Chronic Low ferritin. Need advice from those who have fixed low ferritin.

[Tbaz192]

So after all my issues this year.
Most of it has been fixed and or corrected. I thought…

Except my very low ferritin.
And it affects me bad. Real bad.
I was taking 150 test a week. Felt normal and decent for a while. Labs looked good. All normal.
So I upped my dose, added GH (DR said I needed to anyways), and some Reta.

Just pulled labs again after upping my test for 4-5 weeks. I knew something was up. I felt amazing and then one week later. I was flat. Not seeing results in the gym or at home. And everything was sore and weak. Got so bad I’d almost fall asleep while working, couldn’t lift in the gym, felt very weak and numb at moments, minimal libido, and random headaches, with the mix of irregular higher HR. And I’m so pale. I’m like Elmer’s glue white.

My ferritin fasted came back at 13ng/dl
(Reference range 38-380ng/dl)
6’3 220
Now back to TRT / 3iu GH / 1.5mg Reta.

This is one of the things I came across for people on TRT to boost ferritin fast.
But the Reta completely messes with it.

Fixing High Hemoglobin or Hematocrit and Low Ferritin While on TRT

Anyone have any other recommendations?
I’d love to know how life is with a ferritin in mid range. So exhausted speaking and doing anything is miserable.

 

[Jaruk]

1. 60 mg de hierro + 1 g de vitamina C cada día
2. 200 mg de lactoferrina ED

 

[Jin23]

So after all my issues this year.
Most of it has been fixed and or corrected. I thought…

Except my very low ferritin.
And it affects me bad. Real bad.
I was taking 150 test a week. Felt normal and decent for a while. Labs looked good. All normal.
So I upped my dose, added GH (DR said I needed to anyways), and some Reta.

Just pulled labs again after upping my test for 4-5 weeks. I knew something was up. I felt amazing and then one week later. I was flat. Not seeing results in the gym or at home. And everything was sore and weak. Got so bad I’d almost fall asleep while working, couldn’t lift in the gym, felt very weak and numb at moments, minimal libido, and random headaches, with the mix of irregular higher HR. And I’m so pale. I’m like Elmer’s glue white.

My ferritin fasted came back at 13ng/dl
(Reference range 38-380ng/dl)
6’3 220
Now back to TRT / 3iu GH / 1.5mg Reta.

This is one of the things I came across for people on TRT to boost ferritin fast.
But the Reta completely messes with it.

Fixing High Hemoglobin or Hematocrit and Low Ferritin While on TRT

Anyone have any other recommendations?
I’d love to know how life is with a ferritin in mid range. So exhausted speaking and doing anything is miserable.

Unfortunately that is the only way to boost ferritin in your situation - I'm presuming your serum iron and TSAT are normal, only ferritin low due to low hepcidin expression. It's really not something I'd recommend, as it's harsh on the gut, but if you do not want to address the high dosages of PEDs that are causing you issues then that is the only way. However, I don't think it's realistic with your levels, I think you'll struggle and eventually give up on that protocol. It's a long way to 100 ng/dl from where you are at now.

You should bring your T levels to a normal 500 - 700 ng/dl and either remove GH or start using a normal replacement dose of 1 - 1.5 iu. Both T and GH lower hepcidin, so having supra-physiological levels, or even high in range levels is an issue for some.

But, if your serum iron and your tsat are also low, then you have issues with inflammation not low hepcidin expression.

How is your "doc" saying you "need" to be on 3 iu's of GH? That's pretty far away from standard medically prescribed GH hrt ...

 

[Tbaz192]

How is your "doc" saying you "need" to be on 3 iu's of GH? That's pretty far away from standard medically prescribed GH hrt ...

Should’ve said my doctor said I could use GH. but not 3iu lol.
Had a stress test/stimulation test for all sorts of things months ago and my igf-1 came back at 199. But when it came to my body’s response it was very low. And it was 0.1 away from being able to have pharmaceutical GH prescribed. She said we’d prescribe you growth hormone. But insurance will likely deny you due to the 199 IGF-1 level.


Looks like it’ll be a long road for a while. And then any time I want to use higher doses it’s back to draining my ferritin. Always another negative I suppose

 

[Jin23]

Should’ve said my doctor said I could use GH. but not 3iu lol.
Had a stress test/stimulation test for all sorts of things months ago and my igf-1 came back at 199. But when it came to my body’s response it was very low. And it was 0.1 away from being able to have pharmaceutical GH prescribed. She said we’d prescribe you growth hormone. But insurance will likely deny you due to the 199 IGF-1 level.


Looks like it’ll be a long road for a while. And then any time I want to use higher doses it’s back to draining my ferritin. Always another negative I suppose

If those are your natural levels just drop the GH, save yourself the hassle.

 

[RzSco]

Well don’t just take ferrous fumarate 300mg every day, it fixed my ferritin but it also put my HCT at near 60%

 

[Tbaz192]

Well don’t just take ferrous fumarate 300mg every day, it fixed my ferritin but it also put my HCT at near 60%

Yeah that’s the downside to any iron supplement and also testosterone it seems. Very easy to raise blood markers. So annoying. Never an easy fix lol

 

[Ateam2023]

Any update on this topic? I am also suffering from low ferrtin and would like to know a good way to raise this, tia,,

 

[Tbaz192]

Any update on this topic? I am also suffering from low ferrtin and would like to know a good way to raise this, tia,,

I haven’t gotten labs yet, but I’ve been taking ferrous biglycinate & 2mg copper every night since I posted this basically.

