Low Iron Saturation - Dizziness And Lightheadness All Day
Oct 13, 2014
I am so confused. All my other blood works is okay... I am low normal range for all other red blood cell related tests but I am SUPER low on Iron saturation (6% and I used to be 41%), Ferritin of 18, Iron level of 24 (used to be 130).
I am light headed and dizzy all day along with hair loss, poor concentration.
BUT my doctor said dizziness shouldn't be a sign of if iron saturation low is all there is and not low in RBC or Hemog tests. I was hoping taking iron will heal me but I guess not?
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I was diagnosed with Hemochromatosis over 1 years and undertook regular blood lettings until my ferritin dropped from 700 ish to 35.
The reason I knew something was up was because I was tired, stressed and my emotions were just not what the use to be. I also felt as if I was in a constant brain fog.
However, even know with my reduced levels I don't feel great. I have undertaken some EDTA Chelation and feel great when this is done, having checked my bloods before and after - this reduces my iron, ferritin and Transferrin Saturation.
Is there a way to reduce TS to normal or near normal levels.
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Headaches, cold sweaty feet, inner tremors in legs, anxiety, dizziness, "clogged" feeling in ears, lightheadedness...
When i counted how much iron I probably got from the food yesterday, it was around 2-4 mg, which of most is not absorbed correctly as iron I guess?
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I am a 25 year old Male from Ireland (both parents are Irish) and I recently attended the doctor because I found two lumps, one under each armpit (one painful,one not). I asked the doctor what this could be and she told me they were probably blocked sweat glands. She wrote a prescription for some antibiotics and that was almost that. Before I left, I also mentioned that I had been getting persistent pressure like headaches in the top right corner of my forehead. They were not severe, merely an annoyance but their persistence was what worried me.
When I told the Doctor this she said it would be best if I had blood tests done.
I had the tests done and everything came back normal apart from my Iron levels. My transferrin Saturation was at 61%. My iron level was 36.8 umol and my TIBS was at 61 as well.
The doctor wrote on the results that a transferrin saturation above 55% was highly indicative of Hereditary Hemochromatosis (94% predictive).
I spoke with my parents and asked if there was a family history and found out that in fact, my whole family have a history of low iron levels and vitamin B12 deficiency.
The same applied with my brothers and sisters (family of 5).
Shouldn't there be a history of at least one family member with high iron levels?
Is there any way that transferrin saturation levels can be raised temporarily and result is a flawed blood test?
I gave a second blood test yesterday but was told that the screening process for hemochromatosis takes 10-12 weeks.
I have read up so much about the disease in the past two days and have really worried myself so if you have any information or previous experience it would be great if you could share.
Could any of the following have affected my results:
I Binge Drink once a fortnight/month
I Smoke 10-15 a day
I Eat a lot of takeaway food.
I Was taking Centrum Advance supplements sporadically in the lead up to the blood test.
This has been a wakeup call for me so I immediately quit smoking and focused on improving my diet.
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I have dizziness everyday while walking, standing as well as feeling off balance, unsteady on my feet like I am gonna fall over. I have had my ears checked by an ENT doctor in 2014 and he said I had meniere's disease so he treated it as that but medicine didn't help so went to another ENT doctor in 2015 who said I don't have meniere's disease but have hearing loss in both ears and did a test on my vestibular function which he said was normal so he referred me to a neurologist and I went and had an MRI done which was normal as well. I have had blood work done in November last year and my white blood count was a little high but not concerning and everything else was normal....no diabetes. Also had a stress test done on heart and was normal. I am at my wits end with this cause I don't know what's going on. I plan to see an eye doctor soon. Oh and I was diagnosed with anxiety 4 months ago but this dizziness and off balance feeling has been going on for 2 years now. I am on blood pressure medicine too. don't know what else to do. Does anyone have these same symptoms ?
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I've been dizzy and "drunk" feeling since the end if march every day constantly. I don't know what it could be. I haven't gone back to the doc since they told me it was inner ear fluid build up. It came on after some extreme stress in my life started. What should I do? Go back to the doc?
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could i ask other sufferers of D.D If they are suffering from iron deficiency due to drastic change in their diet ? Due to not eating vegetables and other iron producing foods ,and would it be wise to take an iron supplement?
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l have iron deficiency anemia had 3 infusions. The first 2 l had in hospital and l felt normal after a week, it lasted 2 weeks now l have all the symptoms back so the doctor gave me another infusion a week ago which hasn't worked yet. l have a burning feeling in my toes and find it hard to walk as l feel week is that from not having enough iron. lm so sick of feeling this way
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Since my symptoms started over two years ago (I was 22), I have lost 70% of my hair. My iron status at the onset of symptoms:
Hemoglobin 13.5 (11.7-15.5)
Hematocrit 39.3% (25-40)
Iron, total 160 (4-175)
Ferritin 18 (10-154)
After supplementing with 150mg of elemental iron for 6 months (per a dermatologist that diagnosed me with telogen effluvium and advised that I increase my ferritin to 70-80 to stop hair loss):
Hemoglobin 13.1 (11.1-15.9)
Hematocrit 39.6 (34-46.6)
Iron, total 103 (35-155)
Ferritin 62 (13-150)
Reticulocyte count 0.6 (06-2.5)
After supplementing with 100mg of elemental iron for about a year after that:
Hemoglobin 13.9 (11.1-15.9)
Hematocrit 42.0 (34.0-46.6)
Iron, total 82 (35-155)
Ferritin 59 (15-150)
Iron saturation 28% (15-55)
TIBC 291 (250-450)
Reticulocyte count 0.4 (0.6-2.6)
I stopped taking iron supplements because I was not getting better, and because I had a few doctors tell me that I should not be on iron supplements because my hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, and RBCs were in the normal range. So I stopped for 3 weeks. Yesterday, I had a ferritin test done with a result of 87. This makes absolutely no sense considering I have not taken an iron supplement.
