Anemia and Vitamin D levels

[amyx4]

So, I've searched these boards and the internet but I could still use some advice. The doc office called and said that my iron level was a 22 and my ferritin level was 4.  So, the office called in an iron Rx and told me to come back in 3 months.  (My VitD was a 19 and they called in an Rx for that too.)

What do those numbers mean? I cannot seem to find any information on how to understand those numbers. Thanks

[gardenmom5]

I don't do iron off the top of my head.

for vitD . . . . you must take d3  (it has long been known that d2 will NOT raise your levels long term, and any dr who orders it for a patient should be fired.)  I don't know why you're doing a RX for the d3?  it's cheap and easily obtainable.   you want to know the exact form, and why that vs something OTC.   K2 as an addition helps with absorption.  drops are the best absorbed - but . . .drops.

 

for perspective:

30 USED to be considered the baseline minimum.  now it's 50, and my naturopathic drs prefer more in the 80 range.

VitD usrda (400IUs)was set back when they thought it was about strong bones (rickets is a d3 level of 7) and teeth.

 

now, they know a whole lot more.   one oncologist said she'd never had a patient with a d3 level <30.  it came up in some of 2dd's classes d3 has been reclassified as a hormone, because it is so critical to so many systems.

I take 5,000IU's a day.   I should probably take more, as it climbs <10 pts in a year.  (I started in the 20s)

Edited November 16, 2018 by gardenmom5