Getting labs here soon to see if there is an improvement

Overall felt way better doing this.
So we’ll see what my labs say.
See if my blood counts went up too (which I assume they have given the excess iron)

 

[Ateam2023]

I haven’t gotten labs yet, but I’ve been taking ferrous biglycinate & 2mg copper every night since I posted this basically.

Getting labs here soon to see if there is an improvement

Overall felt way better doing this.
So we’ll see what my labs say.
See if my blood counts went up too

i just ordered some ferrous bisglycinate , my ferritin was 31 last time, hct was @53 so i need to do some adjusting, i take 25 mg iron bisglycinate a day , hasnt had any affect , likely because its only 25 mg, lol

 

[verylargeshoes]

My gastro prescribed ferritin infusions for me and those did the trick quite well. Highly recommended if you can get it. Only time will tell whether that was just to fix a deficit I had from over-donating, or whether I have an ongoing problem.

 

[Tbaz192]

My gastro prescribed ferritin infusions for me and those did the trick quite well. Highly recommended if you can get it. Only time will tell whether that was just to fix a deficit I had from over-donating, or whether I have an ongoing problem.

That’s the next step for me as well if this daily supplementing did nothing

 

[Tbaz192]

i just ordered some ferrous bisglycinate , my ferritin was 31 last time, hct was @53 so i need to do some adjusting, i take 25 mg iron bisglycinate a day , hasnt had any affect , likely because its only 25 mg, lol

there is this as well.

Fixing High Hemoglobin or Hematocrit and Low Ferritin While on TRT

I’m just on Reta. So it doesn’t allow me to do this.

 

[Photon]

i just ordered some ferrous bisglycinate , my ferritin was 31 last time, hct was @53 so i need to do some adjusting, i take 25 mg iron bisglycinate a day , hasnt had any affect , likely because its only 25 mg, lol

Won't increasing it bump up your hct?
Mines 44 with 24 ferritin.

My gastro prescribed ferritin infusions for me and those did the trick quite well. Highly recommended if you can get it. Only time will tell whether that was just to fix a deficit I had from over-donating, or whether I have an ongoing problem.

Were you on EQ at that point of time?
My HCT actually went down when I started using 1g of EQ.

 

[verylargeshoes]

Were you on EQ at that point of time?
My HCT actually went down when I started using 1g of EQ.

No, this was a few years ago and I wasn’t even on test at the time. But earlier in this year I saw the exact same thing — I started 800mg/week of EQ and within a couple of months my HCT went from 52 to 46.

 

[BamaCrazy]

Won't increasing it bump up your hct?
Mines 44 with 24 ferritin.



Were you on EQ at that point of time?
My HCT actually went down when I started using 1g of EQ.

I donated blood. Started 600mg EQ and 4 weeks later my hematocrit was 55 and RBC was 5.97. Seems extreme. I’m wondering if Jardiance didn’t play a part.

“SGLT2 inhibitors may increase erythropoiesis via enhanced erythropoietin secretion by the kidney.”

 

[Photon]

I donated blood. Started 600mg EQ and 4 weeks later my hematocrit was 55 and RBC was 5.97. Seems extreme. I’m wondering if Jardiance didn’t play a part.

“SGLT2 inhibitors may increase erythropoiesis via enhanced erythropoietin secretion by the kidney.”

I'm on Inpefa (SGLT1/2) same as Jardiance, so i don't think it makes a difference. Mine dropped from 48 to 42 when i added 1g of EQ. It's slowly going back up, but i think it'll still be below 48 by the time i finish my blast..

@Sampei
Did you see a drop in HCT each time you add EQ?

 

[Ateam2023]

I donated blood. Started 600mg EQ and 4 weeks later my hematocrit was 55 and RBC was 5.97. Seems extreme. I’m wondering if Jardiance didn’t play a part.

“SGLT2 inhibitors may increase erythropoiesis via enhanced erythropoietin secretion by the kidney.”

i have a basic metabolic panel with a Cystatin c&Egfr and a urine test (forgot kind of test) i scheduled for next week , its a 2 month follow up since starting 10 mg jardiance, ,

 

[Sampei]

I'm on Inpefa (SGLT1/2) same as Jardiance, so i don't think it makes a difference. Mine dropped from 48 to 42 when i added 1g of EQ. It's slowly going back up, but i think it'll still be below 48 by the time i finish my blast..

@Sampei
Did you see a drop in HCT each time you add EQ?

I had almost low HCT last time I was blasting EQ and it surprised me but it was like mid cycle had 44 if I remember right need to check my bloods folder. No idea how or why xD

 

[Tbaz192]

My gastro prescribed ferritin infusions for me and those did the trick quite well. Highly recommended if you can get it. Only time will tell whether that was just to fix a deficit I had from over-donating, or whether I have an ongoing problem.

did you notice any issues with iron infusions?
Ex: elevated labs?

I’m about to get labs Monday, to see if I need infusion(s)