I am a little confused about my husband's iron numbers. They want him to get IV iron again based on these numbers, which are all in the normal range except for very high ferritin:
Iron saturation: 24% (15%-60 % normal range)
TIBC: 260 (225-420 normal range )
Total iron: 62 (30-160 normal range)
Ferritin: 972.7 (22-322 normal range)
His hemoglobin is 10.9.
Also the reason he had iron IV previously was that his total iron dipped to 62 from being at 134. We ruled out internal bleeding through colonoscopy and endoscopy.
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Jean Ruth Howard - Name: Jeannie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Iron numbers normal - why give IV iron?
Hi Jeannie,
Your husband's doctors may be recommending IV iron due to your husband's low hemoglobin level. The normal hemoglobin level for an adult male is about 13.5 to 17.5 g/dL, so your husband's hemoglobin is low, although not crazy-ridiculous low.
As I understand it, there are a couple of additional lab results that doctors use when trying to understand the causes of potential anemia, including
MCV - Mean corpuscular volume (average size of a red blood cell)
MCH - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (average amount of hemoglobin per red blood cell)
MCHC - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (average concentration of hemoglobin in the red blood cells)
Many of these values are calculated from hemoglobin levels and the red blood cell count.
Drugs like epo are often given to help patients with anemia. However, there have been some studies showing epo can increase the risk of heart problems, including heart attacks. If your husband has any risk factors for heart problems, this may be why his doctors want to use iron to address his low hemoglobin level.
Hope this helps a bit.
Your husband's doctors may be recommending IV iron due to your husband's low hemoglobin level. The normal hemoglobin level for an adult male is about 13.5 to 17.5 g/dL, so your husband's hemoglobin is low, although not crazy-ridiculous low.
As I understand it, there are a couple of additional lab results that doctors use when trying to understand the causes of potential anemia, including
MCV - Mean corpuscular volume (average size of a red blood cell)
MCH - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (average amount of hemoglobin per red blood cell)
MCHC - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (average concentration of hemoglobin in the red blood cells)
Many of these values are calculated from hemoglobin levels and the red blood cell count.
Drugs like epo are often given to help patients with anemia. However, there have been some studies showing epo can increase the risk of heart problems, including heart attacks. If your husband has any risk factors for heart problems, this may be why his doctors want to use iron to address his low hemoglobin level.
Hope this helps a bit.
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JimNY
Re: Iron numbers normal - why give IV iron?
Hi JimNY. Your thoughts and info on the matter are very helpful! Thanks so much. 
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Jean Ruth Howard - Name: Jeannie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Iron numbers normal - why give IV iron?
I had a series of these infusions since my hemoglobin was in the same range and my red blood cell count was low. They did raise the hemoglobin slightly. I went for at least 5 infusions over 8 weeks.
I had no internal bleeding that they could locate with both colonoscopy and endoscopy.
Yet, it never really worked. They found I had Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia. I did go to the Dana Farber Cancer institute in Boston, where they proved it was genetic and it was Waldenstroms.
It has, to this date, been cured without chemo.
JW/NJ
I had no internal bleeding that they could locate with both colonoscopy and endoscopy.
Yet, it never really worked. They found I had Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia. I did go to the Dana Farber Cancer institute in Boston, where they proved it was genetic and it was Waldenstroms.
It has, to this date, been cured without chemo.
JW/NJ
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jo2583
Re: Iron numbers normal - why give IV iron?
Hi Jo. So happy to hear that your WM was cured. And thanks for taking the time to respond.
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Jean Ruth Howard - Name: Jeannie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Iron numbers normal - why give IV iron?
I received iron infusions over a 5-week period. Previously I was receiving Aranesp injections every 2 weeks. My hemoglobin would rise for a while, but never past 10.
The infusions helped me a lot. After about 3-4 weeks, I had a lot more energy and felt considerably better. My last HgB was 11.6 and I did not require an injection. I do not know exactly what my "iron numbers" were. My nephrologist just said they were low.
Everyone is different, but the infusions helped me a lot.
The infusions helped me a lot. After about 3-4 weeks, I had a lot more energy and felt considerably better. My last HgB was 11.6 and I did not require an injection. I do not know exactly what my "iron numbers" were. My nephrologist just said they were low.
Everyone is different, but the infusions helped me a lot.
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meread - Name: Mary E Read
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me, exhusband (deceased)
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2011, May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 67
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