low ferritin levels

[whenskiesaregrey]

I have had some blood tests taken after feeling generally awful for about 6 months- breathless, exhausted, really low, poor motivation, poor concentration etc. Hb fell to 4 after having DS 20 months ago, but never had tranfusion, so I assumed that was still low. However, tests results have come back with a Hb of 15, but ferritin is 9. So Dr said I am not anaemic, and this is common in women. Is this right? I don't have heavy periods, in fact, they are quite light (probably due to being on the pill). I eat a reasonably good diet, although could probably eat more veg. I don't drink a lot of tea, many 2 cups a day.

Has anyone else had similar results? What do they mean? What can I do? I am having more blood tests tomorrow to tests for any bowel inflammatory disorders.

Just got back from bloods being taken, they are looking for coeliac and a couple of other things I didn't get chance to work out. Will hopefully find out in the next couple of days.

Been to GP today and ferritin level is 1 only.Lowest possible! Haemaglobin 11 which not brilliant but not awful but with such low iron levels wold probably drop as well.Got to go for endoscopy and barium meal to check intestinal tract and tbh rather worried.Had a hell of a year-bereavement and various family problems-now resolved.Thought I was just worn out after a stressful few months.But like you skies been so tired, tearful and getting increasingly breathless.Put off going to docors as really didn't like last GP's -stupid I know.Changed surgery and this lot seem lovely so fingers crossed they will sort me out.Eat a really good diet with loads of iron rich food.Got grown up DC' but still having periods. Wonder what your tests comprise? may have to wait month or so for appointments and got to take double iron meantime.Just when I thought I could relax with no worries!Hope your tests went well.

I have malabsorption. When I went to the doc I had virtually no vitb12 and 2 others I can't remember lol.

I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy but they couldn't find anything though they were absolutely convinced I had either ibd or coeliac beforehand.

They have never figured out why I have malabsorption. The vitb 12 injections were recommended but I am also anaemic so I take a supplement daily instead.

It is a pita but I am telling you, 6 weeks after starting to take the supplement I feel like a totally new woman. My hair has stopped falling out, I no longer have cracks at the side of my mouth and a few months later iI've stopped getting persistent colds etc.

Foxinsocks can I ask you what supplement you are taking? It sounds like I could do with it. Thanks.

Thats good to hear.tbh I'm just going to try and relax,take the supplements and give myself a bit of an easier time-not always easy as run my own business from home But DD's are great and one home from uni and will help out and DH being very supportive.Had to have a nap this afternoon-yet again- so shattered.But no point worrying too much in advance as have heard from friends of at least two similar scenarios where the low levels were never fully explained.Funnily enough my hair and nails are good and no cracks at side of mouth but think that's more related to B12 anyway.Thought I was just cracking up -feeling like a new woman sounds good so hopefully wont have to wit too long!

Poor you stargazy. I hope they do find out what is causing it. I still find it odd that no-one can find out why I had virtually no ferritin, anaemic and no vit bs and eat a good diet etc. I had some inflammation on my scopes but not enough for them to be diagnosed as anything iyswim. I too was exhausted all the time.

I am taking Sanatogen mum to be (am not trying to conceive but apparently it has a good combination of vit bs and iron this one). I have been recommended another (vit b) supplement but I have a lot of this one left so will finish it first!

I had bloods done recently and my ferritin was 15, so according to docs, at bottom of normal range. However after iron supplements I feel so much better its untrue. I can't begin to imagine how poorly some of you must have been feeling if mine was normal Hope you all improve soon.

stargazy you have to wait a month for a GP appointment? You must feel awful with a level of 1, I would have thought you would be entitled to an appointment sooner than that?

foxinsocks have you ever had any bowel surgery? Apparently this can also cause malabsorbtion?

no but I lived in africa for yonks and had v severe bacterial dysentry (6 weeks of severe vomiting and diarrheoa) and I think it has just buggered up my whole gastro system as I have never been the same since then. Had colitis after it for a while but haven't had anything like that since then. This was almost 20 years ago. Now I get bouts of diarrheoa/nausea/vomiting/reflux that the gastro thinks is linked to some inflammatory disorder (as I get sore joints and rashes with this) but no-one has ever been able to diagnose it and in between bouts of it (the times when they have done the scans), my system is pretty much normal (just mild inflammation throughout). Everyone is just shrugging their shoulders now and tbh, I have just learned to live with it and treat the symptoms when they arise. Can't say I like it though!

The supplements have helped massively. I really do feel far better than I have ever felt and I am annoyed that it took years for someone to point out that my vit b levels were so low (depsite having loads of blood tests - over a year ago the gastro wrote to the GP recommending vit b 12 injections and no-one did anything. Only when I went and asked for a printout of my blood tests did I see how low the levels were and that's when I spoke to the GP). I've always been anaemic but the low vit b was obviously having a massive effect.

