123

Blood results are in... (Read 1960 times)


Just Be

    At least you got to what you think was your physiological peak. That's my goal now. I hope to reach that peak in 4 years and if it is good enough for the 2012 trials that will be an added bonus!
      spaniel - i recently started taking a multivitamin (centrum) b/c i was planning on baby-making soon. I cant believe i only ran the ferritin after reading this post. i ran it again tonight just to make sure and its still low at a 7. and of course, now that i know something might be wrong - i feel even more tired!!! probably b/c i am getting more in-tune to how i feel rather than just sucking it up. obviously, i have no idea how long my low levels have been going on. but the vitamin i am starting to take claims a 100% (18mg?i think) level of iron in it. is this all you take when you dope up?? or do you typically take more than the required amount? plus, my dietary iron wouldnt be added into this. but yeah, i went out for a 3 mile today and only made it to 2. i felt like an absolute elephant and really was in a bad mood after i was done. its hard enough for me to get out there with my schedule so when a bad run day happens i get even more pissed! i'm still waiting on my iron and tibc results (even a lab tech can't get the results any faster!!). so after i know those numbers i wll make an appt with the doc. i cant even comprehend the thought of maybe needing a bone marrow punching! i've seen enough of them to know i dont ever want to be on the receiving end of that needle. Undecided and thanks trent!
        got my results this morning. my serum iron is low, along with my transferrin saturation. tibc is good. so i guess i can gorge on some serious steak for a while! Smile i'm still gonna ask the doc how much of a supplement i need though what sucks too is i am doing my first muddy buddy race next weekend and i think its gonna be a doozy for me. the last thing i need to be feeling is tired and bogged down because of my stupid iron! grrr......


        Feeling the growl again

          cewickbe, I will tell you what I do, but note that this IS more than the doctor told me. I do this off what another doctor (who is a sub-30 10K runner and 2:23 marathoner) told me. I am not advising anyone to do what I do. Men need to be more cautious with iron supplementation than women. Iron can accumulate in men to dangerous levels; premenopausal women naturally lose some iron so there is less risk of iron toxicity. I figure I am low now, so I am not going to go toxic taking a little extra in the short term. This doctor told me to take one iron pill daily. I forget the dosage of the pills I have, they are the standard iron sulfate pills you can get at any pharmacy. I typically take two of the pills in the morning, other vitamins at lunch, and either another two pills or a tablespoon of liquid iron sulfate solution at night. This is quite a bit of iron but I do not do this year-round, only for 2-3 months until I feel good and iron tests normal then I go on the 1-pill-a-day maintenance dose. Personally I prefer the liquid iron sulfate. The pharmacies rarely stock it but any Walgreen's or CVS can order it for you. It is absorbed better, you just need to dilute it in water when you drink it as the concentrated stuff can stain your teeth I'm told.

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           

            Thank you so much for your help spaniel! Like i said before, if i hadnt read this post, i wouldve never known! and of course, when i tried to call the doc today all i kept getting was the vociemail telling me to call back during normal business hours (eventhough it WAS normal business hours). That sure sounds like a ton of iron to be taking daily, but i will still let my doc know that i'ma runner and may require more than the usual dosage. Lots of luck to you with your ongoing issues. iknow how frustrating it is to know your body can train better, but not being able to. i hope you feel better soon and can kick that marathon's ass!
            anneb


              ...the last thing i need to be feeling is tired and bogged down because of my stupid iron!
              I have taken maintenance levels of iron for awhile. I believe there are 3 common forms of the supplement - sulfate, gluconate and I can't remember the other one. Seriously, the ferrous sulfate was much harder on my body than the ferrous gluconate. Not sure if it's true for everyone, but it's something to consider. Yes

              Anne

                The problem is that for the average American to present with anemia, they pretty much have to be passing out and light-headed all the time
                Wow. I've been living like this for so long, I didn't even stop to think it wasn't normal. I have found compression socks to help and just assumed it was my varicose veins... The only time I do feel great is when I'm running. I do wonder about absorbtion issues. My mother has to have a transfusion every 3 or 4 months because her iron levels are constantly bottoming out. They can't figure out why. Good luck Spaniel, I hope you can see some improvement soon!

                Jennifer mm#1231

                  You're probably a vegan right?


                  Feeling the growl again

                    You're probably a vegan right?
                    I'm not sure to whom you're addressing this but no, quite the opposite. This is why it took me so long to go down the low iron route the first time, there is no reason why my iron should be low. Intake is only one reason for low iron. Poor absorption or sources of iron loss (bleeding, GI, etc) can also play a role.

                    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                     

                    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                     

                      I read so much about iron levels and I dont see many people talking about cortisol levels and if you can burn out your adrenals by so much running, so have you ever had that test done?
                      Trent


                      Good Bad & The Monkey

                        you can burn out your adrenals by so much running
                        I am not aware of this as something that happens. Does it? Please provide some links to good science so I can read up. Thanks!


                        Bugs

                          The wierd thing is that running is what overcomes the fatigue. At least for a few hours, if I can force myself to get out for a run I will feel better and the fatigue will go away....
                          Hope you get to the bottom of all this. Must be very frustrating. I can relate to what you stated above. My blood volume got depleted, and struggled to figure it out. I said to my doc, "My running sucks, but when I get done I have my energy back." Of course everyone said, "Well if you can run, nothing is wrong." I think us runners are so in tune with our bodies that we know when something is off before the average joe. Good Luck!

                          Bugs


                          Best Present Ever

                            I'm bumping an old thread because I'm wondering if there is any consensus on how high  ferritin levels should be in runners?  I was at 10 last year and have brought it back up to 53.  My hg and hct are always right at the lower edge of normal (12.2 and 37.5).  They never really go up, and I've never be more than marginally under the lower limit of normal.   Do I keep supplementing?  I don't get any clear answers from various docs, so internet strangers seem like my best source of information.  : )

                             

                            (One says she likes see a ferritin of 100 in everyone, but she's kind of crazy and I don't believe anything she says.  One says ferritin doesn't matter if the CBC is fine, and low-normal on the CBC  is still normal.  One says I'm now normal so I shouldn't worry about it.  I think I probably know too many health professionals).  I am definitely glad to not be actively symptomatic anymore. I don't really miss that 'wow am I going to pass out' feeling.  I think that went away by the time I hit ferritin of about 20.

                            BeeRunB


                              Great post, Spaniel. Thank you.Cool


                              Feeling the growl again

                                Heh.  deja vu.  Especially since I started on iron again.

                                 

                                IIRC ferretin in the 70-80s is decently in the normal range.  In the 20s-30s it will likely affect your running.

                                 

                                Premenopausal women with low iron issues may need to maintain supplementation as they lose iron every month.  Men are more at risk of their levels building up.  Except me, apparently.

                                 

                                They give "normal" ranges but everybody is different.  If your hemoglobin levels are at a certain point and never really go up even though you keep taking iron, that may be your natural set point.  Simply taking iron will not necessarily push up your hemoglobin.

                                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                                 

                                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                                 

                                123