I’ve been having weird symptoms the last few months that seem like they could be related to low blood circulation. I’ve been donating every two months since I have high hematocrit/hemoglobin on TRT. My symptoms are tingling/cold/numbness in my feet and other parts of my body sometimes and also carpal tunnel that appeared about the same time, soon after a donation. Does anyone know if ferritin being on the very low end of normal could cause any issues similar to these?
Blood donations aren’t a long term solution to thick blood. The red blood cells come back quickly the minerals don’t. Lowering dose and staying hydrated seem to work for some.
“Symptomatic iron deficiency in hemochromatosis patients may be treated safely with a brief course of ferrous sulfate. Recovery is slower when iron is not given. However, iron supplementation is unnecessary and not recommended for the mild, self-limited anemia and decreased serum iron and ferritin concentrations encountered after initial iron depletion therapy for hemochromatosis.”
I get phlebotomies every 2 months due to HCT at 57% and need to supplement iron on TRT even before needing the phlebotomies, my last one was a month after the last one (ferritin 99->43) and started getting bruises all over my arms from leveraging packages on my forearms.
I had these symptoms also, all but gone now after 3 weeks of aggressive iron supplement. I talked to a hematologist and he said you don’t need to be anemic to experience iron deficiency.
Iron is used to make blood,
Did you have low iron levels too? My ferritin is low but my iron levels are normal
Unknown, but had all the signs of low iron. My hematologist mentioned he didn’t think iron would be lower with a ferritin level at 43, but there are the symptoms.
Doctors don’t know everything.
One must think where ones levels are when not testing. Your iron levels aren’t static.
