That is good! I am currently at 300 and hope to start my first bleed soon. Maybe this gives me some idea of how many times I will need to go to get to around 50?

Are you a fast loader or slow?

Christopher:-)

CHRIS; I AM NOT SURE IF I LOAD FAST OR/??. I STARTED PHLEBING IN MAY 2010. IT HAS GONE BACK UP A COUPLE OF TIMES. I FELT THE SAME WAY WHEN I FIRST STARTED COMING HERE AND HEAR SOME GOOD NEWS LIKE THIS. HOWEVER AS OTHERS WILL ATTEST, WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT AND I RECKON HAVE OUR UPS AND DOWNS ON OUR FERRITIN LEVELS. HH IS SOME WIERD SHIT. I WISH THE WEATHER WOULD WARM UP SO I COULD AT LEAST GET OUT AND CATCH A BASS AND CLICK SOME PICS. I CAN FEEL LIKE SHIT ON THE LAKE AS WELL AS AT HOME, JUST A LOT BETTER DISTRACTIONS. IT IS GOOD (SORT OF) THAT YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE HH AS EARLY AS YOU DID. I FEEL FORTUNATE FOR THE SAME THING. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE OF MY MOTHER TO LET MY SISTER AND I KNOW SHE HAD IT.. WE BOTH HAVE GONE THRU MANY MIS DIAGNOSIS'S AND ALLOT OF MEDS WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD TO TAKE.
I HAVE HAD ARTHRITIS IN MY HANDS SINCE I WAS IN MY EARLY 20'S, EVERY DR WOULD TELL ME I WAS TOOOO YOUNG TO HAVE IT BUT THERE IT WAS/IS. NO IDEA WHY. EAT THESE PILLS AND GO AWAY. OF COURSE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THE ARTHRITIS, BUT THE GASTRAL/INTESTINAL, LIVER PROBLEMS MAY HAVE BEEN DIMINISHED AT THE VERY LEAST. I THINK QUEENIE OR ZZZZZ WOULD KNOW MORE ON THE SPEED THAT WICH ONE LOADS UP. THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, THE LESS IRON I PUT IN, THE LESS I HAVE TO HAVE REMOVED. I'M NOT ANAL ABOUT IT, WELL YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CHECK WITH MY MISSES ON THAT, HA HA,. CHRIS CAN YOU DONATE BLOOD AT THE RED CROSS?? I DO ALONG WITH THE MD SCHEDULED ONES, JUST DO NOT LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE HH. SOME STATES WON'T EVEN TAKE YOUR BLOOD IF YOU HAVE HH. CALIFORNIA WILL BUT YOU HAVE TO DRIVE 5-6 HOURS TO A SPECIAL PLACE TO HAVE IT DONE. SO FAR SO GOOD FOR ME, I STILL AM A HERO TO THE RED CROSS. NOW IF I CAN ONLY CONVINCE MY WIFE I AM A HERO.....HA!! MY DOG THINKS I AM TOO. SHE SHOULD KNOW SHE SPEAKS SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES!! IT IS ALL DOGANEESE TO ME. JUST FUNNIN YAH .. TAKE CARE NOW.

Congratulations YREKADC! That is such good news!!! And Christopher, mine was at 312 in December, I have had 4 phlebs (once a month) and I am down to 91. The problem is that we all seem to vary in the timing of how long it takes to get to 50 and below. It also depends on how frequently your phlebs are. Hopefully it won't take you more that 4 or 5 months. Good Luck!

THANKS WIDFOR. I ADMIT IT GETS SCARY WHEN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO GO DOWN EVEN WITH THE PHLEBS, DIET ETC.. NOT THAT ANYTHING SCARES ME.. WELL OK WHEN I SHAVE IN THE MORN. IT CAN BE SCARY. THATS WHY I CLOSE MY EYES.....THANKS AGAIN ALL. DUANE

Congradulations YREKADC , you may not feel the energy boost right away once de-ironed because your body still takes time to build back all the trace elements it was robbed of but oh what a wonderful feeling of being one step closer . Celebrate !!! Queenie

thanks queenie. I am surprised it came down so much,, am glad though. thanks again. Do you think I'll ever be normal?? ha ha

yr.. glad to hear u r ferritin is down! Nope, I'm not the one to discuss loading rates... because we all are different, so does the iron load, I think.

Red Cross... I have donated there, too. I answered the questions honestly but I didn't give them additional info (HH). They took my blood and about 6 weeks later, I got my donor card. I'm going there on Thursday. I'm going to try and go every 2-3 months and just do all my other phlebs at the doc's office.

fishing..........sounds like a GREAT idea! Don't throw your pole in the lake as you cast due to the hand arthritis! (I didn't know people in CA went fishing).

Normal.... YOU????? Don't think u got a chance there :)
My friends say I've never been "normal" but I don't think they have a true grasp on what it is, either! :)

THANKS ZZZZZzzz, And this californian is a transplant that loves to fish, catch and release mostly. While fishing I always have my camera, so I get to do the two things I love to do together. yep swimmin and underwater photography, if I only had a waterproof camera!!? I did get some good pics of some bass though.
I have indeed thrown my pole in while casting, my buddy said he would never tell!!
Ok Chris I stand corrected,, ZZZzz isn't the one to ask, but I think she answered our question anywho. silly girl.
That is great ZZZ about the RC. I don't think the questionnaire ask's about blood disorders. Most of the ? I don't know what the hell they are asking.. I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant!!?
No ZZZzz there is NO chance that I could be deemed normal, however my therapist say's I am perfectly, umm ah umm, abby ah abby something, Oh yeh abbynormal... You must have ESPn2. (upgraded ESP). Thanks again all. You folks are the greatest. Greatest what I'm not sure. ha ha take care