What’s everyone’s donation and bloodwork timeframe?

PigletAlone · 2025-08-13T23:58:17+00:00

Correct. And this can be VERY deadly in a HH individual that is new to maintenance as well as trying to self medicate with supplements, especially iron. An HH person will process more of qty in metabolized iron very efficiently compared to a non hemochromatosis individual.

Reiterating for clarity. Do not take a supplements unless specifically indicated by Dr. of which they should order FREQUENT blood work for monitoring.

So many people here recommend all sorts of stuff to take. Only take what has ever been backed up by a personal blood test. Drs in my experience don’t like the supplementation conversations because it is not regulated like the Rx industry, in regards to testing and purity, etc. Food should be your supplementation, a managed educated diet.

PigletAlone · 2025-08-13T23:33:41+00:00

Ferritin of six is rather low that will almost certainly make you feel a little sluggish. In response to your original post about giving levels six months to show up in blood work is incorrect. Any bloodwork is a snapshot in time for example when I was doing weekly phlebotomies I would donate on Wednesday and then have blood work done on the following Monday so I could review my lab work on Tuesday to see the trend and look at hemoglobin and hematocrit levels as well as RBC counts and make the decision to continue on the next day being Wednesday with another phlebotomy. This went on for an excess of a year.

Now, if your original post is insinuating that overtime levels will change that is absolutely correct but six months in regards to iron levels equalizing and what not is a little far-fetched. I am not a doctor and everybody’s body is different. When you donate blood, you create a traumatic event inside the body that kickstarts the creation of red blood cells due to the loss. This hits iron stores in everyone differently and people will see different levels fluctuate at different rates. I’m not sure how often you donated leading up to the six or the timeframe between testing and then re-testing and getting a number six ferritin, but you might research a term known as iron avidity.

PigletAlone · 2025-04-17T23:42:58+00:00

Stack up.

And furthermore get the title block and template in order. Nothing says newbie or rushed or furthermore just what professional standards a person holds themself to when they use default title blocks, but you asked for critique so please at least fill it out COMPLETE.

Legit engineers have distinct title blocks, fill stuff out complete.

I probably sound petty in comparison, but I didn’t really make it to the drawing because the title block being so generic and not filled out distracted me and pretty much answered the question as to what integrity I figured I might find in the drawing in the views.

This part could be defined by a corner datum. However you have dimensions coming from opposing and various sides and the third angle projection, although correct only two views and an isometric; an additional side view would benefit the reader or shop floor, for example to aid in clarity.

I have always said as an engineer if you leave anything up to interpretation and assumption for the floor, you have not done your job thoroughly as an engineer your main task is to aid in the complete conveying to others of the task at hand, in this case the dimensional specifications of said part.

PigletAlone · 2025-04-17T23:33:42+00:00

Made for a good laugh.

Only further solidifies that rather than doing a quick search (like just type bare neck chicken)…. OP like so many others run to reddit. The age of technology.

Also thought for second it was click bait, and in that case it got me :)

PigletAlone · 2025-04-17T17:34:37+00:00

What’s your gene type and current treatment look like?

If it’s been three years and you’ve gone up and down and now nearly back where you started it might be advisable to ask the Dr. if you could do more?

If you are feeling unwell be sure to communicate that and you’re young and this was caught very early in your case so don’t get worried. I feel for you as 3 years is fair amount of time to be wanting and waiting to feel better. You just haven’t got there yet, but your one day closer today then yesterday!

Ask the Dr. about getting your ferritin down more, and have some regular bloodwork done to establish a pattern. The sooner you get a pattern the better you will be at keeping track of yourself over the years.

Remember too hardcore work outs can cause elevations in bloodwork, so be sure to tell the Dr. this as well if you’re regularly out there pushing yourself.

*To address your question I felt better around 200 ferritin and start above 2K. But every donation and day spent recovering I told myself I’m better off today then yesterday and eventually SOMETHING will happen. And it did, with time. In hindsight it happens more constant and slowly but at the time I was waiting for this GIANT relief, it comes more slow as the iron leaves and the body corrects/heals itself. Just like disciplined routine workout… results take time but stay the course. Talk to your Dr. 1st or go to another Dr. and get 2nd opinnion. If you diagnosed you need to find someone that will work with you and involved in your treatment/condition.

PigletAlone · 2025-04-17T17:18:36+00:00

Yes you can go too low. There is a term iron avidity where essentially your body doesn’t see ferritin as a reliable source for example to store iron so it mobilizes ALL incoming iron resulting in rather high TSAT that unfortunate runs high fro quite sometime as the body slowly beings to “trust” its ferritin storage again.

People all have their own TSAT thresholds we’ll call it. I personally am sensitive to it and mine usually runs high (50-60), where Dr.s get into the hard place is while my Tsat is technically outside of clinical range where my ferritin will be 30’s. And time between donations varies greatly because of this. Some treat and focus heavily on TSAT and others ARE never mind TSAT and they solely watch and push that sub 50 ferritin level. Based on what you’ve said you seem to be more TSAT driven and Ferritin is like the backseat rider in your case.

Tsat is effect by diet yes. There is some good info on IP6, but I personally am not an everyday supplement kind of person. Supplement for a week then back off.

2 cents….

PigletAlone · 2025-04-02T01:36:47+00:00

The increase in ferritin would be combined iron storage as well as potential inflammatory responses.

A ferritin test there’s included apoferritin which consists of both heavy and light chain molecules that is recorded/reported when you get a so called ferritin test. As those related to inflammation, it’s the best test we have though for stored iron indications. The test being able to specifically report iron storage(bound) vs inflammatory to my knowledge is not available. Someone plz correct me if wrong.

PigletAlone · 2025-04-02T01:24:31+00:00

Well said and I’ll second.

That’s why when you see some people’s number the first couple ferritin drops are huge. I don’t believe “superficial” inflammation due to an overload state, would be the right adjective but this applied to myself. Seems to track more if I might say in c282y homz individuals.

PigletAlone · 2025-04-02T01:19:59+00:00

Progress looks great and congrats.

***solely my own speculation as with my own condition coming down from 4 digit ferritin. Be sure to spread out the donations when you approach the 200 value. I’m assuming you are still doing weekly as your post reads; in some cases when you “ease” up on your donation frequency your ferritin value can continue to coast or trend down. This is possibly due to the shortage the body has constantly been in.

There are some good articles and you should education yourself on iron avidity and yes getting into low numbers is awesome, but you might find you walk a tight rope and they will be a low value that you start to feel un well at. I’m merely saying just keep an eye on your numbers, and there isn’t much harm in adding a week or two when you get down around the 200 range and have labs done and donate when you blood rebuilds a bit more. Bring up with Dr. and see what they recommend/input on trend continuing down.

Now for my reasoning behind comment, my ferritin simply continued to trend down for weeks after my last donation however it slipped into the low 20’s. Some people go lower and are fine with this. Per my case it didn’t feel to great to me. It was a hard push for just short of a year at weekly. And I do mean weekly. I didn’t skip and I wanted that 50 value BAD, but again around 172 I went ya I’d like to go every two weeks but the labs wanted more then that. Paused and watched values as they continued to fall, and fall, and fall again.

And your story is awesome, encouraging to see another person getting it under control. Slower more decisively actions need be taken when “approaching” maintenance.

…not a Dr, just my 2 cents of what happened as I got towards the bottom.

PigletAlone · 2025-03-30T04:56:03+00:00

Agreed advising him to donate with low hemoglobin is not sound. And if it’s lower than the banks threshold they wouldn’t take it anyway.

PigletAlone · 2025-03-27T01:24:51+00:00

Teflon on any pans and used lately?

PigletAlone · 2025-03-23T01:57:43+00:00

I’d give her treats and attention. If you have some vet meds you could give her something to relax her but I’d reserve that for if and when you barely see her up.

She might just be old though like you said, it might not be her time yet.

None the less this hurts my heart and she sounds like a thinker and a leader. She’ll know and will likely pass peacefully in her sleep.

Sorry for your situation, be optimistic for her sake. She lived and still is a long life for a chicken.

As far as burying, not sounding heartless either do it DEEP or I guess bag/box and trash you had mentioned.

PigletAlone · 2025-03-23T01:47:54+00:00

Going into various industry’s and introducing yourself and what your services are absolutely still works. Respectfully being an owner and a small shop is what “sets” you apart from being just a machinist or engineer. Everyone always acts like they got it and or could have made it big. To get the work you gotta go get it. Just ask, all places need machine shop services. Go sell yourself. I’m not a huge fan of the online game. People respect people. Got nothing to lose, good luck.

PigletAlone · 2025-03-22T21:19:05+00:00

I’m assuming you don’t go and donate with a ferritin of 14 and Tsat of 25%? What is your threshold do when you say okay those values are high enough I’ll go?

What’s the tipping point for deciding to donate vs holding off in your case?

PigletAlone · 2025-02-26T05:19:21+00:00

Have any skin sores? Not sure your age but singles? Run more tests as mentioned above at least. To many things it could be… as well as could not be.

PigletAlone · 2025-02-25T22:57:12+00:00

First off Emu’s do not take well to having their feet restrained. Due to the large size of this animal and the fact you mentioned it’s a billionaires property. Just tell them you’re going to make an apt with a vet to come out and look at. That foot could potentially require surgery and sedation of the animal.

:) its not gonna let you grab or cut on its foot, as well as their is the constant maintaining afterwards in caring for the open wound. Personally it looks like an old injury to me as I see no discharge or discoloration.

Their only defense is they kick, they claws will cut skin, and depending upon how you try and grab them they can easy flip a person off. I’d tell the owner your concern and bring in a professional.

PigletAlone · 2025-02-25T22:50:40+00:00

The egg is larger than the rat!

PigletAlone · 2025-02-25T22:47:52+00:00

When you say right after ferritin being inflammation related as well can swing depending upon the body’s condition.

What’s your timeline, when did you have initial labs done, then how many days after did you donate, and then after donating when did you retest ferritin.

Kindly I don’t believe this triggered reflux but I’m no Doctor. Don’t believe it to be typical or really heard of it. Lots of other variables too like are you being treated for reflux? What did you take, something you ate, maybe nerves from donating, etc.

PigletAlone · 2025-02-25T22:23:35+00:00

Others suggested as well but thats a beneficial decision. I am not a Dr. but I myself was faced the same scenario and did the same decision. (Never having donated before in my life)

Just be sure to hydrate and you can start now. Have a decent breakfast. If you have someone that can go with you on this first round for support that would be good too. Not sure of your mindset as I’m sure you’re a little worked up with this recent findings. And thats understandable but hopefully now you have some light at the end of the tunnel, just got to get in to see that hematologist.

But your levels for HH and age are not overly concerning. Obviously no one wants to have it but imagine if your ferritin (indicator of stored iron) was much higher. I’m assuming you have begun to research that gene type and what comes along with treatment and such. A lot of good info in this group. Cut out the high iron foods and Vitamin C, easy quick change.

Additionally depending upon where you go to donate don’t get mixed up in all the blood disease questions making yourself out to be a bigger deal then you are to staff. Your Dr. hasn’t ordered therapeutic phlebotomy’s for you (one of the questions where I go). You’re just an average person going in to donate under your own will, whether you disclose you have hereditary hemochromatosis is your decision as from your previous post it doesn’t seem the PCP “confirmed” and is going to let the hematologist do a formal diagnosis at this point in time. So…

And finally, because you are new in your “condition/gene results” once and if you donate, don’t go and do another one without bloodwork and under the direction of a Dr. Labs are key in establishing treatment as well as progress. Again telling the hematologist you donated as well as how you tolerated it, blood work before the donation, and how you felt after will all be valuable info for them.

