Correction, iron went from 257 to 126.

I had my saturation number drop from 55-60% to 25% in two weeks. However, My ferritin number was still around 500.

The best protocol I have seen is to continue to give blood until your hemoglobin does not recover to anormal level within three weeks. I think this assures that your body has a chance to release all the stored iron. So it is as simple as checking your hemoglobin before you give blood to make sure you do not go through a significant anemia.

Your ferritin never was that high so you may almost be in a place that you will just have to give bllod every three months or so and check your ferritin number every so often.

Thank you. My ferritin came back and dropped from 209 to 124. I will get the phlebotomy done tomorrow. I just don't want to over do it either but I should still get my numbers down a bit. Thanks. Thrilled with the results.

im not sure for a female, but for males they want the ferritin around 50, so i would keep it going until its around that number then back off and the doc will have to establish a maintenace phase. everyones maint. phase is different, im at every 2 months

See what your SF is. If it's below 50, then I would ask if you need to phleb.

I personally like my SF and TS% around 30. If my TS% is in the 40's then I get brain fog. My latest results are SF 25 and TS% 29 even though my HGB was 14.6 and I feel great. You have to find levels that work for you.

I was SF 369 at diagnosis in 1998 but wasn't treated properly until 2003.

Diagnosed 1998
C282Y X2
In maintenance since 2003

My SF is 124 so I have some more to go. I just couldn't beleive how much my numbers came down after 2 phlebs. I go in tonight for treatment. Like you, my hgb is a healthy 14.3.

I had my TS% down as low as 6 and my HGB was 12.5. I had no complaints then but I was told that my TS% shouldn't go below 20.

Just reduce your beef and lamb and dark chicken meat intake and always take either calcium tabs or milk when you eat meat. Calcium blocks the iron absorption from meat. Tea reduces the iron absorption in non meat.

I usually drink tea or milk with a meal. I don't eat red meat. Never really did all that much. The biggest things for me when daignosed was the multivitamin i was taking (had 100% daily allowance of iron) and eating the fortified cereal (which had 25% to 40%) with a big glass of OJ. ha ha. I quit all that. I have a feeling maintenance is only going to be a few times a year.

Phlebotomist tested my blood after my draw and m y results came back without any real significant change this time. do you think it is because she took it right away? Last time I took my tests a month after i had my phlebotomy.

I personally do not like having the test done immediately after I'm phlebbed. Only one doctor's office did that and I don't believe that it's showing a true reading.
JMHO

I agree completely. I am not going to take that as my reading. I will test again before my next phleb to see where I stand.