Anemia and Iron Defiency

[Valsmum]

Hello,
I had my labs done last week and my anemia keeps getting worse, which I know is par for the course if I have RA. But when the labs were done they specifically had the iron binding capacity and iron saturaturation done as well. So my iron is 10 and should be between 35-145, and % iron saturation is 3 and should be between 20-50.

I read taking an iron supplement won’t help the kind of anemia I have (Anemia of Chronic Disease)
because once I get to the source which is my infection and the inflamation lifts, so should my anemia.But last time my iron was normal and now it’s not,so I’m thinking I should take an iron supplement ???
I’m a little concerned because my hemoglobin is at 8.8 and should be at 11.5-15.5 and I was hoping someone can tell they have been there and done that and tell me what they did to get better. I have an appt. with my hemoltolgist on Monday and so I might feel a little better on Monday knowing he can help me resolve this…hopefully.

Thanks again.
Sheri

[kathy1963]

Hi Sherri. My hemo went down to 3.3 because of watermelon stomach. I was taking oral iron but my stomach was not absorbing it. I was started on IV iron weekly. My hemo levels started to go up immediatly. Then I was getting IV iron monthly. I am now getting it every 2-3 months. I get the iron infusions at the local hospital. It takes about 2 hours.
I just had an endoscopy on Friday and my stomach is nearly all better. As long as I continue getting monthly blood tests to see where my hemo is sitting and get iron as needed the problem with anemia is over. Hopefully thats all you will need too. Kathy

[Valsmum]

Hi Kathy,

Thank you so much for your reply, it’s nice to know it can be somewhat easily resolved. It’s been a weird year, I’ve always been so healthy and now everything is going crazy. I really apprecite your experience, thank you again.
Good health to you this new year, take care.
Sheri

[Bill]

It resolves as the disease improves. More green veggie, Raisins, and clean lean red meat. As you make progress at killing the infection it will get better in my humble opinion as it did for me.

Bill

[Valsmum]

Thank you Bill. Anemia also runs in my family too,I will take your advice on the green veggies,
the greener the better.
-Sheri

[SusanSD]

I have been somewhat anemic even before SD like when I was pregnant, but the iron supplements didn’t do anything except make me feel constipated. So I’ve been taking unsulphured molasses almost daily for 2 years now to boost my iron intake and I’m no longer anemic but as Bill and others have said, my symptoms have gotten better so maybe it’s not the molasses. Regardless, I am still taking the molasses, just in case it did help. And having molasses came in handy today when I was out of brown sugar, and who knew you could make your own with molasses and regular sugar?

Best of luck on beating your anemia.

[Valsmum]

Thank you Susan for your mollasses recomendation, what is SO funny is I made a lot of gingerbread men cookies with the kids yesterday and I ate at least 4 cookies, so I know I consumed at least a tablespoon of mollasses yesterday. I had never heard about mollases and it’s benefits, so thank you.
-Sheri

[SusanSD]

Sheri – wish I could sample some of your gingerbread cookies! Too bad there isn’t an emoticon for “delicious”.

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