hellooooozzzzz

Hi

Please be patient about the hydrea and as for Asunra, it is normal that ferritin comes up while using it before it starts decreasing. We were just discussing it in another post, it will be a good idea if you have a look at it

http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=2517.0

Good luck
manal

@ nice friend : well i do understand tht there is a rise in ferritin coz of BT...but i had my last BT on 12th september 2008...n i started taking Hydra from the next day...i.e, 13th sep
so since then i didn't go for a BT...but now as my Hb is 6.5 i may go for it soon

12/09/2008   ferritin: 1380
13/09/2008       "    : 1390
01/01/2009       "    : 1553

i was a bit confused as to why is this rise in ferritin level though i didn't go for any BT since 3.5 months now...but as manal said it might have raised due to Hydra

@ manal : thanx for the link..it was quite useful to read abt Asunra/exjade.

@ Andy: thanx. i'll surely be more patient with Hydra n Asunra...and im glad to know that it is not suppose to be mixed with any metal...it wasn't mentioned in the leaflet

luv n regards
angela

Anjjela,

You have to be aware that there is Iron absorption in thal(intermedia), so you might want to avoid food rich in Iron. Also, it would be a good idea to drink tea with your meal to decrease the iron absorption through the gut.

For reference:- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/90918

Iron absorption and rates of iron accumulation were analysed in a group of patients with beta-thalassaemia intermedia. Iron absorption was strikingly increased and there was a progressive iron loading with increasing age. Balance studies indicated that by the time many of these patients reach the third or fourth decades their total iron loads may be of a similar magnitude to those of transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia homozygotes. If these patients are to be protected from cardiac, hepatic, and endocrine complications of iron overload in middle life it will be necessary to reduce gastrontestinal iron absorption, starting from early childhood.

Hi Anjjela

I am happy that you find the link helpful but there is just a misunderstanding here

but as manal said it might have raised due to Hydra

i diidn't mean that hydrea will cause this elevation, i only meant to e patient with hydrea.

As for the ferritn, did you have any infection at that time?? The reason for this is that infection causes a rise in serum ferritin. The best thing is to always have the test when you are clear from infections and also take an average for several readings

manal

Fluctuations in ferritin are not unusual, as ferritin levels are also related to the body's defense system and the level will raise in no relation to iron load, when one is sick with infection, as viruses and bacteria thrive on iron, so the body moves iron into serum ferritin to deprive the infectious agent of iron. As Narendra posted, you should also be trying to minimize dietary iron intake, and drinking tea with meals is a proven method for inhibiting iron absorption.

@ Manal : i got ur point...it was a mistake...Hydra cannot be the reason
but i didn't get infected in this while too

@ Narendra and Andy : i became a member of thalpal abt a few months back and since i read about the iron absortion then itself, i reduced iron intake in my diet. i also included tea but not with every meal i had...or i should say i use to have it with meals when there was red meat included...mayb then the diet is the reason for the sudden rise as i can't find any other reason.
no infections...no BT...nothing

i hope Asunra helps me out with reducing the ferritin levels.

luv n regards
angela

helloozz

i went for a blood test yeaterday n came to know tht my Hb is 7.1 now without transfusion

though my ferritin level has also shown rise to 2108...now i think its only due to Hydra... 
but like i said im now taking Asunra for tht......
i mailed my reports to the doc n he said the reports r gud

hi anjjela,
so happy for u.continue with exjade............have patience.

GOOD LUCK ANJELLA ,
hope that asunra would work for you ...

Umair

hey sah n umair...thanx a lot for ur gud wishes

i've been taking Asunra for 15 days now...n on 12th day i saw these tiny red spots on my arms...later noticed they are there all over me..I wasn't in town so couldn't even ask my doc or any thalpal member what to do now...after 15th day its much more and i don't know whether i should stop Asunra if this worsens

angela

The rash is the most common side effect of Exjade and the equivalent drugs like Asunra. It usually lasts about a week to ten days and then clears up. The drug only needs to be stopped if the rash gets quite bad and even then in most cases, it can be resumed once the rash clears up. Only in cases of a severe allergic reaction does Exjade have to be stopped completely. Using a low starter dose can help prevent the rash.

Hi,

I don't know if tiny red spots can be counted as rashes,but you can try lowering your dose of Asunra to check if they go away.

What i wonder is,if this is the side effect of Asunra,shouldn't it have shown immediately after starting Asunra?  

Zaini.

Hello Andy and Zaini

Thanx for quick replies...

Zaini : there are no more tiny spots...the enitre arms are red now...can't even call them spots now...they are like patches ....and itching a lot..though i am holding myself back from scratching the rash as im scared it will make it worse....

im scared if i'll be able to tolerate it for so many days...though i'll try my best

angela

Angela,

What dose are you taking and what is your body weight?

Hello Andy

Im taking 1400 mg(3 pills of 400mg and 2 pills of 100mg)....my weight is 47kg
last night i had a bad sleep because the rashes were itching a lot...they are better during the day but at night they get really bad.