Low Vitamin D and Iron 😔

[Honeysucklelane]

Hi,
Has anyone else experienced this and has a rough time frame for how long it takes to feel better on supplements?

My symptoms have been palpitations, feeling lightheaded, feeling short of breath, aches in chest, heavy feeling across top of chest like a weight is on it, a feeling of congestion in my chest without any cold symptoms.

I don’t outwardly look poorly and I have no visible symptoms. I’ve still been doing a lot of stuff - impossible not to in the run up to Christmas, but everything feels like it’s taking me so much longer to achieve.

When we’re doing jobs around the house I’ll have to stop and sit down, or out on walks I have to ask the rest of the family to pause so I can catch up / catch my breath. Feeling like no one else is treating it like I have something wrong as it’s invisable to them.

Taking 2000 Vitamin D, 210mg Ferate Fumous and a daily multivitamin. Anything else I can do? 🙏🏻

I would first get the GP to run a full blood test before taking tons of supplements when you don't know what is wrong.

Similar, get your lungs checked if you are constantly short of breath.

Most multivitamins are not really helping, sorry. If you need anything specific it's better to know what you are in deficit off and then treat it instead of spending money on run of the mill stuff.

I take Vit D because I realise I have issue with my muscles in winter, recommended by my GP when I queried it.

I take magnesium because I am post-menopause and have sleep issues.

When I had anaemia it took me c4 months for my iron levels to rise (I had a month off work), and another two months to actually feel normal.

Take it easy, as best you can. Tell family you want and expect more help. Make a point of 'resting' to reinforce this. They can go out on walks without you - why are you even trying?!?

What level is your iron? I found out this week my ferritin is 11- waiting to see the gp

Have you had bloods done at the GP? In my experience, a week or two on the tablets and you start to improve, provided the vitamin D/iron deficiency is what is causing your symptoms and you're on the right dose.

Sorry, I should have mentioned I have been to the GP. He tried to palm me off with stress / anxiety but I said I wasn’t feeling stressed / anxious, just not myself and worried because my chest was aching and I felt short of breath.

Had BP checked, breathing / chest listened to, oxygen saturation checked and a full blood count done. They then messaged to tell me I have low iron / vit D and prescribed me the strong iron tablets to take daily.

I’ve had low iron / anaemia a few times in
the past but been ok for years. This is the second time I’ve had noticeable symptoms. The first time I only knew because I went to donate blood.

My Serum Ferritin level is 26, which isn’t that low.

I used an at home test (I do also have one happening at the GP now to confirm where my supplementation has got me/if I need anything else) - it was a few months though before I realised that I wasn't needing 11 hours sleep a day anymore. I'd say probably 3 months before I started seeing the difference, and it's been 6 months now and I'm happy on 7 hours sleep a day - but my at-home test still says my iron is low, hence the GP tests.

Ok, so I would say take them a month, go back and ask for another blood test. If your levels are back to normal ask and your symptoms are still there then ask for further investigations.

If you are on prescription, the level should be stronger than what you get over the counter.

I found that you often have to really push for more investigation as a female.

Thanks. I’ll see how I get on.

Ferritin of 26 is low. My friend saw a private GP about ferritin, who said the optimum level is 100. They don’t tell you this on the NHS. 🙄

Not a health professional but I’ve been around the block with chronic conditions, so with that in mind:

Ferritin of 26 is too low, though within NHS limits. Optimal is over 70. I supplement every day with ferrous sulphate, have done for years.

Most of us are D deficient. Supplement with vit D3 & calcium for bone protection (esp important as we age).

B vitamins are often lacking too, these are critical for nerve health & energy levels. Worth checking B12 levels as we age esp if taking PPIs.

According to an NHS Consultant I see (not saying discipline as it’s niche, but genuine) micro nutrient levels are dropping in many / all foods particularly due to intensive farming, so supplements are pretty much needed even in healthy diets.

The impact of B, iron & D deficiencies can be significant - these things play so many roles that we just take for granted, until we can’t function.

Take care & best wishes.

B12 injections and multiple iron transfusions - levels coming up and finally feeling more human .

I take 6000 units of vit D3 with 200mg vit K and have done for a long time.

The NHS levels were set to treat rickets years ago and are much too low

I have recently found that my ferritin is 10, likely caused by many blood donations -strangely, I feel fine and it was a bit of a shock
The GP just told me to buy an iron supplement....
Hope you feel better soon

You’re not taking enough vitamin d, go for 4000 with k2

Months. My count had gone up 1 in 3/4mths

it just takes time

My ferritin was 24, I was constantly tired and had pain in my chest and a bit of shortness of breath on exertion. Not anaemic though. I was told to take Ferrous Fumarate for 3 months. It brought the ferritin up to about 115. Symptoms are better. I’ve seen rated taking iron once or twice a week to keep my levels up.

How is your diet?www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

I’m in the same boat @Honeysucklelane . I’ve also been told to take magnesium glycinate.

When your levels are low enough to cause symptoms, it can take months before your levels return to normal. Six months on, my levels have increased but are still a bit low.

Thank you. I’ve seen some people on here with a level of 6, they must feel really rubbish.

Thank you. On my results it seems to indicate ‘normal’ levels start from 30, so I kept thinking why do I feel like this if I’m at 26 already.

Not been great recently tbh. Christmas junk, and I guess due to feeling very tired I’ve perked myself up with treats which is the opposite of what I should be doing diet wise. Going to start eating better.

It can also take a lot longer than a month to notice any positive difference. My GP usually recommends at least 3-6 months before they do another blood test. The type of food you eat and activity/sleep level also plays a part in how soon you notice any changes.

I felt tired when my ferritin was 75, Vit D was 50 and haemaglobin was 123. My B12 was also low. Did you get other results besides iron and vit D? What drs call ‘normal’ is not always the optimal level.

I took 2 x 210mg ferrous fumerate daily with 1,000 mg Vit C to aid absorption. Three months later my ferritin had increased from 75 to 128. I am post menopause so no periods.

i also took 5,000 Vit D, 1,000 B12, 400mg? calcium and a multivitamin daily (for everything else including Vit K) for those three months. I started feeling less tired after a couple of weeks and so much better after the three months. I feel less anxious as well as having more energy. I am still taking 1 x 210mg iron, the Vit C, multivitamin and a lower Vit D and B12 and going to get retested soon to check all levels are high but not too high. I am a total vitamin convert now as I think as we age our bodies can get less efficient at absorbing and so we need to monitor levels more closely.

Ferritin is your iron stores- the reserve your body uses in the future. What is your Hb- haemoglobin reading? This is your current iron amount that your body is using currently. I had a ferritin of 2 and Hb of 8 and yes, I felt shite! Just working 12hr shifts day/night, not eating well and going out too much when not working. This was back in my 20's.

Red blood cells take 3mths to replicate, so correcting anaemia via meds/diet is not a quick fix, but I started feeling better after a month. My nails grew thicker with a visible line as 1 thing. Take iron supplements with Vit C rich foods- orange juice, peppers etc and reduce your tannin intake. I started eating liver, more red meat, cut out tea and limited coffee/red wines/grapes- especially when taking iron supplements.

Many years later I was diagnosed with Vit D deficiency. I now take a Vit D supplement in winter and occasionally at other times of the year as don't spend a much of time outside. I didn't have any specific symptoms from Vit D deficiency- well none that I can recall, unlike anaemia symptoms though.

Make sure you take your iron supplements with vitamin c. I have a glass of fresh orange with mine.