Can anyone explain my blood test results please?

[whomovedmychocolate]

Iron level is 5
Ferritin is 6

I think that's low isn't it?

Can't see GP till next week. Wibbling. Any advice appreciated.

Ferritin is low ask for ferrous gluconate 300mg not as harsh on the stomach as ferrous sulphate and the spatone i had was only 25mg per sachet and gp said the gluconate would make me feel better faster which it did.

I'm suspected of having pernicious anaemia - my mum has it you see and I have a lot of the symptoms. So iron supplements may not actually be absorbed.

Bugger.

Thanks for replying. :)

Meanwhile, get thee to the supermarket and buy fresh blackcurrants, redcurrants, blueberries, rasberries and strawberries. Stuff yourself with this for pudding, everyday. Wash down with orange juice. Cut dairy from your diet, at it inhibits iron absorption (whereas vit c aids it - hence currants being so good)

When not snacking on fresh berries, raisins and dried apricots are a great treat. Peanuts.

Red meat, avocados and green leafy veg.
Brown bread rather than white.

Eggs.

Make scrambled eggs with 3 yolks and only 1 white, etc.

You cant live your life on spatone and and ferrous (though good as a quick fix top up), you need to have a diet which replenishes your iron reserves on an ongoing basis.

I know of one person who has intravenous iron 6 weekly as oral makes her feel rotten.

If OP does have pernicious anaemia, then iron absorption is not the problem, it would be vitamin B12 that's missing.

sorry it's bad news

Thanks all for replying. It is apparently no just a case of boosting my dietary iron levels. :(

Feeling really crappy. And have just had a period from hell to boot.

I've had a transplant and have an iron infusion called Cosmofer, it's great you only need it once a year (although it does take 6 hours to go through!). You must be feeling exhausted with such a low iron level, I hope you feel much better soon.

chocolate contains iron too (really!)

What Elsaz said.
Pernicious anaemia is the lack of vitamin B12 and is quite often related to a lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach, which is essential for the absorption of vitamin B12.

Nothing to do with iron.

If you have (refractory) iron deficiency anaemia, which it appears you do, given those results, then there may be something more going on - your iron absorption can be affected by lack of vitamin C, by poor gut function, by excessive intake of other minerals; and your iron levels can be affected by lack of transport or storage proteins as well as low levels of intake.

Your low iron may be linked with heavy periods...do you have lots of periods from hell? If so see gp about getting that sorted. Not that uncommon either to have ongoing iron deficiency after pregnancy/ breastfeeding/childbirth. Hope you feel better soon....iron can bung you up so inc your fibre too. X