Iron Depletion in Blood related to COVID?

I have been reading this and would like to share my experience. I have always been on the low side of normal on the hemoglobin. This last year my ferritin went down to 22. I attributed it to one of the following: diet, thyroid surgery (possible blood loss) but the doctor did a complete work up and also found high white blood cells. I have been having blood counts every three months, eating chicken liver once a week, beef once a week and taking iron pills. My ferritin went up to 40 but the hemoglobin remained a bit low. I had the full iron panel and it was normal. I also have had the pfiezer vaccine and boosters but no covid. The doctor was going to suggest the colonoscopy and upper gi if the levels didn't improve but they did improve after about 6 months. However, now I have been diagnosed with stage 0 of CLL which is a slow growing, chronic leukemia. This was revealed in the blood tests.
My husband used to give blood regularly and he became anemic and thinks it was because he was giving blood so often. He also thought that with getting older he had to stop. He was rejected due to getting anemic. His levels are still a bit low.
I suggest getting the full CBC and the differential blood test which looks more closely at the lab results. Give it time to get the iron levels up if doing it with diet and supplements. Also I read that waiting 30 minutes after an iron rich meal to drink coffee or tea is a good idea since the coffee or tea can interfere with iron absorption.

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I have been reading this and would like to share my experience. I have always been on the low side of normal on the hemoglobin. This last year my ferritin went down to 22. I attributed it to one of the following: diet, thyroid surgery (possible blood loss) but the doctor did a complete work up and also found high white blood cells. I have been having blood counts every three months, eating chicken liver once a week, beef once a week and taking iron pills. My ferritin went up to 40 but the hemoglobin remained a bit low. I had the full iron panel and it was normal. I also have had the pfiezer vaccine and boosters but no covid. The doctor was going to suggest the colonoscopy and upper gi if the levels didn't improve but they did improve after about 6 months. However, now I have been diagnosed with stage 0 of CLL which is a slow growing, chronic leukemia. This was revealed in the blood tests.
My husband used to give blood regularly and he became anemic and thinks it was because he was giving blood so often. He also thought that with getting older he had to stop. He was rejected due to getting anemic. His levels are still a bit low.
I suggest getting the full CBC and the differential blood test which looks more closely at the lab results. Give it time to get the iron levels up if doing it with diet and supplements. Also I read that waiting 30 minutes after an iron rich meal to drink coffee or tea is a good idea since the coffee or tea can interfere with iron absorption.

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You know, just reread your post. Waiting for labs until you think your iron or other numbers are good, by changing diet or adding supplements, is not really such a good idea and if it's not something you can maintain AFTER the labs, it will not be true results. If you're not feeling well have labs and then do what needs to be done. It might be something else!!

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Thank you so much for your information. The bloodwork that was done so far was just the routine one and my primary doctor is sending me to a hematologist and a gastroenterologist. I will be careful not to drink coffee too soon.

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You know, just reread your post. Waiting for labs until you think your iron or other numbers are good, by changing diet or adding supplements, is not really such a good idea and if it's not something you can maintain AFTER the labs, it will not be true results. If you're not feeling well have labs and then do what needs to be done. It might be something else!!

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I also have chronic leukemia, diagnosed in 2015 by accident when my bowel burst! I was in watch and wait for 7 years and finally started meds July of 2022. In August 2022 I caught Covid since immune system is basically wiped out by meds and went on Paxlovid for Covid for five days and had to stop CLL meds. After that I couldn't take meds anymore so I stopped and my blood levels went almost to normal !!! I feel like they're going back up again so will eventually have to start meds again I'm sure, but want to wait anyway til after the Christmas /New Years Covid boost is past. Do you have a hematologist who specializes in CLL? Very important. It's a whole other ball game. And make sure you are comfortable with the doctor. Many of us go through several before we find one we stay with. (However I feel my oncologist takes better care of me lol- I'm also a breast cancer and thyroid cancer survivor and stroke) Has your husband been tested for leukemia as well? I wish I lived near a major hospital instead of in the boonies where each doctor is in a different group and thus they refuse to talk to each other!! Truly!! Anyway yes. A cbc with differential is best test.

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Thank you for the information. You are right about that. My primary doctor was the one who told me to do that, but the vitamins didn’t help. It’s been about 3 months since my last lab tests and I finally got the doctor to give me a referral to the hematologist that I got an appointment for on January 18.

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When people say CLL specialist what is meant by that exactly? I have a hematologist/oncologist and no I am not that comfortable with him. What percentage of patients should a doctor have to be considered a CLL specialist. I have called around and found someone who has 20% CLL patients. Should it be 50%, 100% cll?

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thanks for the input. I'm sorry but perhaps I didn't make it very clear. I had labs awhile back and doctor put me on iron supplements and dietary improvements. Then I had new labs and everything improved. I had full iron spectrum tests as well as a lot of other tests done.

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