Low Ferritin and hives

[Lindsy Tipa]

Hey everyone! I’m new here! I haven’t been diagnosed but am wondering if gluten could be a cause of all my symptoms. My doctor does not think so since I don’t suffer from any major GI issues. 

For the last year I have been dealing with chronic iron deficiency anemia. Specifically low Feeritin. The lowest it has been reported is a 6. No type of iron supplement helps.  I have also been getting chronic hives this last year. I go back to my doctors tomorrow and am wondering g if I should request a celiacs panel. Any thoughts? Thank you! 

[tessa25]

Celiac can cause anemia without gastro issues. It's just a blood test so if it were me I'd push for the full celiac panel being done.

The full celiac panel includes:

TTG IGA
TTG IGG
DGP IGA
DGP IGG
EMA
IGA

You have to be eating gluten daily for 12 weeks before the blood test. A positive on any one blood test should lead to a gastroenterologist doing an endoscopy /biopsies to confirm a celiac diagnosis.

CYA: not  a doc

 

[Lindsy Tipa]

Thank you for your response! Have you ever heard of hives being a symptom of celiacs?  

[cyclinglady]

Ruling out celiac disease would be wise.  Otherwise,  research Mast Cell Activation Syndrome/Disorder (MCAS).  You can have more than one issue going on!  It can cause anemia as well (just like celiac disease or Crohn’s, etc.)

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I get daily all-over-my body hives.  My doctors think they are Autoimmune Hives as they are chronic (lasting more than six months).   Some doctors think they are related to Thyroiditis.  Maybe they are related to celiac disease.  No one knows for sure.    For me, getting glutened can trigger (increase my antibodies) not just my celiac disease but my other autoimmune disorders too and allergies.  I react to a variety of drugs, insect bites, etc.  

My chronic hives have resolved and will not reappear as long as I avoid my triggers: medications (e.g. NSAIDS, acetaminophen, Some anesthesia, insect bites, etc.) Antihistamines, dosage prescribed by my allergist, help too!  

I am not a doctor, but Mast Cell Activation is still not well known, but either is celiac disease.  When I was diagnosed, I just had anemia.  No GI issues at all!  

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Edited September 10, 2018 by cyclinglady

[GFinDC]

Another thing that is often low for a celiac is Vitamin D.  Might be good to ask the doc what your levels are.

[Posterboy]

6 hours ago, Lindsy Tipa said:

For the last year I have been dealing with chronic iron deficiency anemia. Specifically low Feeritin.

Lindsy,

6 hours ago, Lindsy Tipa said:

Any thoughts? Thank you!

Since you are going back to the doctor tomorrow you might not read this in time.

But I hope you get a chance to read it before you visit the doctor.

I can update this thread with more information later in the week sometime . .but here are some quick hits.

Your rash can be a sign of your anemia!

https://www.healthline.com/health/anemia-rash

And NO stomach can cause your Iron to be low enough to need transfusions because their is not any/enough stomach acid to absorb Iron which takes a strong acid.

See this research entitled is achlohyldria (NO stomach acid) a cause of IDA.  The short answer is it can be and doctor's are not checking someone stomach acid first before ruling it out as a cause.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277078673_Is_achlorhydria_a_cause_of_iron_deficiency_anemia

Here is a nice thread on this topic that you can read later.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/119240-diagnosed-with-ttg-iga-level-of-128-three-days-ago-trying-to-conceive-or-should-i-hold-off/

And here is a great case study by the mayoclinic on your issue of Anemia with Rash.

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)63971-2/fulltext?code=jmcp-site

This would be great to share with your doctor's office if you read this before you go to the doctor tomorrow if not you can always email/PM their nurse later.

I hope this is helpful but it is not medial advice.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

Posterboy by the grace of God,

 

[Posterboy]

40 minutes ago, GFinDC said:

Another thing that is often low for a celiac is Vitamin D.  Might be good to ask the doc what your levels are.

GFinDC and Lindsy,

Here is the link/research on Vitamin D deficiency in Urticaria (Hives) entitled "Vitamin D Supplements Improve Urticaria Symptoms and Quality of Life in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Patients"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4203568/

Lindsy your doctor should definitely check your Vitamin D levels.

This is negative learning but Vitamin D and Iron often get low together.

Because a strong stomach acid is needed to absorb them.

We know this because these nutrient (Vitamins and Minerals) get low when we take PPIs for too long.

See this medclince article listing all the nutrients we can become low in when our stomach acid is too low to dissolve our nutrients so our villi (small intestine) can absorb them.

https://www.medcline.com/blog/nutrient-deficiency-linked-to-acid-reflux-medications/

Both Vitamin D and Iron as well as Magnesium and B12 and Folate (Folic Acid) are on this list (among others) that we become low in when we have little or No stomach acid.

I had a friend who had to take transfusions and when they (got) their stomach acid levels up their Iron (Ferritin) levels got high enough they no long need transfusion.

Again this is not medical advice but  I hope it is helpful.

As always “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things”

2 Timothy 2:7 this included.

Posterboy by the grace of God,