Might want to have your testosterone level checked if you haven't already. HH can lower it which can also cause fatigue. There is a correlation between HH and hypogonadism.

My ferritin got up to 1350 ug/L and had weekly phlebotomies from May 2013 to Jan 2014. Then I found my lead and other heavy metals high from a EDTA chelation test, so I've been getting weekly EDTA IV treatments. I found my muscles ached from just climbing stairs. Getting the ferritin down to 50 in January 2014 helped, but the 17 ETDA treatments I had has also made a huge difference. I fairly active (I'm 61), but not as much as you. A few hours biking a week, Tai Chi 3 times a week, 1 of the sessions we do push hands quite strongly and I run my own small company so I often have to lift things in the 50lb range.

I was told that chelation is best to get ferritin out of muscle tissues once the phlebotomies have taken the iron back to normal. The thing about chelation however is that it takes lead and other heavy metals out first. Which is a good thing, I think as all of the metals are toxic and need to come out to improve ones health.

I highly recommend looking into the chelation once your ferritin is in the normal range.

Had my phleb on Thurs and am feeling great. Fatigue gone.

I asked the Dr about exercise and increase in TS%. He said there's no correlation. My TS% was 53% and Ferritin was 26.

As I've posted in earlier messages, I find that when my TS% is above 40%, the fatigue hits me bad. That's when I know it's phleb time. Now if I could only grow large veins.

bronx..have you considered asking for a butterfly needle? They accomondate requests at the blood center I go to..It's smaller..and easier if you're blood doesn't clot too much.

Thanks for your suggestion, Leigh444. I did not know the blood bank had smaller needles.
Between 1998 and 2003, I had two ports and a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) because of poor veins. Finally at this hematologist office there is a nurse who is able to get into a vein. She has to sit with me for the whole process (30 minutes). A vacuum bottle is used.

itsouttaher, I'm a post menopausal female. Not sure testosterone would play a part in my case.

Doug, since I'm also hypothyroid, I hesitate to go the chelation route. Right now my thyroid hormone dose seems to be working OK and I don't want to cause any problems with it. Thanks for your suggestion.

exsercise helped me, i just had to phlebotomys and it wiped the energy right out of mem i was pumpin weights jogging, now im tired as hell , oct 3rd ive been sleeping hrs up all night sleep all day. sore , 2 phleb in 3 weeks, my ferritin was 30 and hemoglobin was 142

Perhaps you need less blood taken..say half of what is normally drained. i haven't tolerated large amounts of blood loss after the first phleb. I'm literally wiped out for a month..I've began just going for blood tests once a month..not quite as effective, but i feel better, and am not so drained.Wish you well!

Rocketrod2, did you mean to say your hemoglobin was 142 or was that a typo?