I wish all of you more luck with being diagnosed. I suffered for 10 years without really feeling at peace with it all. I'm still not quite there yet but am happier than I used to be. Tbh, it was getting to a stage where it was making me thoroughly miserable!

Thanks foxinsocks I think I may ask to see a breakdown of my inital blood test results, because I know they were looking at B12 levels, amongst other things.

Are you sure your HB was 4 and you didn't get a transfusion - mst hospitals will transfuse below 8.

Anyway a blood test I had at Xmas I had a HB of 12 and a ferritin of 9. I have fairly heavy periods and also donate blood. GP told me to stop donating blood while they sort my heavy periods out. Had blood rechecked last week and Hb is about the same and Ferritin is 14. Lower limit of normal is 10 so 9 is only just below.

Ferritin is your iron stores so it could just be if you were badly anaemic after childbirth before that your body then used your iron stores up to get your HB up. Your HB is obviously up now so if this is the cause then your ferritin should start to go up. It would be useful to repeat bloods and see what the trend is - if it goes up then this could well be the reason.

However its good that they're testing you for other stuff in the mean time.

Hi Skies - sorry if didn't make it clear.Haven't had to wait to see GP-changed surgery and got appt almost immediately.It's the endoscopy and barium I will probably have 4-6 weeks wait.And then with cutbacks he said they may return endoscopy form and query if really necessary?! But he said he will return request and say yes it is as may ferritin almost off the radar.He was really nice and the rest of practice seem good so every faith in them.
Foxinsox - how intersting that you mentioned the dysentry years ago.Almost forgotten a long time ago I got shigella dysentry and was really ill-and it flared up again few weeks later.tbh always known my bowels are my weak point.Mayebe never the same after that episode also.Go for ages feeling really healthy but when I'm stressed or run down it definitely my point of weakness.And probably had the most stressful year ever last year.Hoping its just some inlammation thats mucked up my iron absorption and nothing more serious.Just pacing myself between work and rests and being kind to myself for a change instead of rest of family!

"However, tests results have come back with a Hb of 15, but ferritin is 9. So Dr said I am not anaemic, and this is common in women. Is this right?"

Yes. You're not anaemic. My results were hb11 and Ferritin 5 and I was told I wasn't anaemic.

It's fine.

A1980 I understand that I am not anaemic, I meant that he said the low ferritin level was common in women. I just maybe feel a bit frustrated that it seems very easy to attribute low levels down to periods, whereas I don't feel it is as relevant to me.

VivaLaBeaver thanks for explaining, hopefully that is the case, and I should start feeling better soon. The hospital I had DS carries out transfusions at 7 (I think) but due to a couple of reasons, I didn't have the transfusion and it was managed differently. I dont know if this was a contributing factor to how I feel at the moment. Looking back with hindsight, I probably haven't had a period of time where I have felt better since then, but I just assumed I was adjusting to a new baby.

I know its not serious, and can be resolved, but I just feel a bit down with it all.

stargazy hope you start feeling better soon, and don't have to wait long for your tests.

Thanks SKIES -Just got my appt for Barium Xray for 3 weeks time so not too long.Sounds like fun reading the instructions -virtual starvation two days before and i love my food.That's why am puzzled at such low levels as think I eat a very healthy diet.Loads of iron rich foods and love spinach etc.Don't drink too much and have never smoked.I confess to being a bit of a stress-head tho- and the last few months have been paricularly an emotional roller coaster.Thought it was all calm and settled-which all the other family stuff is but now convinced I've probably triggered an ulcer or something inflammatory in my guts. Must sound a hypochondriac but appart from having DC's, the dysentry years ago and an nasty viral thing that left me with achy joints have barely been near my DR's in years.
Had a rubbish night last night-barely slept and my abdomen felt sore and bloated but pooing for england at mo thanks to the iron.(sorry for the details!)Sometimes the cure worse than the complaint!

Hi I went to doctor cause had bloods and they wanted me to make appiontment whivh I did,My ferritin level was low but in normal range at 22 was 25 few years bavk so always been sort of low ,Doctor said not to take iron tablets just cause make you feel awful and your ferritin has always been lower and your other results are normal for everything else. I dont no weather to go back for wnd opinion with other doctor or just leave it and just go along with lower ferritin and take a multi vitamin and up spinach and red meat intake . I do get bad indigestion so I had been taken omeprozole and sometimes gavisgon so that doesnt help cause the omeprozole absorbs your iron so that will also make me ferratin low. Just looking for advise on 22 level of ferratin is this normal.