i think it's the rbc count that is ultimately more important. if i'm hauling around less ferritin, i may be at risk of various complications should i cut myself open or end up outside in a blizzard without a coat, but driving around with low gas isn't a risk in itself - so long as i regularly fill the gas up. even if i am bleeding to death, my rbc count is pretty close to normal, anyways. they could inject me with ferritin or bombard me with iron, but it's ultimately going to end up in my liver, not my veins - and what my body's telling me is it's not going to happen, anyways. i suspect i may actually react terribly to injections, if it's genetic.
so, i think the answer is "no" - i have plenty of actual blood, even if my ferritin is low, and i should wait it out for the appointment next week.
then, what can i do while i'm waiting, if i've ruled out the possibility of short term iron deficiency and confirmed a more pernicious problem?
if we put the idea of blood loss and parasitism aside for a minute (because i can't adjust for that - i'll need medication and perhaps surgery for it) and assume malabsorption, i'm left needing to figure out:
1) am i actually absorbing it and then excreting it via sweat or urine? am i drinking too much water?
2) if i am unable to absorb elemental iron, is it because it's being interfered upon by something or is it genetic and irresolvable?
3) if i am unable to absorb elemental iron, am i better able to absorb organic iron?
i can only really work out 2 & 3 at home.
and, it's actually easier to bring in heme than it is to check for phytates, etc. if i eat red meat every day for a week and it shoots way up, it at least answers the question, and i can adjust based on what i see.
i need to work this out a little further, but i may pick up some meat this afternoon.