Monday, August 08, 2005

Low Iron Stores!

I knew there was something wrong with me. I just got my last test result, my ferritin level, which measures one's iron stores, was 10. The scale is 10-282 so I'm at the bottom of normal. Actually a gynecologist a couple years ago had me taking extra iron to get up around 30, so I've got a ways to go still.

I think the extra iron in my diet has helped to get my red blood cell count and hemeglobin back up to normal, largely drawing from my iron stores, or at the expense of them. I need to keep taking more iron to boost my stores.

Doctors don't often test for ferritin but its a good test for women, especially if you have heavy menstrual bleeding or have lost a lot of blood for other reasons.

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