Thread: Should I worry.
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Old Mon May 30, 2016, 09:05 AM
Marlene Marlene is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Springfield, VA
Posts: 1,406
Hi Lindsay,

I would consider looking for a reason for the low iron versus a bone marrow disease at this point. I would rule out celiac/gluten disease, malabsorption issue, lack of intrinsic factor, h.pylori bacteria, etc. But still keep an eye on the blood work. Retic counts, on their own, don't tell a full story and need to be adjusted to account for anemia otherwise they can be misleading. And you don't always know if they've adjusted. Here's a link that may help explain it:
https://allaboutblood.com/tag/correc...ulocyte-index/

Digestive problems can impact blood production, even if there are no clear GI symptoms. Unfortunately, many doctors won't check for any of this unless there are clear indications...clinical symptoms and abnormal lab tests. However, many problems are in the works well before any symptoms show up.

Vitamins B12 and B6, folic acid, copper and molybdenum help to make the iron usable. Vitamin C will increase iron absorption while having milk with meals will reduce uptake as will anything with tannins in it like tea. Low copper can impact iron absorption. It's a delicate balance.

I would suggest checking B12, folate, copper and zinc levels. Make sure all supplements are stopped 4 to 5 days prior to testing otherwise the test will be falsely elevated. The blood serum B12 should be over 400. A low normal in someone so young would be a red flag.

Take care,
Marlene
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Marlene, wife to John DX w/SAA April 2002, Stable partial remission; Treated with High Dose Cytoxan, Johns Hopkins, June 2002. Final phlebotomy 11/2016. As of July 2021 HGB 12.0, WBC 4.70/ANC 3.85, Plts 110K.
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