Low Iron

[Atooraya]

I have question on how to maintain sufficient iron level. It seems my monthly Neph  visits go really well except my iron level. When they give.me the Iron IV it's good for about 6 weeks. Thenit goes too low and i gotta get the IV. Does anyone else suffer from this. And how do u avoid the Iron IV?

[rsudock]

I heard people say they cook their food in cast iron skillets to get more iron in their food...but I don't think that is really reliable. Are you taking Iron supplement pills? It can be hard on your stomach but the best way to get the most Iron absorbed is to take the pills on a empty stomach with OJ. Iron loves an acidic environment....

[billybags]

My husband has been on APD for about 2 years and just lately his iron has had to be topped up. He is also on Arenespo. Our nurse said this is normal in renal patients. He had to have 2 infusions last week, took about 30 min and is due for another one on Friday. I have put this down to lack of appetite and he has gone completely off red meat. He really used to like his red meat, steaks, stews occasional pie. Our dietitian said he should eat red meat. What can you do. He is not taking iron supplements, because too much iron is not good for you. I didn't realize that they have to be careful about the amount they infuse you with because it is toxic.

[Atooraya]

Thanks all for the feedback.
I guess I'll try the SloFe iron supplement. I'm concerned about possible constipation. But the alternative is the iron IV. My nurse has asked me to take two iron supplements per day because my iron reserves are so low.

[Atooraya]

rsudock

Your profile shows the following - 10 transplant years = spleenectomy, gall bladder removed, liver biopsy, bone marrow aspiration.
Are you indicating that these issues are side effects of the transplant?

Fred

[phyl1215]

I will have my fifth iron infusion on Monday.  I had to do this a year ago so am hoping this one lasts that long.  I had iron problems before dialysis (PD) but not this bad, other than that I am doing well so far.  Good Luck.

[rsudock]

rsudock

Your profile shows the following - 10 transplant years = spleenectomy, gall bladder removed, liver biopsy, bone marrow aspiration.
Are you indicating that these issues are side effects of the transplant?

Fred

Hey Fred,
 
The only one that might have been a side effect of transplant is the gall bladder, but many folks have to get that taken out. The type of kidney disease I have effects your liver and spleen. That is why I have had to get those procedures done. Just making the point that while living life with transplant I always had other things to deal with. Also if someone had the same disease as me and wanted to know about a certain procedure they could see my stats and then PM me.

xo,
R

[Atooraya]

R thank you for the response. Like many other folks on this site, I'm headed towards a transplant and tryingto  understand as much as I can about it.

XO,
FRED

[Annig83]

I have low iron as well, and when I get monthly labs my nurse just gives me an iron infusion through the needle in my hand (I have horrible veins, so they have to use my hands).  It took 15 minutes when I had one on Tuesday this week, and I feel lots better.  If you can, ask about getting that instead of the entire IV infusion (I am guessing your iron is very low), at my clinic they go by iron saturation and if you are under 50% then they give you the injection. I was only under at 46%.  I try to eat as much red meat, iron fortified cereals, and green veggies as I can. 

[Atooraya]

Hi Annig83
I just got my labs back. Iron is back up to 32. It was 12.
I didit by taking 2/day slo fe iron pills. This is very kool. I hate the IV.

[jbeany]

I'm a bit anemic right now, and I've been working on a diet high in iron, with vitamin C foods as a side dish - which is needed with the high iron food in order for your body to absorb the iron.  Iron fortified cereal is your best bet.  If you read the nutrition labels, a single serving of fortified cereal can have up to 100% of the recommended serving of iron a day.  For all they push red meat, it doesn't come close to that.  I find that a scoop of granola, mixed with some raspberries does wonders.

Top high - iron foods:
Red meat
egg yolks
Dark greens, spinach, collard greens, etc.
Dried fruit, raisins and prunes especially
Iron-fortified cereal
Mollusks
Turkey and chicken giblets
Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
Liver
Artichokes.

