Blood test results - AIBU, can anyone confirm my thoughts?

[user231563854]

AIBU to think that my GP should consider I may have anemia?

My ferritin is 21
My mean cell volume is 80
My mean cell concentration is 25.7

I've been feeling so tired and awful, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, tingles in my body, increased anxiety and a few other things too.

The report itself states the MCV and MCC are below range - but "no further action" is required.

To be able to get an appointment to discuss this will be hard work, shall I just take some iron tablets instead?

Have you recently had Covid, I had it 6 weeks ago and my symptoms now are very similar to yours.

@ShadyPaws I’m glad you’ve got a routine that works for you.

Hb of 139 isn't anaemic, your iron stores are borderline low - just take some OTC iron every other day

what good is a maintenance dose when the vit d levels are on the low side. 3000-4000iu is not going to cause toxicity

Spatone is an easy and softer way to take in iron and if you have it in orange juice the absorption is better.

I'd like to correct my comment up thread. I had meant to say Iron Deficiency.. Not iron deficiency anaemia 🙄I feel like a wally now, I wasn't fully concentrating when I typed that! Thanks to whoever it was that corrected me. My Ferritin was pretty low at 16 a year or so ago. My Hb was around 12.5 so not bad. I took ferrous Fumerate and got it up to 50 which slowed the hair loss and made me feel a bit better. I've been slack with the iron supplements lately and have terribly heavy periods. I think it's likely to have dropped again. Today's blood test will tell me!

Have you ever had a normal MCV/MCH OP? Agree with others that your ferritin is borderline, plus it can be falsely raised if you've got any other acute inflammatory processes going on or chronic health issues. Just going to throw into the mix that iron deficiency isn't the only cause of a low MCV/MCH with a normal Hb and there can be genetic causes like haemoglobinopathies (so taking iron wouldn't correct it).

Also agree with others that you should be asking your GP about all of the above.