Iron(ic)

[GirlFriday]

I just got my blood test results back and my iron is pretty low, which explains some of my fatigue, breathlessness etc. My Dr told me to start taking iron tablets asap, which I did but it has made my crohns worse. A lot worse. So what to do? I know low iron is a pretty common symptom, and I'm guessing a few others here must react badly to iron tablets too, so what do you guys do?

 

[katiesue1506]

I take a product called Slow FE... its gentler and I also always take with food.

 

[kello82]

i used this brand:

http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=803

all the other ones made my tummy hurt, but this one was good.
i found it at The Vitamin Shoppe, if you have any of those near you.

lol funny title btw

 

[GirlFriday]

Haha thanks - gotta come up with a good hook to get people reading.. Replying on the other hand is another matter, Lol.

I will have a look for those products you girls mentioned. I also went into the chemist today and the lady told me about a liquid one that you put in water or juice and it is supposed to be more gentle. It's for pregnant women, but doesn't matter I guess.

 

[GirlFriday]

Hey! I am finally a full member now!

I have been waiting for that 'new member' thing to dissapear. 30 is the lucky number - who knew?

 

[s.a.m.]

I was told it takes a long time for Iron to build up to normal levels if taken orally (or at least in my case) So, I just started getting Iron via IV. I've only had one infusion, I go again this week for a second. I also have been getting B12 shots.

Anyone else get it via IV, what was your experience, did it make a noticeable difference?

 

[CD68]

I have a question about anemia since in the past I was told from time to time that I had it.

It's my understanding that there are different kinds of anemia. One kind is simply from not getting enough iron in the diet, malabsorption. Another kind is hemolytic anemia--even though you are absorbing plenty of iron the red blood cells prematurely self-destruct. Hemolytic anemia is associated with autoimmune diseases as well as Crohn's. So here goes my question...are there tests that are run to determine the cause of a Crohn's patient anemia since the treatment of the anemia depends on the cause. Are you guys told which kind you have?

Before I was diagnosed with Crohn's I was told that I was anemic but no one bothered to look into it (or that mysteriously high SED rate), just told to go home and eat some meat.

 

[chloechiller]

My iron level was pretty low last April, I was on iron tablets and I did not eat much red meat. did not help. I ended up having an iron infusion, it did the job and I've been fine ever since. And I'm eating more bolognase now.

 

[kello82]

Anyone else get it via IV, what was your experience, did it make a noticeable difference?

hey sam, ive also had iron infusions. i cant remember how many....maybe nearing 8 or so? i got them weekly and they seemed to make a big difference. my hemoglobin went up and stayed up, however i havent been back to the hematologist since then in order to check on it....something i should do.
it did take a while though for the numbers to start climbing. for the first number of infusions my blood results were up and down with no rhyme or reason.

It's my understanding that there are different kinds of anemia. One kind is simply from not getting enough iron in the diet, malabsorption. Another kind is hemolytic anemia--even though you are absorbing plenty of iron the red blood cells prematurely self-destruct. Hemolytic anemia is associated with autoimmune diseases as well as Crohn's. So here goes my question...are there tests that are run to determine the cause of a Crohn's patient anemia since the treatment of the anemia depends on the cause. Are you guys told which kind you have?

yup, my hematologist explained a similar thing to me CD, that there are a number of causes for anemia or iron deficiency. one is obviosly that you dont consume enough iron and thats where an oral supplement will help. two is an absorbtion issue where no matter if you take 498358 iron pills a day, you will still have a deficiency because you body is not absorbing. 3 is that crohns itself has shown to turn off the mechanism in the bone marrow in which the RBCs are created. so therefore, your body can have all the iron it needs, but still be anemic b/c the RBC production is crhonically impaired.

im fairly sure that the way they "test" for which type you have is by process of elimination. if taking iron pills doesnt work then clearly you arent in category 1. if iron infusions dont help you, then clearly you arent in category 2...and so on.
by testing your ferrite levels throughout whichever treatment plan they choose, theyll be able to tell what is the cause of the deficiency and anemia

re the hemolytic anemia, ive never heard that term before, but maybe we are talking about the same thing....the hematologist dexcribed it to me as the bone marrow problem, but they do sound pretty similar to each other.....hmm.