I am Iron Man (Is there a doctor in the house?)

[ThunderPeel2001]

Excuse me for posting this: I've been diagnosed as having low iron levels in my blood. Not a huge deal. In fact, I'm quite excited at the thought of having more energy and being able to concentrate longer. Woot.

I'm not sure exactly HOW low my iron levels are (all I can remember is that "normal" was somewhere between "15 and xx" and my levels where 5 - ferrite serum levels, I think), but my doc has put me on three 322mg Ferrous Fumerate tablets a day (each containing 100mg of elemental iron). My concern is this: On the back of the box it says, "Dosage: One tablet per day. In severe cases two tablets per day."

It also states that if you go over this you should go to casualty (the emergency room) immediately.

I'm on THREE. Is my case beyond severe? :-/

I've looked around online and I can't find anyone else saying they've been told to take as much iron as me (most people seem concerned about being asked to take two tablets of similar strength). There's no other factors involved in my doctor's decision, just the results of this blood test (I'm new at the surgery and have no prior health issues).

As I'm a bit of a worry-wort, I just was hoping someone here might be able to tell me more about what's going on. Are my levels really beyond severe? Is my dose as Herculean as it sounds to my layman brain?

I don't know any doctors to ask in real life, and I don't want to make an appointment with my existing doctor just to say, "are you sure you know what you're doing?" (I'm guessing doctors don't like that), so I thought I'd throw it out here. (I did ask my pharmacist, but they just said, "the doctor must think you need it".)

Thanks for any information based on similar experiences/proper doctorial advice/soothing words. I'd be happy to hear that I'm concerned about nothing

Idle Thumbs: Now offering free medical advice.

Edited October 14, 2010 by ThunderPeel2001

[toblix]

I am a certified medical doctor, and can confirm that your prescribed dosage is a prescription...

... for death!

[ThunderPeel2001]

... for death!

I knew it! (Why are there so many evil doctors around these days?)

[Grufff]

I'm no medical expert and most likely don't know what I'm talking about, so hopefully someone who knows more may be able to prove me right or tell me I'm talking crap.

Anyway, my GF has to take iron suppliments as she has low iron levels too. She suffers to a mild degree and has to take one table a day, but I do vaguely remember her being on a higher dosage originally to get a more immediate effect and to combat the tiredness. It may be that they're doing a similar thing with you?

Have you been asked to make any follow-up appointments? It may be they reduce the dosage at a follow-up appointment?

Oh and apparrently the extra iron will most likely make your poo really black.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Grufff

[brkl]

My advice would be to just take what the doctor tells you to and only start worrying if your blood starts reacting to magnets.

[Nachimir]

What are the potential side effects?

If you were in a lot of danger, it's highly unlikely your GP wouldn't impress the seriousness of the situation on you. Nonetheless, might be worth double checking just to make sure there's no mistake.

[Thompson]

Allow me to post information from another website:

The amount of iron absorbed decreases with increasing doses. For this reason, it is recommended that most people take their prescribed daily iron supplement in two or three equally spaced doses. For adults who are not pregnant, the CDC recommends taking 50 mg to 60 mg of oral elemental iron (the approximate amount of elemental iron in one 300 mg tablet of ferrous sulfate) twice daily for three months for the therapeutic treatment of iron deficiency anemia. However, physicians evaluate each person individually, and prescribe according to individual needs.

Draw conclusions from that how you will.

[ThunderPeel2001]

What are the potential side effects?

If you were in a lot of danger, it's highly unlikely your GP wouldn't impress the seriousness of the situation on you. Nonetheless, might be worth double checking just to make sure there's no mistake.

Well, the problem with iron is that your body has no way of getting rid of excess. When you get too much it collects in organs around your body and can cause problems in the heart and brain (heart attack and stroke). Apparently if you get seriously overloaded, pretty much all they can do is drain your blood.

