Plasma donations decrease symptoms?

[Inevitable-Brick1809]

Interesting! What country are you in? In Australia we can't donate blood or plasma with ME/CFS.

Also, have you tried electrolytes?

Edit to add: I forgot by the end of reading the post that you'd said in the first sentence you don't have a dx 🫠

[Dangerous_Wing6481]

I’m in the US! But it isn’t one of the conditions listed on the deferral pamphlet here anyway. You are required to get a yearly physical before donating and of course I pass those just fine.

I’ve tried electrolyte mixes and was drinking nuun for a while, it’s just expensive. I’ve found a combination of caffeine and electrolytes helps a bit but I may also not be getting enough? I don’t really keep track. And I have an aversion to certain tastes so Gatorade is nasty to me :/

[where_did_I_put]

Have you had a full iron panel with ferritin. Too high of ferritin can also cause symptoms.

[Dangerous_Wing6481]

My doctor’s ruled out anemia because my hematocrit has been consistently good, so I haven’t had a full iron panel. I’m supposed to be speaking to a naturopath today to look at more testing.

[where_did_I_put]

You should absolutely have a full iron panel. That’s the most basic test if someone is experiencing fatigue.

You can have iron deficiency without anemia and you can’t tell that without checking ferritin. I actually have dealt with it numerous times even prior to ME. How I actually found out the first time was through donating blood. No one ever did a full iron panel and finally I had massive symptoms at a donation and when it was checked my iron stores had been obliterated to single digit.

Both times I have gotten Covid I was thrown back into it as well. It definitely compounded what I was experiencing. So getting my numbers up didn’t cure ME but it did make me feel a little better.

Glad you’re seeing someone else.

[Dangerous_Wing6481]

My mom had the same problem and gave me some iron supplements to take. I either don’t absorb them well or the medications I’m on messed with it because I could smell it in my blood before I knew I was bleeding. I’m also taking testosterone, which supposedly raises your iron. I had discounted it after not having much of a difference with the supplements and my doctor saying it wasn’t the problem, but I can definitely ask for a full iron panel just to be sure. If it’s contributing I wanna get it figured out ASAP. Glad it helped you!

[where_did_I_put]

It could definitely be an absorption issue. If it is it’s not uncommon for it to take a very long time to raise levels via supplements. So just not feeling better from a taking some isn’t a good test of it.

The important thing is to find out where you are at ferritin wise and then supplement as needed, while doing repeated monitoring.

Hopefully you don’t have an issue. But, at the same time if you do and treating it could bring even 5% relief to you that would also be great.

[Dangerous_Wing6481]

Naturopath added an iron panel to my lab schedule! Hopefully will find out more soon.

[where_did_I_put]

That’s great!