Low ferritin - not anaemia?

[buggeringbuggery]

My ferritin levels are 4, which is apparently low.

However my haemogloblin is 115 (normal is 115-165), so although it is at the very bottom end of normal, I assumed this was OK?

Haematocrit is 0.34 (normal is 0.36-0.44), but I have no idea of relevance.

Would the ferritin levels cause me to feel tired and have very, very thin hair?

I'm guessing it's due to bleeding heavily for 3 weeks, during a 5 week period?

Yes. 4 is really low. Just because they don't technically class it as anaemia because your haemoglobin is just about ok does not mean you're ok. You need iron tablets or infusion. You must feel dreadful.

Mine were at 10 or 11 at the lowest. I have me/CFS now but the low iron certainly made me feel crappy. I'm on a constant effort to keep levels up but mine never seem to get above about 40.

Just to say, are you getting help for period? Sounds awful.

Ferritin is a protein in your bloods that stores iron ready to use. So you can have low ferritin and not be anaemic. However, your Hb is at the lower end of normal. Mine was almost identical. On the advice of my GP, I bought ferrous fumerate at the pharmacy and took 2 a day for 3-4 months. My ferritin wasn't measured again, but almost 12 months later I've had another blood test and my Hb is 136 which is much better.
Still feel tired, but suspect it's down to peri. I also went onto HRT as I think mine was due to heavy periods which are now much better.

Thank you. Pretty sure mine is due to menopause. My GP prescribed me Evorel conti Patches, but I checked with the pharmacist after reading the leaflet, and can't use them, due to still having periods.

My ferritin went down to 6 due to heavy periods, I had terrible symptoms, tiredness, shortness of breath and restless legs. This was despite my HB being borderline normal. I was prescribed ferrous sulphate tablets which have helped a bit although its taken me a year just to get my ferritin up to 25 and the tiredness isn't going away. With a level of 4 you must feel dreadful.

Yup. I had similar numbers to you - got it into the mid teens with FeSO4 once a day for 3 months and felt superhuman!

I have iron deficiency caused by a rare genetic condition. If I don't get my iron infusions on time I develop anemia. I'm symptomatic once my ferritin is below 40

I had exactly the same.

I had a hysterectomy last week due to the heavy continuous uterine bleeding. (Adenomyosis very likely sue to size of uterus)

I took ferrous sulphate and then used sparring sachets a few times a week just to keep it all at a good level.

I've no idea what my ferritin or HB is now as I then went on northisterone for over a year until surgery so never had an external bleed.

But yes it also really thinned my hair and this is something I e never recovered from.