A physician I saw theorized that I could possibly have anemia of chronic disease, due to a low reticulocyte count, low TIBC and normal MCV. But that doesn't make sense to me either because although my ferritin did increase for some strange reason, it was on the low side before I started supplementing. And, my RBC, hemoglobin, and hematocrit have always been in range, and do not vary much despite supplementation.
I'm nervous that I shouldn't be supplementing with iron. In addition, my TSH (3.3), and midrange FT3 and FT4 have not changed despite supplementation--one physician theorized that maybe if I increase my ferritin levels, my thyroid levels will get better and I will stop losing my hair. Also, when I went on Naturethroid (went up to 2 grains over 6 months), my TSH decreased, but my FT3 and FT4 did as well--I felt awful.
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Hb 3.7 iron deficiency anaemia
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After noticing a recent decrease in my athletic performance, I sent a message to my doctor early last week. My primary care physician ordered blood work and sent me to a hematologist in oncology. The hematologist said it was "very unlikely" cancer and ordered more blood work. Further blood work confirmed I have iron deficiency anemia.
All my blood work was normal apart from the indices related to iron deficiency. Ferritin was low, indicating iron deficiency and not anemia of chronic disease. Bone marrow is producing a normal amount of red blood cells. I have not recently donated or lost substantial quantities of blood. I have not had any tarry stools or seen blood in my stool. A rectal exam was negative for the presence of blood. (This test involved a doctor inserting a gloved finger into my rectum and then testing the glove for blood.) I have no bruising and my blood clots normally. I have not seen any blood in my urine. I have no other ongoing health conditions.
For the last 5 years, I have run 52 miles a week. I eat very little red meat, no more than a few times a year. I do regularly eat poultry, fish, and eggs. I have had semi-frequent nose bleeds, averaging one a month, since childhood.
The hematologist put me on a high potency iron supplement -- 130mg of iron and 250mg of vitamin c per day.
All my doctors have discounted the possibility the anemia could have been caused by my running, despite there being ample evidence in medical journals that excessive exercise can lead to iron deficiency.
If it's not cancer and i'm not losing blood through my gastrointestinal tract, what is causing it? I do feel improved since starting the iron supplement on Monday, but my athletic performance is not where I'd like it to be. I don't have any further doctor visits scheduled at this time. I am to have blood work in 1-2 months to test my iron levels again.
My blood work is below:
IRON 24
TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 380
IRON/TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 6%
FERRITIN 5.6
VIT B12 549
FOLATE 17.62
RETICULOCYTE COUNT, ABSOLUTE 2.5
WBC'S AUTO3.4
RBC, AUTO4.52
HGB 10.6
HEMATOCRIT34.2
MCV 75.6
MCH 23.5
MCHC 31.0
RDW, BLOOD18.0
PLATELETS, AUTOMATED COUNT 206
MPV 8.7
CHOLESTEROL 127
HDL 43
CHOLESTEROL, NON-HDL 84
TRIGLYCERIDE 48
LDL 74
HGBA1C 5.4
GLUCOSE POST FAST 87
BUN 21
CREATININE1.2
TOTAL PROTEIN6.6
ALBUMIN 4.8
GLOBULIN1.8
ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO, SERUM/PLASMA 2.7
CALCIUM 9.4
AST 21
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 51
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.8
LDH 157
PHOSPHATE, BLD, QN 4.2
URIC ACID5.3
TSH,BLD,QN1.680
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has anyone stuck with a low iron diet. Have you found the results to be beneficial. I will do anything to avoid more blood draws!
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I have been low iron since i was born. Only recently has my doctor been checking my levels and trying to raise my iron from anaemia. My doctor says that i should be getting between 800 - 1000 mg of iron a day. That means i have to take an iron pill four times a day. So when should i take the pills? Do i take them right after or before meals? I will go back in two months and they will draw blood to see if my iron has improved. I am just wondering what to do in the meantime to improve my iron results?
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I've been on ferrous fumarate for 3 months and doctor says my results are improving (hemoglobin has reached normal and ferritin has went from 1 to 12)
My symptoms were continuing so I was tested for B12 deficiency and got result today. B12 came back as 276. The doctor left a message to say continue with iron for 3 months and that was it! I am really down as I don't know whether the iron will up my B12 or not? I don't know if this means my B12 is on the up or if the iron tablet has nothing to do with it?
