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CJsays 
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 Topic: High iron levels 6 weeks preggers
Posted: 15 June 2010 at 1:57pm |
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Hi
Just been to dr, he's ordered some followup tests as I have come back with a high iron level. Can't find much about risks etc on the web or how to lower, has anyone been through the same? Seems like most people a low so I'm abit strange! He said cold be an infection, and has done liver test and hemotomocoris (or something like that!) test too.
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BriAndOlisMum
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 2:18pm |
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i don't think high iron is anything to worry about. it is low iron that you need to worry about, that is why you are hearing of lots of people with low iron.
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T_Rex
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 2:27pm |
I'll be interested to see what they find. I had extremely high iron too. (Ferritin was 385 at beginning of preg, dropping to 315 or so by 28 weeks). Both my MW and the back up said it was fabulous and both baby and I are fine.
I did discuss with the backup why it might be so high, and we concluded that it was cos I don't drink tea, and my preg craving was mandarins, so I had high dietary vit C. Plus the meat that I do eat is mostly homekill, with minimal processing, so probably relatively high in iron too. Does any of that apply to you?
Fingers crossed that it's nothing for you 
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Hopes
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 2:45pm |
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Wow, those are high levels, Becs. I've got the opposite problem, mine are a bit low (dropped from 70 to 12). There's obviously quite a range which you can vary in relatively safely!
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CJsays
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 3:46pm |
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Wow thx heaps for your posts, I have been freaking out! Should get results from second test end of this week, but I read high ferritin can cause sml babies and preterm delivery so am a little worried! So many people do have low iron that high iron seems rare. Hmm no don't eat homekill, I do eat mandarins 1 every day which I wouldn't think would of changed things that much? Be interested if mine drops too hmmmm, am waiting for my midwife to call to confirm she will take me on, hopefully she rings tonite so I can run this past her too! *Sigh* the joys of pregnancy eh girls? Just wanna get past this first tri, the nausea sux!
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BugTeeny
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 3:50pm |
I'm sure if your levels are of concern then your GP/MW will address them.
If it helps, my iron is 7.. so as you can imagine I feel like total crap 
It's great that you have such high levels early on, baby is going to need (and take!!) a lot from you, so the more you have to start, the better, I would've thought?
*fingers crossed* all is well
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High9
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 3:58pm |
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I don't think it's anything to worry about either! Mine were a bit low and I was feeling tired by mid morning after a decent 7ish hours sleep!
Mine were low and Lily was 6lbs 13oz and born at 39 weeks. (Waters broke first but I had been out shopping all day so with the amount of walking I did - not too surprised!) Umm dp and I were both small babies so wasn't expecting a baby bigger than 7lbs!
Also I ate about 10+ mandarins in the first maybe 12 weeks until they went out of season! They were my craving, then it was lemons...
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T_Rex
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 4:17pm |
Heh, well I went 10 days overdue and DD was bang on average sized
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RedHeadDuck
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 4:51pm |
A lot of my family has haemacromatosis (argh, i dunno how to spell it! High iron in other words )
Only thing they do differently is have to donate blood more regularly (obviously not a option while pregnant though...) and that helps lower levels, so it doesn't build up to such extremes
I know when dad/my brother miss donating blood (they do it every time the blood bank is down, instead of every second like normal people, and often get blood off in between) they start getting tired etc. Same 'symptoms' as low iron...
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Lucky apple
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 6:33pm |
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I think there's someone in our thread (jul 10) with haemochromotosis...it's her second pg...so it must be ok... (I'm sure she'll read this and might comment :-) )
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monikah
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 7:39pm |
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man if you figure out whats causing them to be high then tell the rest of us the secret. mine were 4 last time they were checked. lol
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gmunster
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 8:25pm |
cjsays - when yer midwife or doc checks for iron levels they generally do 2 types of iron plus your haemaglobin.
Serum iron levels is basically the amount of iron circulating in your system.
Ferritin are your iron stores in your liver. However, ferritin can also be raised when you have an infection of any description as it is what is called an acute phase protein - so rises in response to infections (colds etc).
If you don't have an infection and the ferritin and serum iron levels are high then it can be caused by haemachromatosis - an inherited condition where iron builds up in your bosy. Symptoms (as someone already said) of high iron are very similar to low iron (tiredness, aches etc).The gene test your doc has sent away will tell them if this is the reason. Also if there are a few liver issues that can be another reason for elevated ferritin and iron. And then of course there are just some people who have higher levels of iron!! Treatment for heamachromatosis is as moocow said - donate blood regularly or if that isn't possible then the local labs will take blood off each month instread (the same volume as blood donation). As far as risks to your baby, in reality there are few other than if it is haemachromatosis then it is likely the baby could have also (inherited condition). But I am sure yer doc will explain it all once the results are back.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
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Mucky_Tiger
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Posted: 15 June 2010 at 8:58pm |
if if is haemochromatosis you should be fine as in 9 months your levels may build up but after you have baby you might find you bleed extra long. its your bodys way of getting rid of the iron. and after baby is born they can test again and if needed get you to do a donation (even if they just dump it) to lower the level more.
most women dont have problems till after menopause (or repeated pregnancies quite close together)
DP has it and his nose bleeds if he doesnt donate often enough.
his mum has it too and had him and his brother 18 months apart and had to donate 3x after DP was born to bring levels back down then AF kicked in again and now shes fine...until menopause hits her 
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High iron levels 6 weeks preggers