I'm currently on 3750% the RDA for iron

And remember what it says on the box: "In severe cases two tablets per day." I'm on three.

It probably IS nothing. I'm probably worrying completely unnecessarily. But it would make me feel better if someone had had a similar experience or had any knowledge in the area, and, unfortunately, sometimes doctors make mistakes.

So, this is my attempt at getting a second opinion. (Or it was, I've now called NHS Direct, and someone in their medicines department is going to call me back and (hopefully) tell me I'm a typical half-informed idiot for worrying, and that I should stop wasting their time.)

[ThunderPeel2001]

Allow me to post information from another website:

...the CDC recommends taking 50 mg to 60 mg of oral elemental iron twice daily for three months for the therapeutic treatment of iron deficiency anemia...

Draw conclusions from that how you will.

Thanks! That does make me feel better, Thompson. Appreciate it

I'm still on 300mg per day, though, which is more than the 100mg/120mg mentioned in the quote. I'll see what the professionals say.

[Quanta]

If you feel uncomfortable with the prescription, you should take only two tablets a day till your next appointment. In any case it's less dangerous to take less of it than too much.

Also, normal ferric-values of an adult are 7 to 29 µmol/l according to a german medical site.

[DanJW]

Your height and weight may also be taken into account. Plus your physician may be planning to keep you on the high dosage for a only short period, to give a kick-start. With minerals like iron, high dosage is only dangerous if prolonged.

Also keep in mind that the packet instructions are for lay-people and aim to avoid any chance of litigation. They are not for doctors, who know what they are doing.

P.S. I am not a doctor.

[ThunderPeel2001]

With minerals like iron, high dosage is only dangerous if prolonged.

Really? Phew! I hope you're right. Expecting my NHS Direct call back now. *sigh* I bet this is going to be nothing, I'm such a worry-wart. Apologies, folks.

[Hermie]

I hear that if you take the whole bottle at once, you get superpowers.

[ThunderPeel2001]

It's official: I'm going to live!

*sigh*

So, this is what I learned: A typical dose is usually around 60 to 120mg. 200mg is considered a high dose, but it's not uncommon for treating bad cases. For really bad cases they can prescribe as high as 400mg. I'm on 300mg... so I guess I have a pretty bad case of anaemia

Still, my dosage is nothing to worry about, as long as it's under 400mg

Thanks for tolerating my worrying ways, everyone!

It's probably a symptom of low iron levels...

[Roderick]

Just never become a prison guard for Magneto's cell.

It sounds pretty exciting, boosting iron levels in your blood. As far as medical things go, that's a killer line. Now with 200% more iron.

[Orv]

So uh, at the next Thumbs meet-up, someone needs to wear a trench' filled with magnets.

Good to hear you won't be exuding iron pellets from your orify, Thunder.

[Armchair General]

Shit, sorry TP, late to the party on this.

Normal haemoglobin (Hb) levels are 13.5-17.5 in a male. This is usually the marker that patients are told when they are anaemic. A level of 5 is very low, so I expect you are being given such a dose as to bring your levels up quickly. Don't worry about the iron building up in your body, you are using your iron to make red blood cells (Hb to be specific), probably at a very fast rate with a Hb of 5, hence a build up is very unlikely.

Without wanting to worry you (I am not in possession of your history, examination and results etc) I wonder why you are anaemic? Being anaemic is only half the story at best. Giving you iron supplements is a little like continually filling your car with oil...you really need to fix the leak to sort it.

Your dose doesn't appear to be excessive, on the higher side, but not as extreme as Toblix suggests.

Please feel free to PM me if you want to talk about this some more, I would be happy to help clinically and perhaps be able to help allay any worries you might have .

C.O.I: Qualified doctor.

ALSO: You are spot on Dan, the Patient information leaflets list practically every known symptom of every known disease in the history of the universe. Gotta cover that ass

[ThunderPeel2001]

Thanks, AG. I think I might just take you up on your offer :tup: