Anemia

[gdomaracki]

I have had POTS for over 3 years now. Last September I started seeing a new doctor because my symptoms had become debilitating. This is when my new POTS doctor discovered that I was acutely anemic, which we figured out was due to heavy periods over the years. I tried taking iron supplements but this was horrible on my stomach and gave me internal hemmroids. So last month my POTS doctor reccomended that I see a hemotologist for possible iron injections. I obviously need to have this condition treated because my ferratin is so low that it cannot get better on its own.

So my question is how will this effect my POTS? Will this make my HR/BP irratic?

Has anyone else had to be treated with this? Did it have an interaction with the medication you were already on?

Any comments would help greatly & help calm my nerves. I'm always worried when taking new things.

Thank you & God bless!!

[mountain girl]

I did not have to have the iron injections because I was able to tolerate the iron tablets, but my Ferritin level was very low too at 7. I will tell you that I do feel better after 4 months on the iron my ferritin level is up to 28. So while I cannot give you experience with the injections, I think you will feel better if you can correct the anemia. From seeing that you live in PA I wonder if you have the same dr I do. Dr. Goodkin. I have been very pleased with him and his experience with pots. Good luck.

[lieze]

Treating your anemia should improve your POTS I would think.

I am getting tested too I also have the frequent and heavy periods.

I had some trouble with the oral iron too.

This is horrible but I've been taking the flinstones with iron because I found it didn't irritate my stomach like the other forms of iron.

I also got some slow FE at the store it's supposed to be easier on the stomach and I"m trying to take one every day in addition to my flinstones.

I did request at my visit last week with my OB to have my levels tested. I would prefer to get some help with this if I'm not keeping my levels up high enough.

Anemia *****!

lieze

[erickamcc0523]

There is some iron I was on a few years ago. I can't remember the name of it, but it was an enterically coated iron supplement, and I had a much better time tolerating those than I did regular ferrious sulfate tablets. I think that it took a bit longer than if I had regular iron supplements to correct my iron... but in any case, it was more tolerable, and eventually my iron levels went back to normal.

[Elfie]

Hey, I don't mean to hijack this thread but I have some questions about ferritin. When I was at the Mayo I had my ferritin levels tested for the first time (I've had many iron tests, but they are always normal). It was extremely low at like 3 or 4 and the G.P. I was seeing there said that the cardiologist would probably have me take iron supplements. However, the cardio told me that he wouldn't recommend doing anything because I had normal iron levels? Since then I have seen my own G.P. and he figured the cardio knew best. I am seeing a new cardio in my hometown and when I asked him he said he didn't know anything about that sort of stuff.

[mountain girl]

I will tell you what I know about ferritin level. My cbc and hemoglobin and hematacrat were on the low end of normal, so I do not know exactly how it works, but I think the ferritin is the iron stores in the body,you might google it to see, but I was to several doctors and I thought had a ferritin level drawn before, but was just told all my bloodwork was "normal". The doctor who finally treated me with iron for the low level said he does not like to see the level below 40, even though the lab normal range is I think 10-?, I cannot remember the top/high number of norm. Anyhow, if I had not changed doctors I may have never been treated with iron, and it has made a difference in how I feel. If I remember right you said you were seeing someone at the Mayo Clinic, so you would think they would know, but do some research on your own if you can before your next appt. and bring it up again. My cardiologist made the recomendation of iron, but had my primary care physician tell me what dose to take and how often. I take Ferrous Sulfate 325mg three times a day.