Iron supplements before a blood test

tomatoey

I have tested very low for iron in the past, and tested on the low end of normal about a year ago. I'm due for another blood test, but started taking iron supplements maybe 2 weeks ago (I was feeling a little low energy and thought iron might have something to do with it).

If I get the bloodwork now, will it reflect the supplementation? Would it be better to stop and let that clear out for a while to get a true picture of things?

LKArgh

This is a question for the dr who prescribed the supplements.

tomatoey

This doctor didn't, I took them on my own reconnaissance.

(The other doctor did, but I wasn't consistent about taking them and eventually dropped off.)

nyponbell

It's always best to give doctors a true picture of your levels. You could continue to take it, but then I would suggest taking the packet with you to your doctor to show them and tell them of how long you've been taking it etc, so that they can take that into consideration.

That said, I have gotten iron prescribed to me and after only two weeks my levels were at an acceptable level again (I could even stop taking it) so even if you quit now your levels might not have time to go back to where they were before -- which, btw, do you even really want that? Speaking as someone who has had low iron levels multiple times, it's not a good feeling.

But, your doctor might have another view of this entirely, based on the supplement you're taking, your other levels and stuff like that.

KarenJanine

What is your doctor testing? If ferritin is being measured (ferritin is the main iron storage protein) then having some supplemental iron in your blood will not skew the results, as they're not looking at the iron directly.

LKArgh

Then call your current dr who ordered the blood tests, let him/her know you are taking supplements and ask what to do.

tomatoey

nyponbell wrote: »

It's always best to give doctors a true picture of your levels. You could continue to take it, but then I would suggest taking the packet with you to your doctor to show them and tell them of how long you've been taking it etc, so that they can take that into consideration.

That said, I have gotten iron prescribed to me and after only two weeks my levels were at an acceptable level again (I could even stop taking it) so even if you quit now your levels might not have time to go back to where they were before -- which, btw, do you even really want that? Speaking as someone who has had low iron levels multiple times, it's not a good feeling.

But, your doctor might have another view of this entirely, based on the supplement you're taking, your other levels and stuff like that.

Ach, complicated. No, I don't want to feel worse; it's just that if iron is the reason for certain things going on (like extremely brittle hair), I'd like to know for sure that it's that vs. a few other things my doc is watching.

I will take my supps in with me, I guess.

KarenJanine wrote: »

What is your doctor testing? If ferritin is being measured (ferritin is the main iron storage protein) then having some supplemental iron in your blood will not skew the results, as they're not looking at the iron directly.

Thank you! It says "ferritin" on the form - so I should be good, then?

aggelikik wrote: »

Then call your current dr who ordered the blood tests, let him/her know you are taking supplements and ask what to do.

I'd love to do that, but my doctor is extremely busy and doesn't have time to field calls about minor things I forgot to ask about in the appointment I waited 1.5 hours for.

nancyleephillips

My answer has more to do with your statement about your doctor being too busy to answer your question than it has to do with your original question.

If your doctor's office is too "busy" to answer a question for a patient (no matter how minor), then you need to seriously examine whether you want to continue to go to that office. I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years and I can tell you from experience that I would never make a patient feel that they could not call and ask a question. Sometimes even a trivial question gives us insight into what is going on with a patient and helps us to determine how to proceed with care and treatment. If a patient calls with a non-emergent situation, it only takes a minute to write down a message and pass it along to the doctor to review later in the day.

tomatoey

nancyleephillips wrote: »

My answer has more to do with your statement about your doctor being too busy to answer your question than it has to do with your original question.

If your doctor's office is too "busy" to answer a question for a patient (no matter how minor), then you need to seriously examine whether you want to continue to go to that office. I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years and I can tell you from experience that I would never make a patient feel that they could not call and ask a question. Sometimes even a trivial question gives us insight into what is going on with a patient and helps us to determine how to proceed with care and treatment. If a patient calls with a non-emergent situation, it only takes a minute to write down a message and pass it along to the doctor to review later in the day.

I don't disagree with you, however, there aren't a lot of GPs accepting new patients in my area, so I'm working with what I've got. Also I don't actually know for sure that they wouldn't take my call. I just know how busy they are and do not want to be the pain in the *kitten* patient for something this minor, because that could have implications re how I'm perceived next time I go in. (Some of the things being watched are things like thyroid and other hormonal things, which, when they go wrong, can involve vague symptoms; if I'm perceived as being a neurotic patient, I feel like that bias might affect diagnostic interpretations of things. I really feel like being stoic and compliant and not a pain in the butt is in my long-term best interests. I'm also not saying that my doctor necessarily perceives me that way, I don't know, I just don't want to risk it because of dismissive reactions from other doctors in the past.)

Also, there are other patients with serious problems whose time I'd be taking with that call.

(But anyway all that's complicated and related to larger questions about access to care and dr/patient relationships and gender and who knows what. For now I'd really like to just focus on the iron question, if that's cool )