Low Iron

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

My six-month lab work all came back great, with no indications of cancer. I am nearly four years out from treatment now. But, my iron (HGB) is low.  I am getting a colonoscopy next week, but have had no signs of G.I.  disease.   It may be from the amount of Tums and asprin that I eat all day long. I am not worried, but would appreciate any "low iron" imput that anyone may have.

A great holiday weekend to all.

max

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Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    Iron

    after my surgery I was advised to take 1 time release iron plus one B-12 at the same time ech morning. Dont take at night because it causes gas. In 4 weeks mine was back to normal. I can get the dosages if you want.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #3
    unknown said:

    Iron

    after my surgery I was advised to take 1 time release iron plus one B-12 at the same time ech morning. Dont take at night because it causes gas. In 4 weeks mine was back to normal. I can get the dosages if you want.

    Infusion

    I am getting an iron infusion on Monday, so I suppose pills will have to wait a little while. I recall when I was on chemo that there were several patients who came in on a regular basis for iron or other non-chemo drugs.  The iron was always a black bag...   One woman had been getting iron infusions for several years.   I became friends with her husband, and she said that doctors had never been able ot figure out her problem, but that she had never had any form of cancer.   Odd.    I also get a colonoscopy Wednesday, so my onc is driving the issue very hard and looking for the problem, whatever it is.   I am due for one anyway, so the timing is right.  I do not have signs of c-r cancer, and he said he is in a process of elimination, starting with worst-case scenarios.   I have read that nexium and antacids together can cause this, and I beleive that that is my issue, since I eat a bottle of triple-strength Tums every two weeks. Wish me the best !

    Thanks,

    max

  • Aaron
    Aaron Member Posts: 237
    #4
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I am getting an iron infusion on Monday, so I suppose pills will have to wait a little while. I recall when I was on chemo that there were several patients who came in on a regular basis for iron or other non-chemo drugs.  The iron was always a black bag...   One woman had been getting iron infusions for several years.   I became friends with her husband, and she said that doctors had never been able ot figure out her problem, but that she had never had any form of cancer.   Odd.    I also get a colonoscopy Wednesday, so my onc is driving the issue very hard and looking for the problem, whatever it is.   I am due for one anyway, so the timing is right.  I do not have signs of c-r cancer, and he said he is in a process of elimination, starting with worst-case scenarios.   I have read that nexium and antacids together can cause this, and I beleive that that is my issue, since I eat a bottle of triple-strength Tums every two weeks. Wish me the best !

    Thanks,

    max

    Always wishing you the best

    I'm glad everything looks good max, I'm sure you've got the low iron thing figured right. Good luck with the colonoscopy, I'm certain you will be clean as a whistle. Be well my friend

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #5
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I am getting an iron infusion on Monday, so I suppose pills will have to wait a little while. I recall when I was on chemo that there were several patients who came in on a regular basis for iron or other non-chemo drugs.  The iron was always a black bag...   One woman had been getting iron infusions for several years.   I became friends with her husband, and she said that doctors had never been able ot figure out her problem, but that she had never had any form of cancer.   Odd.    I also get a colonoscopy Wednesday, so my onc is driving the issue very hard and looking for the problem, whatever it is.   I am due for one anyway, so the timing is right.  I do not have signs of c-r cancer, and he said he is in a process of elimination, starting with worst-case scenarios.   I have read that nexium and antacids together can cause this, and I beleive that that is my issue, since I eat a bottle of triple-strength Tums every two weeks. Wish me the best !

    Thanks,

    max

    Hi Max

    Max, forgive me for not remembering why you eat Tums.  Have you been checked for ulcers?  Also, if you are going to be checked for that, make sure they test for helobacter pylori.  They found I had this but had to do a more sensititive test since I tested negative on the regular test.  

    Anemia can be caused by ulcers or any type of internal bleeding.  I'm not meaning to be alarmist - just sharing what I know.  Also, if you take a lot of NSAIDs (like aspiring, Iburofen, etc.), they can cause and/or aggravate ulcers and internal bleeding.  I'm sure  you probably know all these things :).

    I wish you the best and keep us updated.

    Jim

  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #6
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I am getting an iron infusion on Monday, so I suppose pills will have to wait a little while. I recall when I was on chemo that there were several patients who came in on a regular basis for iron or other non-chemo drugs.  The iron was always a black bag...   One woman had been getting iron infusions for several years.   I became friends with her husband, and she said that doctors had never been able ot figure out her problem, but that she had never had any form of cancer.   Odd.    I also get a colonoscopy Wednesday, so my onc is driving the issue very hard and looking for the problem, whatever it is.   I am due for one anyway, so the timing is right.  I do not have signs of c-r cancer, and he said he is in a process of elimination, starting with worst-case scenarios.   I have read that nexium and antacids together can cause this, and I beleive that that is my issue, since I eat a bottle of triple-strength Tums every two weeks. Wish me the best !

    Thanks,

    max

    Best of luck...

