I have been anemic or close to it for years...low ferritin, low iron, etc.. I had surgery in January and lost 2 1/2 pints of blood.
supplemented with iron for about 2 months...labs came into the low normal range.
now a month or two later, my iron, transferritin, iron binding and ferritin are all high normal. Iron is 217 range= 50-170.
I don't understand how i could go sooo low to so high.......in such a short time.
anyone else with high iron?
Posted by Annelet (Member # 13503) on :
It may be that you have an iron-loading disorder....possibly Hemochromatosis, which is a common genetic disease, particularly in people of Celtic descent.
I had abnormal iron tests and got the genetic test done and have HHC. When I was treated, some of the symptoms that I had attributed to Lyme went away.
It may be that you have an iron-loading disorder....possibly Hemochromatosis, which is a common genetic disease, particularly in people of Celtic descent.
I had abnormal iron tests and got the genetic test done and have HHC. When I was treated, some of the symptoms that I had attributed to Lyme went away.
I have extremely high iron but I attribute it to the iron in our drinking water, which comes from a well. The water turns everything orange because of the iron content.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Thanks for the link Annelet. Neff, it's not good to have high levels of iron...it can ruin our organs.
do you do anything about it?
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
A friend of mine who was having symptoms very much like lyme was diagnosed with hemochromatosis. Her treatment is to make blood donations.
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
Also, are you still taking the iron supplements? Late last Fall I tested extremely low for iron. I supplemented. By April the levels had jumped 125 points. Maybe stop taking the supplements and retest in a couple months?
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
No, I don't do anything for high iron. I am careful not to supplement though. In fact I won't give my horses supplements unless it has no iron.
greengirl, we couldn't give blood without infecting someone. I am listed as an organ donor but I need to change that. Imagine transferring lyme to someone via one of my organs and them taking steriods to prevent rejection. It would surely kill them.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Seee, it's this illness. Iron levels are usually very slow to come up. A jump of 100 or more points in a few months is a lot!
I haven't been supplementing since my numbers went into the low normal range.
Anyway, I tt my doctor and he said the ferritin levels are what is most important and mine are still in the low normal range, so treatment to lower the iron (draining blood) would probably send me back into anemia.
He believes that the increased iron is a result of the destruction of red blood cells from this lovely illness.
He mentioned hemochromotosis and hemolytic anemia, but the rest of my blood resuts would not suggest this....no tx. at present time. We are watching the levels.