemia comes on gradually. When your rate of iron loss exceeds the amount of iron you absorb from the gut, iron stores are slowly used up. At this stage, ferritin will be low, but serum iron and TIBC are usually normal and there is no anemia. **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Jo, I haven't asked that.... I did ask why I had no iron in my marrow and Dr Parmar(Hemmetology oncologist) Said " I don't know " . And he's supposed to be the expert..LOL. For 6 weeks now my fingers have been numb. I started on neurontin and saw the pain doc who wants me to see yet another Neurologist. I am waiting on a cervical CT. I wondered about carpal tunnel but both hands started at the same time? Besides I don't have much pain, Just arthritis tha aches when the weather gets cold< Like today when we had a 70 degree Saturday and the low tonight is going to be 17. The decadron dose pack has eased the arhritis a little but the numbness is the same. Also doesn't the carpal tunnel hurt at night? When the hands are at rest And it wouldn't make my shoulders hurt. This is frustrating. On the plus side see my post about bowels! Yipee! mel In a message dated 12/22/2008 12:09:10 A.M. Central Standard Time, moobabies@... writes: Does your doctors have any theories as to why your marrow iron stores are void? Also, do you think this bone form of anemia plays a part with your fibro pain? Hugs **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Bonnie, Try adding in thyroid...LOL. Mel In a message dated 12/22/2008 12:19:47 A.M. Central Standard Time, moobabies@... writes: I just don't know if there are enough hours in the day to space out my 3000+ mg of calcium and then space that from the iron. I guess I'll have to make up some sort of schedule. **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Jo, Thanks for all the info. Since this has never been a problem for me I have never paid much attention to all this. But, as you say, things change as we get farther out. Because of this site I have paid more attention to all things DS related. I have learned a lot here and the support from everyone is wonderful. Thank you for that. Don't pat me on the back about my labs, tho. I was months late getting them. But after this last test, I'll bet I do better in the future. I will start taking iron. I just don't know if there are enough hours in the day to space out my 3000+ mg of calcium and then space that from the iron. I guess I'll have to make up some sort of schedule. Bonnie ________________________________ To: DS_Friends_Keshishian Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 12:18:24 PM Subject: Re: New Labs Should I be taking iron? ============ ===== Bonnie I'm not " medical " so my advice is worthless. But... I would take Iron. I do take Iron, even though it has never been prescribed to me...And I just barely stay out of the anemia range. JUST BARELY. Your Ferritin is a Iron Storage Protein. With your ferritin being low you don't have much " reserve " . Iron deficiency anemia comes on gradually. When your rate of iron loss exceeds the amount of iron you absorb from the gut, iron stores are slowly used up. At this stage, ferritin will be low, but serum iron and TIBC are usually normal and there is no anemia. As iron deficiency worsens, serum iron levels fall, TIBC and transferrin rise, and anemia starts to develop. With prolonged or severe iron deficiency, the red cells become small and pale. If you decide to take Iron. Take it on an empty stomach with something acidic. Like vitamin C or a juice like orange juice. Nothing else. Wait an hour or two then start taking your calcium and vitamins. Ferrous Fumarate is a recommended " type " of iron to take. (I personally take Vitron-C..just because it is the appropriate 'type' of iron and it comes Combo-ed with vitamin C...so I'm good to go. (ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF YOUR DOSE OR CONDITION may be needed if you are taking tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics, penicillamine, or thyroid hormones.) The following website is just to show you a picture of it with some info. Not as a suggested ordering site. I know vitalady.net carries it. I have ordered it from rite-aid and Costco. I have found it In- stock at CVS pharmacy. Shop around for a good deal. Also...I'm not saying that YOU should take Vitron-C. I'm just supplying the info because experience has taught me that once I say what I take others want the info....so I'm just going ahead and providing the " what I take " info. http://www.medshope xpress.com/ 125610.html Bonnie, this is why it is important to do our labs every year, regardless of how far out we are or how good our labs have been in the past. We never know when we need to tweak our supplements. So congrats to you for doing your follow ups! YEA!!!! About your PTH. Vitamin D deficiency is being said to be at epidemic levels in the USA and Canada. Recently they doubled the " recommended " daily allowance. (for normies). Look at your labs and if your Magnesium levels are on the low side...add some magnesium as you need that to help absorb your calcium. Also...go to the Dssurgery.com website and look at the recent 2 December newsletter. There is some very important info about absorbing calcium and if you are running a bit acidic or alkaline. Hugs Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 Mel, Actually I do take thyroid meds. So, what does that mean as far as all the dosing goes? Bonnie ________________________________ To: DS_Friends_Keshishian Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 10:42:45 PM Subject: Re: Re: New Labs Bonnie, Try adding in thyroid...LOL. Mel In a message dated 12/22/2008 12:19:47 A.M. Central Standard Time, moobabieshotmail (DOT) com writes: I just don't know if there are enough hours in the day to space out my 3000+ mg of calcium and then space that from the iron. I guess I'll have to make up some sort of schedule. ************ **One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol. com/?optin= new-dp & icid= aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolco m00000025) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 I get real cranky if I have to get up in the middle of the night because I can never get back to sleep. You're sure right about the " golden years " . I have to use my toes too in order to count all the surgeries I've had in the last ten years. And, unfortunatley, none of them were cosmetic. Bonnie ________________________________ To: DS_Friends_Keshishian Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 8:10:05 AM Subject: Re: New Labs > Bonnie, > Try adding in thyroid...LOL. > Mel > ============ ========= ==== Ya know how older folks have more problems sleeping through the night? Maybe that is natures way of giving you enough hours to get in all your meds that can't be taken with other stuff! The Golden years my butt...It's more like the rusty rustic years...lol. Hugs Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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