Highest Vitamin C foods:
Parsley
Broccoli
Bell Pepper
Strawberries
Oranges
Lemons or lemon juice
papya
cauliflower
Kale
Mustard Greens
Brussel sprouts
Snow peas
Raspberries
Kiwi
cantalope
tomatoes
celery
lettuce
watermelon

Mix and match accordingly.  I've been eating a lot of beef sausage and scrambled eggs with strawberries and granola cereal for breakfast.

[Cordelia]

I was told there would never be enough foods to eat that would equal the amount of iron I need meaning I could eat all the iron-filled foods I could eat and it would never be enough.   

I get liquid iron pretty much every month and it's soooooo constipating.       I don't get a needle of it in my hand, they just hook it up through my dialysis machine and give it to me that way.


One of the nurses one time asked me if it tasted like "maple syrup?" I was like HUh? LOL   Apparently one patient the one time told her that and now everytime I have liquid iron, I think of "maple syrup"            

[Annig83]

When I get the liquid iron it tastes like stale black licorice!!  GROSS!

[jbeany]

Uggh, the liquid iron tasted like licorice to me, too.

[Atooraya]

I'm not sure what advantages liquid iron has over Slo Fe (over the counter iron supplements). But I prefer the Slo Fe. Significantly raised my iron levels in two weeks. @ 2 per day. Now they have switched me to one every other day.

[jbeany]

Lots of people have bad digestive reactions to anything oral.  I'm one of them.  I could taste the licorice taste as they were injecting the liquid iron into my lines at D.

[Marina]

I  too  kept my  iron  stores  and  iron  saturations  within  or  close to   normal  taking  SlowFE  daily.
Do  NOT  take your  iron  to  close  to  your  calcium  supplements  or any  calcium  containing  foods.   The  calcium  will  bind the  iron  from  entering your  blood  stream.
Also  do  not  take  your  iron  close  to   any   antacids.    The  iron  needs  a  little   bit  of  the  stomach  acid  to  be  absorbed  properly.

http://www.cigna.com/healthinfo/hw166953.html
 To get the most benefit from your iron pills and the iron content of your food:

Take vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or drink orange juice with your pills.
Steam vegetables to help them retain their iron content.
Do not take your iron pills:

Within 2 hours of taking antacids or tetracycline (an antibiotic).
With certain foods, chemicals, and nutrients. These include:
Tea, coffee, chocolate, and other food or beverages high in caffeine.
Milk and other calcium-rich foods or supplements.
High-fiber foods, such as bran, whole grains, nuts, and raw green vegetables.
In some people, iron supplements can cause stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and black stool. Iron is best absorbed if taken on an empty stomach. But if you are having stomach problems, you may need to take the pills with food. If the side effects of your iron pills make you feel too sick, talk to your doctor. He or she may know of another type of iron pill you can take.

   

I'm a bit anemic right now, and I've been working on a diet high in iron, with vitamin C foods as a side dish - which is needed with the high iron food in order for your body to absorb the iron.  Iron fortified cereal is your best bet.  If you read the nutrition labels, a single serving of fortified cereal can have up to 100% of the recommended serving of iron a day.  For all they push red meat, it doesn't come close to that.  I find that a scoop of granola, mixed with some raspberries does wonders.

Top high - iron foods:
Red meat
egg yolks
Dark greens, spinach, collard greens, etc.
Dried fruit, raisins and prunes especially
Iron-fortified cereal
Mollusks
Turkey and chicken giblets
Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
Liver
Artichokes.

Don't  forget  that  some  of these  foods  are  also high  in   phosphorus.

[jbeany]

Don't  forget  that  some  of these  foods  are  also high  in   phosphorus.

Good point for the those still on D.  I'm anemic from complications from surgery to repair transplant complications (massive hernia), so I'm not restricted anymore.