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I've just heard from my GPS surgery that my most recent blood test shows I have virtually no iron! As I have several autoimmune diseases including autoimmune hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE (lupus), Raynauds, Sjogrens, acquired autoimmune hypothyroidism) , I'm rather afraid that this could be pernicious anaemia or hemolytic anaemia, as I've never had a low iron level until now. I was taken off methotrexate due to respiratory problems (side effect) and am on prednisone 25mg/day. Does anyone have any experience of sudden iron deficiency please?
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I'm 39 weeks and 3 days. I'm so exhausted and thirsty all day. Does anyone know why? My Iron is fine as well
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Okay, so I was diagnosed with anemia about 2 years ago. I'm pretty sure that I've had this since I started high school, which was almost 8 years ago. 2 years ago my doc said my hemoglobin was 10.1 and told me to take iron supplements to improve it. I had to stop due to the side effects, but I recently started taking liquid iron supps. My anemia is more than likely caused by my periods, which have been extremely heavy for years, and I have to schedule an appt with the OBGYN soon. Lately, I've noticed that my periods have been getting heavier and shorter. Also, the month or 2 I've been feeling like my symptoms are getting worse. I have SOB, and I feel like I can't breathe in enough air(feels like a pressure in my chest). I also have had lightheadedness, weakness, extreme exhaustion (to the point where I sometimes have to miss school because I am too tired to get out of bed), PICA, trouble focusing, and I have been extremely pale for a few years. I thought I was just being stupid so I tried to get through this on my own for a while, but now my SOB and chest pressure won't go away and I am so exhausted that I don't know how much longer I can do this. I have a really busy schedule but I feel like my body is going to give out if I keep going on like this. I don't know what to do anymore. I didn't go back to the doc for so long because I figured my iron is probably not even going to be really low and I'm one of those people that doesn't like to go to the er unless I'm dying or in severe pain. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to improve my sx? I'm definitely going to try to go see the doc about this. It's frustrating because I feel like no one understands what I'm going through, but it seems like people on here know a lot about anemia so I thought I'd come here to ask for help.
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Will iron tablets help in low period flow to become normal?
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Hi all not good today GP refusing to give me Iron tablets even though I feel very tired. Says I am not low on Iron. Read online though that some docs don't even check the iron levels just the blood count. GP is ringing me tomorrow morning so I will ask her if my iron level has been checked (if it's below 50 then I am lacking iron) Feel really tired. If they don't give them me I will self medicate I don't care. You can get iron tablets from the pound shop. I'm so angry with the surgery.
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I had a baby back in April 2014 at which time my other labs were within normal limits except for my Hgb and Hct (7 and 24 I believe). I recently followed up with my primary care doctor for symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath (especially with exertion), and the biggest symptom- extreme fatigue. When I get up in the morning I feel like I've never slept, and by the afternoon I feel like I need to go back to bed for the rest of the day. I realize I have a 3, almost 4 month old baby, but she sleeps through the night for the most part, so it's not like I'm not sleeping at all through the night. I had labs drawn last week and the main results were as follows:
Ferritin, Serum- 7 (15-150)
TIBC- 415 (250-450)
UIBC- 368 (150-375)
iron saturation- 11 (15-55 %)
iron, serum- 47 (35-155)
rbc- 4.93 (3.77-5.28)
hemoglobin- 11.5 (11.1-15.9)
hematocrit- 37.5 (34.0-46.6)
mcv- 76 (79-97)
mch- 23.3 (26.6-33.0)
mchc- 30.7 (31.5-35.7)
rdw- 17.1 (12.3-15.4)
platelets- 317
WBCs, Thyroid, B12, and HgA1C all looked good. From what I've read, it seems that I may have iron deficiency, but because the hemoglobin and hematocrit are within normal limits it is not classified as anemia. What I don't understand is I just spoke with my Dr. office, and the nurse said the doctor checked off my lab results and didn't put a note in that she needed to see me for a follow-up. The nurse asked me if I had any concerns about my lab results. I guess I'm just not sure if my lab results are "off" enough to be causing my symptoms, or if something else is going on. Should I be started on iron supplements? I'm just not sure where to go from here.
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I initially found out I had mild iron deficiency about 6 months ago and the GP didn't tell me to take anything. I've been taking floradix on/off (finished a bottle) and redid my blood work with a new GP. The results seem to have gotten slightly worse, but this new GP also just recommended to take a multivitamin. Neither doctor seemed concerned. Anyway, here are the latest results (this new doctor didn't test ferritin; my old result 6 months ago was a 3)
Hemoglobin - 11 (low)
MCV - 78 (low)
MCH - 25.2 (low)
RDW - 15.6% (high)
TIBC - 538 (high)
UIBC - 480 (high)
Iron Saturation - 11% (low)
Iron Serum - 58 (normal)
Vitamin B12 - 348 (normal)
Anyone know exactly how bad my case is? I am located in NYC; if anyone has a good doctor that takes iron deficiency more seriously, can they recommend the doctor?
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