    Hi Max,

     Sounds like you will be getting things checked out and hopefully the low iron situation will be figured out also. I'll be keeping you in my prayers and keeping positive thoughts all will come out good. Take care...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #7
    allmost60 said:

    Best of luck...

    Hi Max,

     Sounds like you will be getting things checked out and hopefully the low iron situation will be figured out also. I'll be keeping you in my prayers and keeping positive thoughts all will come out good. Take care...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

    Thanks, Sue

    Thank you, Sue.  The prayers are deeply appreciated.

    max

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #8
    jimwins said:

    Hi Max

    Max, forgive me for not remembering why you eat Tums.  Have you been checked for ulcers?  Also, if you are going to be checked for that, make sure they test for helobacter pylori.  They found I had this but had to do a more sensititive test since I tested negative on the regular test.  

    Anemia can be caused by ulcers or any type of internal bleeding.  I'm not meaning to be alarmist - just sharing what I know.  Also, if you take a lot of NSAIDs (like aspiring, Iburofen, etc.), they can cause and/or aggravate ulcers and internal bleeding.  I'm sure  you probably know all these things :).

    I wish you the best and keep us updated.

    Jim

    Hernia

    Jim,

    I have had a hiatal hernia for years.  Nexium alone has not been enough to control the symptoms for some time. I should have had it corrected long ago. I spoke with the surgeon who is going to scope me from the top and bottom, and related that I have an odd "grunting" nosie from my center left side, and he said that it was almost certainly gas moving through the hiatal opening.

    I eat the asprin for arthritic pain and pain generally. With 18 fractures and my spine full of arthritis, I guess that makes sense.  I find that all of my incisions hurt (biopsy incision, IV port incision, gall bladder removal incisions). I know asprin and others cause blood thinning and bleeding, so will have to get on something different. It is worse in the cold, soI await summer !

    If it gets difficult for the doc to figure this out, I will difinitely ask him about the h.p. you mentioned.

    Thank you,

    max

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #9
    Aaron said:

    Always wishing you the best

    I'm glad everything looks good max, I'm sure you've got the low iron thing figured right. Good luck with the colonoscopy, I'm certain you will be clean as a whistle. Be well my friend

    "Clean"

    Aaron,

    The getting "clean as a whistle" is the hard part !

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #10
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I am getting an iron infusion on Monday, so I suppose pills will have to wait a little while. I recall when I was on chemo that there were several patients who came in on a regular basis for iron or other non-chemo drugs.  The iron was always a black bag...   One woman had been getting iron infusions for several years.   I became friends with her husband, and she said that doctors had never been able ot figure out her problem, but that she had never had any form of cancer.   Odd.    I also get a colonoscopy Wednesday, so my onc is driving the issue very hard and looking for the problem, whatever it is.   I am due for one anyway, so the timing is right.  I do not have signs of c-r cancer, and he said he is in a process of elimination, starting with worst-case scenarios.   I have read that nexium and antacids together can cause this, and I beleive that that is my issue, since I eat a bottle of triple-strength Tums every two weeks. Wish me the best !

    Thanks,

    max

    Iron

    Well hopefully its not related to your cancer. I bled out back in 2009 from stomache bleeding caused by gerd. 4 units of blood plus iron tonics for a month. The other time was when I had my surgery to remove a lymph node. I know it works for blood loss but am not sure about any affect it may have for other causes. Honestly I was not aware that there was such a thing as iron infusions. Good luck. I am sure it will fix you up!

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #11
    unknown said:

    Iron

    Well hopefully its not related to your cancer. I bled out back in 2009 from stomache bleeding caused by gerd. 4 units of blood plus iron tonics for a month. The other time was when I had my surgery to remove a lymph node. I know it works for blood loss but am not sure about any affect it may have for other causes. Honestly I was not aware that there was such a thing as iron infusions. Good luck. I am sure it will fix you up!

    Anything

    GKH,

    I suppose there is no part of a person that cannot break, no chemical that cannot screw up.

    My infusion center actually does a lot of non-chemo infusions of one sort or another for non-cancer patients, but iron is one of the more common.

    I appreciate the good intentions. When I sneeze and someone says "bless you," I reply, "Thanks, I need it bad."

    max

  • onlytoday
    onlytoday Member Posts: 609 Member
    #12
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    "Clean"

    Aaron,

    The getting "clean as a whistle" is the hard part !

    Clean

    Max,

     

    Haha.  You've got that right!  Thanks for the laugh this morning!  :)  And good luck with the colonoscopy.  It does sound like you figured this out though!

     

    Donna

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #13
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Anything

    GKH,

    I suppose there is no part of a person that cannot break, no chemical that cannot screw up.

    My infusion center actually does a lot of non-chemo infusions of one sort or another for non-cancer patients, but iron is one of the more common.

    I appreciate the good intentions. When I sneeze and someone says "bless you," I reply, "Thanks, I need it bad."

    max

    Infusion

    I got my first iron infusion today. It was good to speak with all of the staff at the infusion center again.

