Very low haemoglobin percentage

[Guest guest]

Sally,

I too suffered from a very low Ferritin level (13), after being on 10 years of Prilosec resulting in low stomach acid and malabsorption of nutrients. While many doctors had checked me for years for anemia, it was only the sleep doctor who checked my ferritin, because low ferritin can result in restless legs. After a year of iron supplements, my ferritin never rose above 23 and so my holistic MD administered four iron infusions and my level is now 90. (Optimal level 100-150).

Anyone is who suffering from relentless fatigue, especially after exercise or exertion, should be checked for low ferritin.

LesaIBS, 2 yearsSCD since 9/07

Gitte,I don't know about whether this is exactly the same measure, but my son's ferratin level is a 3 (should be 10-105, and the doctor considers even that range low) and what he called hemoglobin is 8.5 (not sure of normal range, but this was low, so must be different scale than you refer to).He has the same type of fatigue you are describing.We finally started him on iron IV therapy last Thursday. Our pediatrician had suggested it in January, but wanted us to get it through the pediatric GI we were seeing. She (ped GI) then made it seem like such a risky thing - had to have it done in the hospital, could go into anaphylaxis shock, etc. - that it scared us into postponing it. Along the way, we found a holistic MD who is extremely knowledgeable about nutrition and explained that at least part of the cause in Mark's case is the fact that he was on Prilosec (prescribed by the same idiot pedicatric GI) for so long, that he had NO digestive acids being made. Without digestive acids, you cannot absorb iron (or many other nutrients). The doctor has this book in his waitng room.http://www.amazon.com/Why-Stomach-Acid-Good-You/dp/0871319314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid=1205174840 & sr=1-1He feels Prilosec is more dangerous than prednisone. [OT: Apparently there are ways to administer prednisone to reduce the side effects. Unfortunately the ped GI didn't have a clue and my son suffered from horrid acne that is finally calming down after having tapered off at end of Jan.]This holistic doctor has a nurse come in his office twice a week to give various types of IV therapy, including iron. I was very concerned about having it done in the office after the scare the ped GI gave us. But he explained that he uses a safer version of iron and there was no risk.Of course when we went for the appt, I envisioned ambulances rushing to the office after the IV started and held my breath at first. But it went very smoothly with no complications.They explained it usually takes at least 4 IVs (one/week) to feel a difference. So we'll be going for #2 on Thursday.If you look into this, you may find these links helpful.http://www.fpnotebook.com/HEM169.htmhttp://www.thedrugmonitor.com/iron.htmlMy son got the Sodium ferric gluconate version.Good luck to you.Sallygittealbertsen wrote:

Hi. I was at my doc today and found out I have a very low haemoglobin percentage. It's 5.9, whereas the normal is between 7 and 10 (I don't know if this is an intl. way of measuring it or this is only in Denmark and makes absolutely no sence to anybody else?). It's so low I can hardly stand and I have to do something drastic about it right away. I would be very grateful to have some advice from some with that experience too. I've read that iron supplements in general are not SCD legal? Could I use cod liver, for instance? Or...?Thanks in advance!GitteDenmarkCD 30ySCD 1y

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[Guest guest]

Hi. I was at my doc today and found out I have a very low haemoglobin

percentage. It's 5.9, whereas the normal is between 7 and 10 (I don't

know if this is an intl. way of measuring it or this is only in Denmark

and makes absolutely no sence to anybody else?). It's so low I can

hardly stand and I have to do something drastic about it right away. I

would be very grateful to have some advice from some with that

experience too. I've read that iron supplements in general are not SCD

legal? Could I use cod liver, for instance? Or...?

Thanks in advance!

Gitte

Denmark

CD 30y

SCD 1y

[Guest guest]

Gitte,

I don't know about whether this is exactly the same measure, but my

son's ferratin level is a 3 (should be 10-105, and the doctor considers

even that range low) and what he called hemoglobin is 8.5 (not sure of

normal range, but this was low, so must be different scale than you

refer to).

He has the same type of fatigue you are describing.

We finally started him on iron IV therapy last Thursday.

Our pediatrician had suggested it in January, but wanted us to get it

through the pediatric GI we were seeing. She (ped GI) then made it seem

like such a risky thing - had to have it done in the hospital, could go

into anaphylaxis shock, etc. - that it scared us into postponing it.

Along the way, we found a holistic MD who is extremely knowledgeable

about nutrition and explained that at least part of the cause in Mark's

case is the fact that he was on Prilosec (prescribed by the same idiot

pedicatric GI) for so long, that he had NO digestive acids being made.

Without digestive acids, you cannot absorb iron (or many other

nutrients). The doctor has this book in his waitng

room.http://www.amazon.com/Why-Stomach-Acid-Good-You/dp/0871319314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid=1205174840 & sr=1-1

He feels Prilosec is more dangerous than prednisone. [OT: Apparently

there are ways to administer prednisone to reduce the side effects.

Unfortunately the ped GI didn't have a clue and my son suffered from

horrid acne that is finally calming down after having tapered off at

end of Jan.]

This holistic doctor has a nurse come in his office twice a week to

give various types of IV therapy, including iron. I was very concerned

about having it done in the office after the scare the ped GI gave us.

But he explained that he uses a safer version of iron and there was no

risk.

Of course when we went for the appt, I envisioned ambulances rushing to

the office after the IV started and held my breath at first. But it

went very smoothly with no complications.

They explained it usually takes at least 4 IVs (one/week) to feel a

difference. So we'll be going for #2 on Thursday.

If you look into this, you may find these links helpful.

http://www.fpnotebook.com/HEM169.htm

http://www.thedrugmonitor.com/iron.html

My son got the Sodium ferric gluconate version.

Good luck to you.

Sally

gittealbertsen wrote:

Hi. I was at my doc today and found out I have a very low

haemoglobin

percentage. It's 5.9, whereas the normal is between 7 and 10 (I don't

know if this is an intl. way of measuring it or this is only in Denmark

and makes absolutely no sence to anybody else?). It's so low I can

hardly stand and I have to do something drastic about it right away. I

would be very grateful to have some advice from some with that

experience too. I've read that iron supplements in general are not SCD

legal? Could I use cod liver, for instance? Or...?

Thanks in advance!

Gitte

Denmark

CD 30y

SCD 1y

[Guest guest]

Hey Marilyn,

Do you know of a source of vitamin C that isn't derived from corn? I

am anemic too and wondering what I would eat with the liver so I

absorb the iron properly? Do I take the Vitamin C with it? Can I eat

a food with vitamin C with the liver?

Thanks,

Jodi

> are getting enough Vitamin C as that helps

> absorption. You might also be checked for folic

> acid and B-12 levels, as those can be factors in anemia.

[Guest guest]

At 06:24 PM 3/10/2008, you wrote:

Do you know of a source of

vitamin C that isn't derived from corn? I am anemic too and wondering

what I would eat with the liver so I absorb the iron properly? Do I take

the Vitamin C with it? Can I eat a food with vitamin C with the

liver?

I don't personally have an issue with corn-derived Vitamin C, so I

haven't specifically researched the issue.

You might find that this site

http://www.cornallergens.com/products/corn-free-medicines.php

which I found by doing a Google on " corn free Vitamin C, " would

have some leads for you.

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund