Got my ferritin from 9 to 40 in 6 weeks... now what?

[angiepooface]

Alright, so my iron is now at normal level. My hair isn't shedding anywhere near as much anymore. How long until I stop losing hair? I know that I need my level to be 70 to regrow hair, but will it start to regrow as soon as it gets to 70, or will I have to wait 3 months after it get's to 70? :dunno:

 

[gettingthere]

I have been taking Iron supplements for 3 months now and have just had my ferritin levels done, they came back at 50, so I don't know what they were 3 months ago, but my hair has stopped shedding! Have just read that no milk or wholegrains should be eaten within an hour of ingesting iron as they stop the absorption of iron. Can I ask how you got your iron stores up so quickly? Are you taking supplements or is it an iron rich diet? My regimen has been a ferrous sulphate tablet (100mg elemental iron), l-lysine, and 1g vit C morning and night, but I often miss a dose but would say generally i remember at least one dose a day. Since i didn't get my ferritin levels done before i started taking iron i don't know how low it was 3 months ago, it must have been below 40 since i have been shedding for a couple of years now and 3 months of iron and shedding has stopped! Wish i had known about iron 2 years ago...ah well.

 

[Thinningtoo]

My hair has been thinning on the top and in the front of my bangs for about 6 months - at least that I actually started noticing.

I didn't go to the dermatologist at first, but as I started freaking more and more out, I read online at drugstore.com under their GNC Site, the responses to women who took the GNC Hair, Skin and Nails formula vitamins. They all talked about how it worked so well at regrowing their hair back from thinning! (Go on the site and see for yourself!). So, I've been taking 2 tablets a day for about 2 1/2 months now, and I do have significant hair growth in the front, by my bangs!! I'm very excited, even though it does seem to take longer to grow back then my regular hair growth. OH - I did combine this vitamin with a product called "Nioxin Follicle Booster". It's for excessively thinning hair, and although it calls for applying it 2x a day, I only apply once a day before bed because it makes my hair around the thinning areas too sticky to style for the day. It's about $50 a bottle, so I get it on E-Bay for about $35.

I did, however, eventually go to the dermotologist 1 month ago and had bloodwork done to check for thyroid problems, alopecia, iron deficiency, etc. I did get a call from my doctor a couple weeks ago telling me my iron was very low (13), and to get a simple One-A-Day tablet with iron and take one a day, and not try Rogaine yet so we can see if just the iron helps regrow the hair. (I'm finding it very hard to wait, even though I do have some regrowth going on, because I am very upset and having severe anxiety over this whole hairloss situation.) I saw in this forum that other women with low iron are taking 400 mg. a day, and I'm only taking 27 mg. a day. Maybe it's because I'm 47 and going through menopausal symptoms.

I'm going to keep watching this forum as it makes me feel as though I'm not the only woman going through this. Good luck to all and thank you for all your helpful hints.

 

[gr8ful1117]

Hello, I can so relate..I am new to this forum and hope I can find some help as my drs. don't know what to do with me. I have very low ferretin..it started at 7. My hair had been falling out and I became concerned. At first I thought it was because I had a baby but after that baby turned 1 then 2 then 3, 4 and now 5 and my hair is still falling out I got blood work done! I started taking iron supplements and eating more iron rich foods..it would go up a bit but not much..I get blood work every 3 months to see where my levels are but I do get discouraged and stop taking iron because I never seem to get a break with the hair loss..it's constantly falling out to where I don't even know how to wear it anymore. I use to be a hair stylist and it angers me that I can't find something to stop this. What iron is working for some of you?? I've taken slow fe, liquid iron, and now hema-plex(not sure if I'm spelling it right)..I don't think it's working since today I hasd the absolute most hair fall out of my hair ever at one time. It was bunches of pieces together too..not individual..I'm extremely thin in my crown area and my front hairline. Any advice????

 

[somone uk]

my tricologist says you want at least 100, what the medical profession declare as "normal" (20 - 300) ferritin is not always sufficient for good hair growth, if you're not of ferrous sulphate go get a prescription, i got diagnosed with needing more iron with a level of 39

your iron level is climbing which is good
it won't climb 9-100 in a day, climbing iron levels too would be a risk of iron poisoning and if that happens, too much iron has the same symptoms as not enough

the hair growth results will take the same 6-8 months using regaine would take, i don't like the way it is usually implied by the profession that it's almost instantaneous results
but really the problem is that hair doesn't grow fast in the first place, so regardless of treatment, even hair transplants etc are said to take 6-8 months to show results
anything earlier is good luck
as with any treatment patience and perseverance is necessary