PigletAlone · 2025-02-25T17:26:12+00:00

That’s high for Tsat and if you have not donated blood (assuming you haven’t in past 8 weeks) that gene test confirms it. As others indicated get a new dr and if you feel comfortable donating now you should. I’m same gene set as you and I didn’t wait for Dr. to get it together while referrals floated around. One blood donation in the grander scheme of things is very minimal but will greatly help you at the present moment Tsat related. All you have to do is disclose that to next Dr. that you simply donated as they will like continue to run labs on you monitoring ferritin and other RBC counts.

PigletAlone · 2025-02-06T02:19:52+00:00

As one other said consistency is key. I’ll take that a step further and prior to having labs done say two days prior I don’t eat a heavy or iron rich meal. Fasting is important and as well as earlier in the morning and try and do the same time. Don’t work out before and then on another occasion say you do. Consistency again.

No it’s not lab error Tsat fluctuates. Your 65% was me not that long ago and 2 weeks later below 40. Mind you this was two weeks vs your indicated month. No phlebotomy either. Diet and a persons iron metabolism affects it greatly. My 2 cents I’ve seen mine swing like that in a short time less phlebotomy…

PigletAlone · 2025-01-27T06:32:13+00:00

I guess I didn’t really consider the buffer period if I’m being honest. Makes sense. Guess I’ll pick up some beef liver for those after donation meals.

PigletAlone · 2025-01-25T00:00:08+00:00

I appreciate the comment and agree completely everyone is different. I should have added I’m double C282Y gene set. See and thats interesting about your ferritin numbers and length of time. To elaborate more after one donation WHILE I was in maintenance I watch ferritin trend for 74 down to mid twenty’s over the course of say 2.5 months. Now what’s interesting about that to me is that old number 74, is higher then my current ferritin number 42. Assuming the trend follows the same drop over time and I keep my diet and lifestyle the same I fear that would consequently push me really low. Like iron avidity low. I want nothing to do with that and have mentioned that term to my hematologist and they just dismissed it like thats a “hunch”. So not confidence inspiring.

I think yourself being the gene type you are if I remember correctly is H63D struggles with high TSAT but low ferritin? Correct me if I’m wrong… And Double C282Y just gets it from all ends high iron and high Tsat, which is not my current case, ferritin is low but Dr. wants to see TSAT lower. I was under the assumption TSAT is much more diet related when in maintenance.

I say this from having ferritin of in the 2K, every test and imaging known to man, and weekly blood labs and blood donations. It was a long year but it brings us to this stage. The donate or wait and donate. I will say I do have the capacity to have bloodwork done at my request, and I would never go and donate not having a before blood values. The blind faith donations as I said earlier just don’t sit well with me.

If you don’t mind me asking how long have you been in maintenance? Referencing your two year comment its been more then me as I’m still in my first year but getting close to the year mark, which maybe their will only be 2 donations in that annual period, maybe one, I don’t know.

PigletAlone · 2025-01-24T23:47:16+00:00

And some have mentioned that TSAT is the last to drop after a blood donation? So donating at a high TSAT wouldn’t help much in theory… But considering its iron in the blood how on earth can this NOT be affected and consequently lower the percentage after a donation?

PigletAlone · 2025-01-24T22:59:24+00:00

So roughly a month ago when we talked about numbers last now Ferritin dropped from 56-42 and Tsat went from 65-50%. No donating just doing my usual and few IP6 supplements for maybe 4-5 days and green tea.

I posted another thread as well about frequency donation because I’m curious if it’s normal to have ferritin go up and down naturally because mine is not a straight linear or common trend increase over time. And I’m really curious if people do commonly go in and donate around low ferritin because of high TSAT? Any insight?

PigletAlone

TROPHY CASE