[billmoria]

in our clinics we get iron every fortnight - every two weeks. put into machine very late in dialysis  works well

[texasstyle]

I strongly believe the reasons for the low ironin someone with renal disease is beciase iron is part of the make up of a red blood cell, and failing kidneys are no longer able to stimulate the production of the red blood cell so I agree that no amount of food will increase the numbers. Well ,they may increase some but in my opinon, it would be hard to get them way up if they were very low just through food. Iron in the red blood cell acts like a glue for the hemoglobins (oxygen carriers) to stick to. Often with a low iron count (anemia) you may find some shortness of breath as a side effect of anemia. I hope you get your levels up quickly.

[Atooraya]

Hi Tex

Thnaks for the feedback. I had never received that explanations.

[texasstyle]

Now of course I'm not a doctor or expert or anything, but with an experience I had gone through mediclly I learned about anemia. Mine was caused by medication and I was able to increase through an injection of Procrit weekly. I think that's something similar to Arsnep(?) on here talked about by  others here. I am not on dialysis, my husband is. In my case, food would not bring it up high enough to be in normal range. Foods high in iron are of course helpful especially more so to a person who has good functioning kidneys. Your kidneys produce a horomone which stimulates the red cell production. With renal failure you're not producing that. (Learned that here!) I'm forgetting what the name of the horomone is. I certainly do not know your situatition but I'm I'm just putting in a litle bit that I have learned along the way. It was through other's experiences, and stories that I learned. Talk everything over with your Dr. Don't ever leave a conversation with him when you still have  lingering questions.

[jbeany]

Erythropoietin - but don't quote me on the spelling!  That's why most of us just refer to it as epo.  (And thus the origin of our founders online name - Epoman.) That's the hormone that makes your bone marrow make red blood cells. Procrit and Aranesp are artificial versions. It's normally made by the kidneys.  So yes, all the iron in the world won't help you if you don't have enough of it.  But, all the epo in the world won't help if there isn't enough iron in the system for the bone marrow to use as a building block to make the red blood cells.  They are equally necessary.

[Marina]

I'm  post  TX  and  still have  a  low hemoglobin.                      I  was  told  to  continue  with my  oran  iron   (slowFE 45-50mg)         TX  Neph also  suggested  taking  a   Vit  C  with  it   for  better  iron  absorption.    I  take  Vit C  500mg  Chewable  with my  iron.
I  knew  part of the  reason my  hemoglobin remained  low  (9.5 to low  10's)   was  due  to  the  antirejection drugs.   It  was  explained  by  my   coordinator.  She  said  since  the  antirejection meds  suppress the  immune  system,  it  also  prevents  the  bone  marrow  from making  enough   red  blood  cells.

I also recently  discovered  that  if you're  Vit B12  deficient  your  hemoglobin  as  well as  iron  stores  will remain  low.
I  went  to  see  my  endocronologist  and  she  decided  to  do  a   B6 and  B12  (folic  acid)  study.
My numbers  were  extremely  elevated,  meaning  I  was  B12  deficient.   
She  prescribed  folic  acid   (RX  generic  I got  is  TL Gard X). 

She repeated  the  study  in  12 weeks,  my numbers  were  in the  normal  range  and  my  hemoglobin has  come  back  up  to  the  low  11's.            I  have  to  admit  I  do  feel  better,   a  bit more  energy,  than  before  I  started  taking  folic  acid.

My  endocronologist  mentioned  that  many  people  go  undetected  and  B12  deficient  for  many  yrs.
She  gets  an  A+++++         for  getting  me  back  on  track   

[jbeany]

      I  have  to  admit  I  do  feel  better,   a  bit more  energy,  than  before  I  started  taking  folic  acid.

 

Nice!  Mine is finally creeping back up.  (Surgery complications dropped it.)  I'm 11.4 this week, and I finally don't have to stop in the middle of the hallway to catch my breath while walking from one room to another!  Mine, without any meds, was running at 13 after transplant.  I hope it comes back to that - I felt fab at that high of a level!