Tiffany, Sigh-D on Nostr: Some things to know about iron deficiency: The discussion on the linked toot below ...
Some things to know about iron deficiency:
The discussion on the linked toot below prompted me to share what I’ve learned about iron deficiency to try to help women with heavy periods, mostly, but for anyone with chronic fatigue.
I’ve had Crohn’s disease for 21 years and lived with bad fatigue for many years. Even when in remission. It wasn’t until I met with a hematologist while hospitalized for a weird drop in my immune system that I learned why.
She was like girl your ferritin is too low, are you fatigued?
Ferritin is the benchmark for symptoms from iron deficiency, not iron levels or even hemoglobin (Hgb). Iron and Hgb can be normal by standard reference ranges but you can totally be dragging ass.
Ferritin is what distributes iron so it can be used properly. She also said the standard range for lab tests puts the “low” end for ferritin too low. So people will report fatigue but are told they’re not anemic because technically they aren’t.
Once your ferritin drops below 50, you may start to feel effects, especially fatigue. Mine was in the low 20s at the time, so still technically normal and my hemoglobin was right on the line for low so I wasn’t considered anemic. But I was exhausted. I chalked it up to something I just had to live with.
Oral iron pills are really hard on your stomach and I can’t take them because of major nausea, so about every 18 months I get an iron infusion when my ferritin eventually drops under 50. My iron deficiency is also caused more by malabsorption than blood loss from Crohn’s. So oral supplements wouldn’t do as much in my case.
If you have heavy periods and have fatigue but are being told you’re not anemic, ask about ferritin and remember the number 50.
Iron infusions might be hard to get because they do come with risk for allergic reaction (and they’re expensive) but vitamin supplements or eating iron rich foods could help.
Hope this is helpful🫡
https://mastodon.social/@BethanyBlack/110886684776659288
The discussion on the linked toot below prompted me to share what I’ve learned about iron deficiency to try to help women with heavy periods, mostly, but for anyone with chronic fatigue.
I’ve had Crohn’s disease for 21 years and lived with bad fatigue for many years. Even when in remission. It wasn’t until I met with a hematologist while hospitalized for a weird drop in my immune system that I learned why.
She was like girl your ferritin is too low, are you fatigued?
Ferritin is the benchmark for symptoms from iron deficiency, not iron levels or even hemoglobin (Hgb). Iron and Hgb can be normal by standard reference ranges but you can totally be dragging ass.
Ferritin is what distributes iron so it can be used properly. She also said the standard range for lab tests puts the “low” end for ferritin too low. So people will report fatigue but are told they’re not anemic because technically they aren’t.
Once your ferritin drops below 50, you may start to feel effects, especially fatigue. Mine was in the low 20s at the time, so still technically normal and my hemoglobin was right on the line for low so I wasn’t considered anemic. But I was exhausted. I chalked it up to something I just had to live with.
Oral iron pills are really hard on your stomach and I can’t take them because of major nausea, so about every 18 months I get an iron infusion when my ferritin eventually drops under 50. My iron deficiency is also caused more by malabsorption than blood loss from Crohn’s. So oral supplements wouldn’t do as much in my case.
If you have heavy periods and have fatigue but are being told you’re not anemic, ask about ferritin and remember the number 50.
Iron infusions might be hard to get because they do come with risk for allergic reaction (and they’re expensive) but vitamin supplements or eating iron rich foods could help.
Hope this is helpful🫡
https://mastodon.social/@BethanyBlack/110886684776659288