To ask about endometrial ablation and iron deficiency

[Hopebrown]

Hi

Sorry I am shamelessly posting for traffic...
I have struggled with low ferritin for a few years now, battled with ferrous sulphate tablets to bring it up then my period constantly knocking it back down.....

A few weeks ago my ferritin fell below 30 again so I am iron deficient. I feel awful, massive headaches, fuzzy head, light headed etc.
Last week I had an ablation done and hoping this will finally help. Surgeon wasn't my usual gynae and was not interested in my low ferritin level...
I know its going to take time, but I still feel awful, and I cant bear the thought of feeling like this for months until tablets raise my levels.
Had anybody had an ablation with iron deficiency and how soon did you notice a difference?

I keep looking into an iron infusion privately, but I see risks of vitamin d and phosphate levels going to the floor with an infusion which can also make you feel very poorly.

I just feel totally stuck and unsure what to do. Spent the day in tears at the thought of being like this for any longer.

Any advice please x

I have similar, I’ve had two iron infusions recently (on the nhs) and I felt a difference immediately. I didn’t feel ‘good’ again right after, as I had a low red blood count too and it takes time for that to correct itself, but some symptoms stopped straight away - like I could hear my heart pounding in my ears every night but it stopped the very same day. They suggest you eat dairy afterwards for vit D and will do a blood test before hand to check all your levels and then refer you for another about 4 weeks later to monitor. I’d really strongly suggest you give it a try, see if you can get a referral through your GP. I was pretty nervous about getting mine, but it was really easy, you don’t really feel anything, and just have to sit connected to a drip for about 30 minutes, and a month on, I feel great. Afterwards they should put you on iron tablets - and they suggested taking them with a glass of orange juice as the vit c helps you absorb the iron.

Good luck, it’s horrible feeling like you do and long term can have a serious impact on your health.

Thank you, i dont think i will get anywhere with an infusion on the nhs..... neither my GP or gynae even looked remotely interested in my iron levels as they are within lab ranges, even though under NICE guidelines I am absolutely iron deficienct.

My iron is 12. “Normal” is 15. The nurse at my surgery told me I was “technically anaemic but not enough to actually cause symptoms”. I feel weak, shaky, achy, pins and needles, fuzzy head. But that can’t possibly be from low iron because I’m “barely below normal”. I complained to the GP who has given me iron supplements. I still feel awful after taking them for a couple of weeks, maybe I need to take them for longer.

You need to shout about this and get treatment.
I was losing huge amounts of blood and wasn’t helped until my levels were Hb levels were 4.
Was then admitted as emergency to hospital for four blood transfusions.
Was finally fixed with hysterectomy.

Had many, many symptoms to overcome, could have been helped when levels were12,10,8 etc but GPs did not take seriously until an emergency.

Please make sure you are loud about how bad you are feeling.

This is rubbish advice I'm sorry to say, ferritin level 12 is very low. Check out guidance and info on 'The Iron Clinic' website - they're a private organisation and un-affordable for me personally but their advice is sound. The point at which you become symptomatic is personal and not a set in stone 'number' and once you're symptomatic you need to get iron up fast.

GPs prescribe over the counter high dose iron and it's rubbish - it's far too high a dose and it's not delivered with Vitamin C and Folate. All it does it make people feel poorly and stomach 'burn'.

In order to absorb iron, it needs to be taken best on an empty stomach with a couple of hours either side of food. It needs to be taken with Vitamin C, B12, and folate in order to be taken up by the body correctly. Very important to avoid calcium near the time of taking a dose.

I've had iron infusions but now keep my iron levels OK by staying gluten free (seems that some form of intolerance was blocking absorption), taking a mixture of 'Mega Food Blood Builder' tablets - I order of Amazon, they're the absolute best, Floradex Liquid, and SpaTone liquid. Every day I take some form of iron as I'm strictly vegan.