Sorry-the IBDs not IBS which is much milder.

What makes colon cancer be the first thing you consider? Is there a family history? Do you have GI issues?

If you have GI issues, it is worth checking in the GI Dr. The IBDs-crohn's and UC can cause low ferratin and they behave strangely. While colon cancer often grows slowly (but not all the time) sometimes the IBS can go from ultra mild to moderate severe pretty quickly when not properly treated. If you reflux mention that too. Some people need both upper GI scope and colonoscopy, but low ferratin-which I think has to do with iron reserves can be caused by so many issues. I would not rush to colonoscopy and worrying about colon cancer unless you have symptoms since you were scoped 2 years ago and nothing was found. Keep us posted.

My DH had anemia due to bleeding from internal hemorrhoids that he ignored for a long time. In addition to the colonoscopy his GI also did an upper endoscopy, capsule endoscopy and tested for celiac and H. Pylori.

I would check on other things before doing another colonoscopy. Maybe check on thyroids.

It's a good thing to be proactive about this. Things like this make you change the way you do things, which is to prioritize and be proactive about your health and it reduces the worriness.

Anonymous wrote:Doctors never check Ferritin for some reason. Luckily some doctor here checked mine and found mine was 11. The weird thing was, I could run 10 miles but I got tired and dizzy walking up the stairs in my house. For me, I think it is because I was drinking a lot of caffeine. My diet was good - lots of meat and salads and things. But heavy periods, kids, and caffeine - anyways, they said 11 was normal according to their lab but I felt a lot better when I started taking iron.

Lol of course they do

Anonymous wrote:Doctors never check Ferritin for some reason. Luckily some doctor here checked mine and found mine was 11. The weird thing was, I could run 10 miles but I got tired and dizzy walking up the stairs in my house. For me, I think it is because I was drinking a lot of caffeine. My diet was good - lots of meat and salads and things. But heavy periods, kids, and caffeine - anyways, they said 11 was normal according to their lab but I felt a lot better when I started taking iron.

What form/dose of iron do you take that doesn't cause nausea?

Doctors never check Ferritin for some reason. Luckily some doctor here checked mine and found mine was 11. The weird thing was, I could run 10 miles but I got tired and dizzy walking up the stairs in my house. For me, I think it is because I was drinking a lot of caffeine. My diet was good - lots of meat and salads and things. But heavy periods, kids, and caffeine - anyways, they said 11 was normal according to their lab but I felt a lot better when I started taking iron.

Hi OP, I'm 55 and had a ferritin of 3 also. Mine was due to heavy periods-really bad over the past 10 years just depleted my ferritin. I'm also a runner-which can deplete iron. I had 3 iron infusions that have held for about 6 months, but I'll probably need 3 more due to dipping ferritin again. I'm happy to have a hematologist to monitor vs. OB/GYN. 2 OB/GYNs totally missed my anemia and never checked ferritin levels. Good luck

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t they just send you for an ultrasound right now? Anyone could write that scrip.

I feel for you. I’m dealing with something similar with weird blood test results. So stressful. I will say that my understanding is that in a pre menopausal woman the drs are much less nervous low iron is something nefarious like colon cancer.

Particularly combined with your recent colonoscopy that seems unlikely.

OP. Think I’m a little paranoid due to proximity to people diagnosed with colon cancer. Neighbour diagnosed with anemia prior to heart surgery and turned out to be early stage colon cancer. And two 40-something-year-olds. One died and other being treated.

I might push for an earlier ultrasound.

Had any of those people had recently clear colonoscopies?