    The thing took 4 hours. First, a bag of benadryl (delightful), then a bag of pepsid (for reflux), then a steroid, and then the iron bag. The iron itself took two hours, so it is a fairly large bag. Just as I remembered --black.

    I felt nothing: No problems, no pain. It is the easiest infusion a guy could ever hope for. I hope the iron levels move toward normal fast.

    Also: There were four other patients receiving iron when I was there.  The woman next to me was, and she told me that she does not have cancer, and never has.  Anemia is more common than people think.

    max

  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #14
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I got my first iron infusion today. It was good to speak with all of the staff at the infusion center again.

    The thing took 4 hours. First, a bag of benadryl (delightful), then a bag of pepsid (for reflux), then a steroid, and then the iron bag. The iron itself took two hours, so it is a fairly large bag. Just as I remembered --black.

    I felt nothing: No problems, no pain. It is the easiest infusion a guy could ever hope for. I hope the iron levels move toward normal fast.

    Also: There were four other patients receiving iron when I was there.  The woman next to me was, and she told me that she does not have cancer, and never has.  Anemia is more common than people think.

    max

    Infusion day....

    Hi Max,

      Glad to hear all went well today. Four hours sounds like a long time, but it really does go fast. My R infusion usually takes 4 hours, but the pre meds put me to sleep, so I jokingly refer to it as my "nap" day. Hope your Iron levels will get to normal soon. Best wishes...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3a-6/10-age 62)

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #15
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Infusion

    I got my first iron infusion today. It was good to speak with all of the staff at the infusion center again.

    The thing took 4 hours. First, a bag of benadryl (delightful), then a bag of pepsid (for reflux), then a steroid, and then the iron bag. The iron itself took two hours, so it is a fairly large bag. Just as I remembered --black.

    I felt nothing: No problems, no pain. It is the easiest infusion a guy could ever hope for. I hope the iron levels move toward normal fast.

    Also: There were four other patients receiving iron when I was there.  The woman next to me was, and she told me that she does not have cancer, and never has.  Anemia is more common than people think.

    max

    Glad things went well

    Hey Max.  Just don't get too close to any strong magnets after this Wink.  Glad things went well.

    Jim

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #16
    jimwins said:

    Glad things went well

    Hey Max.  Just don't get too close to any strong magnets after this Wink.  Glad things went well.

    Jim

    Magnet

    Jim!

    Great comedic minds like ours think alike ! I was telling people yesterday that I now have a magnetic personality !

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #17
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Magnet

    Jim!

    Great comedic minds like ours think alike ! I was telling people yesterday that I now have a magnetic personality !

    LOL

    Probably all those years in submarines, Max.  And thank you for serving our country by the way!

     

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #18
    jimwins said:

    LOL

    Probably all those years in submarines, Max.  And thank you for serving our country by the way!

     

    Finally...

    I finally got my colonoscopy and upper G.I. results today from the surgeon who did them: No cancerous or pre-cancerous cells found. He did cut out a bleeding polyp, which he said might explain the anemia. I see the oncologist tomorrow.

    I was surprised to see at my infusion center that a LOT of people come in for iron infusions. It is apparaently a very common thing. Thanks to all of the kind regards that I received  concerning the anemia and figuring it out.

    max

  • cathyp
    cathyp Member Posts: 376 Member
    #19
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Finally...

    I finally got my colonoscopy and upper G.I. results today from the surgeon who did them: No cancerous or pre-cancerous cells found. He did cut out a bleeding polyp, which he said might explain the anemia. I see the oncologist tomorrow.

    I was surprised to see at my infusion center that a LOT of people come in for iron infusions. It is apparaently a very common thing. Thanks to all of the kind regards that I received  concerning the anemia and figuring it out.

    max

    Max,
    So happy you got good

    Max,

    So happy you got good news.  Hope you get a boost from the iron!

    Cathy

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #20
    cathyp said:

    Max,
    So happy you got good

    Max,

    So happy you got good news.  Hope you get a boost from the iron!

    Cathy

    Cat,
    Thanks dearly.  I read

    Cat,

    Thanks dearly.  I read that even with IV infusions, it can take two months or more for hemoglobin and iron levels to normalize.  I do feel a bit better and breath better also.  I mostly mentioned it here at the blog to let people know that it is a fairly common problem, which I was unaware of before.

    max

  • cathyp
    cathyp Member Posts: 376 Member
    #21
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Cat,
    Thanks dearly.  I read

    Cat,

    Thanks dearly.  I read that even with IV infusions, it can take two months or more for hemoglobin and iron levels to normalize.  I do feel a bit better and breath better also.  I mostly mentioned it here at the blog to let people know that it is a fairly common problem, which I was unaware of before.

    max

    Glad you mentioned it because

    Glad you mentioned it because the way our minds think I'm sure if it happened to us we would think...cancer.  Anyway.  My father in law gets b12 shots for his type of vitamin deficency anemia.

    Breathing easier must be a relief.

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