x-post - Do I have Anemia?

I know (most of) you aren't doctors and I did ask my doctor, through his nurse over the phone, and he said my iron was fine. I am going to ask my NUT as well, but... Okay, so I am not a doctor either, but I feel like blood work is written so that the layperson can read the results i.e. they show the normal range and a big H or L after your numbers. Here are my iron numbers per my blood work from December: 

% SATURATION 7 L 20-50

IRON 38 L 40-170

TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 543 H 260-430

Note: Results obtained for the total iron binding capacity (TIBC) are based on a calculation derived from the direct determination of iron and transferrin and a calculated % saturation.

Transferrin 446 H 215-380

Additional Information HL7 Result Status: F

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks all :)

Your iron level is too low.  How much iron do you take?  What kind?

I don't take any iron. My doctor has always told me iron levels have been fine so I didn't think I needed to. I am pre-op...well, technically 6 years post-op lap band, pre-op revision to RNY.

OK.  well, I'd start taking some now.

I have IBS and have heard that iron can do a number on your insides so I will start researching what would be a good option.

Carbonyl iron.  It is much, much less likely to cause constipation then ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate or even ferrous fumerate.  The main reason why is because it's all elemental iron, while those other types are not.  For instance, ferrous sulfate is only 20% elemental iron.  That means if you get an iron pill with 325 mg ferrous sulfate in it, it only gives you 65 mg elemental iron.  The rest is iron salts, and that's what can cause constipation, stomach pain and nausea.

The two brands of carbonyl iron I've found in stores are Sundown Perfect Iron, which is what I use, and Feosol.  Feosol also makes ferrous sulfate, so if you get that brand, make sure you're picking up the carbonyl one.

Well, I know what I am buying at the store today! Thank you muchly!

Did they test ferritin?  

Everything I posted is everything the paper said so I am guessing not. I never had to be to into my lab results before. I was gleefully ignorant with the lap-band and have never had any nutrient/mineral/vitamin issues before. I only got these lab results sent to me for a completely different issue, I just figured I take a peek at them.

A Complete Blood Count (CBC) checks your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body. Hematocrit is a measure of how much space red blood cells take up in your blood. A low level of hemoglobin or hematocrit is a sign of anemia.  So you need to find out what your levels are.

If the CBC results confirm you have anemia, then you need other blood tests to find out what's causing the condition, how severe it is, and the best way to treat it.  Iron tests can show how much iron has been used from your body's stored iron. Tests to measure iron levels include:

• Serum iron. This test measures the amount of iron in your blood. The level of iron in your blood may be normal even if the total amount of iron in your body is low. For this reason, other iron tests also are done.
• Serum ferritin. Ferritin is a protein that helps store iron in your body. A measure of this protein helps your doctor find out how much of your body's stored iron has been used.
• Transferrin level, or total iron-binding capacity. Transferrin is a protein that carries iron in your blood. Total iron-binding capacity measures how much of the transferrin in your blood isn't carrying iron. If you have iron-deficiency anemia, you'll have a high level of transferrin that has no iron.

So to conclude, you need to get your hematocrit and hemoglobin numbers.  If they are low, then your doctor should then test your iron (serum iron, serum ferritin, TIBC, and saturation) to determine if the anemia is cause by iron deficiency or something else.