What kind of Oral Iron?

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Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by Stainless »

I was talking to my GP about IV Iron yesterday. I showed her the Consensus Clinical Practice Guidelines for Iron Treatment and she was somewhat receptive to the idea. She's going to talk to the haematologist and have a full iron panel run on me for my next visit.

My question is what kind of oral iron should I be taking. Following what I have read on this forum I have been taking 25 mg Iron Ferrous Bisglycinate Chelate with 500 mg vitamin C and 1000 mg L-Methylfolate. In the Practice Guidelines they talk about 325 mg oral iron as Ferrous Sulphate twice a day.

So I guess my question is should I change the Oral Iron I'm taking?

stjohnh
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by stjohnh »

Probably best to take the recommended ferrous sulfate otherwise, when it doesn't work, the doc may say you didn't give the oral iron a proper trial.
Blessings,
Holland

Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by Stainless »

My GP talked to the haematologist in my insurance group who will only treat anaemia with IV Iron. I was prepared for this after reading other's experiences with haematologists. I guess I'll change to Ferrous Sulphate with vitamin C and increase the dose to that specified in the Consensus Clinical Practice Guidelines. I see my neurologist next but don't expect anything new from him but I'll run the IV Iron past him. Maybe he can be more helpful in finding a haematologist that has an open mind.

ViewsAskew
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Location: Los Angeles

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by ViewsAskew »

Stainless wrote:My GP talked to the haematologist in my insurance group who will only treat anaemia with IV Iron. I was prepared for this after reading other's experiences with haematologists. I guess I'll change to Ferrous Sulphate with vitamin C and increase the dose to that specified in the Consensus Clinical Practice Guidelines. I see my neurologist next but don't expect anything new from him but I'll run the IV Iron past him. Maybe he can be more helpful in finding a haematologist that has an open mind.
I have no idea if Dr. B would do it...but when I saw the hematologist for my last infusion, he really didn't "hear" me. I asked him if he would talk to my Dr. and he said yes. In the visit, I pulled out my phone and called Dr. B's office. His staff got him on the phone and he explained it Dr. to Dr.

I had the infusion the next week.

I just saw a NEW hematologist (I moved). We chatted about it and he listened to my points. At one point he said, "Are you in the medical field?"

In the end, he ordered new blood work (last one was in December and I had an infection at the time as well as some autoimmune stuff going on). He also said he would see if my insurance would cover it. At least I felt he was considering it. But, when I go back, if he says no? I will again pull out my phone and call Dr. B, lol.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

redshoes
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Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:28 am

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by redshoes »

Ann: Has the intravenous iron infusion worked for you? Has it relieved your RLS symptoms?

ViewsAskew
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Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by ViewsAskew »

redshoes wrote:Ann: Has the intravenous iron infusion worked for you? Has it relieved your RLS symptoms?
It reduces the meds I need to take, does not eliminate it. I get about a 45-55% reduction in meds. Given that I take what is a LOT of methadone, relatively speaking, that is a very good thing.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by stjohnh »

redshoes wrote:Ann: Has the intravenous iron infusion worked for you? Has it relieved your RLS symptoms?
Welcome redshoes: RLS is caused by BID (Brain Iron Deficiency). Many people with RLS can have their symptoms markedly reduced or even eliminated with IV Iron treatments. This is the only treatment that gets at the basis for RLS (low brain iron). It has almost no side effects. The International Restless Legs Study Group has elevated IV Iron treatment to first line therapy. This means that IV Iron is one of the first treatments doctors should try, not one of the last (as has been done for many years). If you can get your doc to prescribe IV Iron treatment, that is the way you should go. Unfortunately this is fairly new information and most docs, even those that frequently treat RLS, are not aware of it. Note that the blood tests doctors usually do (ferritin test) to check for low iron only check for low BLOOD iron, there is no test available for checking for low BRAIN iron. Oral iron usually doesn't provide a high enough blood level increase to help, folks need IV Iron infusions. Here is a link to the recommendations:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... via%3Dihub
Blessings,
Holland

legsbestill
Posts: 561
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:22 pm
Location: Dublin Ireland

Re: What kind of Oral Iron?

Post by legsbestill »

In relation to oral iron, I have tried various supplements but never managed to get my serum ferritin to 100. In the last few months I started eating liver every second day. At first it was a process of attrition but I am getting used to it now and have a nice recipe. Chicken liver is the least unpalatable. I am pretty sure that my rls is less severe when I am eating it. If I stop eating it for more than a few days, I think my rls definitely worsens. It is subjective at this stage as I haven't had my serum ferritin checked since starting it but I feel that my symptoms respond better than they do to iron supplements.

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