Can someone please talk to me about Ferritin?

[Millierose20]

Bit of a long story short - I was diagnosed with ME last year and have all the symptoms ranging from fog brain, hair loss, ringing ears, aches, fatigue etc.

Recently I have been having a pain in my left side. Dr first thought ulcer and put me on omarazepole. Then they said IBS and put me on FODMAP diet. While on holiday I couldn't stop burping so went back to Dr. Also in the meantime I had over 40 women check and mcv was high (it's always raised) and neutrophils low. My uncle is pernicious anemia so I asked Dr about this. He said bloods indicated that not anaemic but would check b12.

He checked b12 (normal) ca125 (normal) ferritin which has come back low (7) I have a Drs appointment in 2 weeks to discuss.

Could this be what the ME has been all along? What does it all mean? I getting a bit worried about internal bleeding and the dreaded c word.

I feel so rough right now. Aching and tired. Any help appreciated.

My uncle has Perncious Anaemia. I don't know my B12 results but normal apparently

My Ferritin got down to 3, I was given iron pills and it went to 11, I was still having all the symptoms of low ferritin but I was referred to a ME clinic, the consultant took one look at my bloods and said in the nicest way possible you are wasting your time here.
My ferritin has steadily been increasing over the past few years and was 40 a couple of months ago, however I had a blood test last week and it's gone down to 30. GP isn't bothered as its over 11. It's frustrating how ferritin levels aren't taken seriously!

Thanks PleaseMrsTweedie. I totally agree. I suffer with anxiety and they seem to put it down to me being over anxious whenever I mention it. I even took my blood results to the ME clinic and questioned it with them.

Glad you are feeling better Mrstweedie

Equiem so glad they didn't misdiagnose you. Sounds a good specialist

Yes to a PP, Omeprazole inhibits absorption and is best avoided by those with nutritional deficiencies.

Ideal level for ferritin is 70+, preferably around 100. It took me 4 years to get there.

Sorry Corobelle. Yes let me see if I can take a picture

I have fibromyalgia and in September last year I became really poorly. Eventually it was discovered it was my ferritin.

I have been on spatone with no results. So I started on iron tablets and cut caffeine out of my diet and since then my levels are rising slowly.

I am starting to feel much better and slowly feeling as normal as you do with Fibro.

Not sure if this will work

4 years to rise, MrsTweedie??? Good God.

Groovee so they still say you have fibro?

What gets me is that it wasn't a quick diagnosis and not by a Dr as it seems to be at the moment. I was referred to a rheumi first and then the clinic

Iron supplements need acid to react with the supplement and make it available. However, I stopped taking my omeprazole and it made naff all difference. Now I'm going to try iron in am with acidic juice (no tea due to tannins)and omeprazole after dinner in evening!

Thanks Haggisfish. I never knew that about omarazepole and I'm still on it - twice a day!!!

I do feel pretty wiped out and get a real low between 3-5pm when I can't stop yawning. I can't exercise either which I hate-I'm just too knackered and legs are like lead. Luckily, I have a v sympathetic gp who prescribed me vit d and ferrous sulphate. And tests thyroid etc every six months.

Sorry-final post! I have thyroid antibodies which means I'm much more likely to suffer thyroid issues as my body attacks it. I think that's the root of many of my issues but gp is reluctant to treat as my tsh is 2.7.

He was a good consultant. He wrote a letter to my GP saying I needed to be referred to haematology, the GP never received the letter apparently...

Haggisfish sorry if being naive but is that like Hashimotos?

What are they like!!

My TSH is 0.71 is that quite low then?

Haggisfish that how I feel. I always starting singing the CBeebies 'the time has come to say good night' usually around 2pm. Always go really tired after I've eaten.
I can't exercise either. I can barely make it up the stairs at the moment. I'm carrying a bit extra weight but shouldn't be to that extent.

Yes, my thyroid may well develop into hashimotos-I'm developing lots of symptoms and the antibodies pretty much say hashimotos but gps are reluctant to recognise. We should go to America or France-much better recognition and treatment there! That is a low tsh that might indicate over active thyroid or it might be normal for you or might be symptomatic of a different thyroid issue.

Sounds a good plan
Aww hope it doesn't and they can control.
Would overactive mean I should be stick thin?

Your tsh is in the normal range - at the low end. Mine has to be lower than yours is currently to be able to function ( I have hashimoto's). People who have overactive do tend to have weight loss, but not always. There are numerous symptoms that go with overactive thyroid .

Haggisfish - if your tsh is above the normal range but below 10 ( sub clinical) the NICE guidelines make it clear that you can have a trial of thyroxine if you have symptoms of hypothyroidism. You shouldn't have to wait until the bloods are out of range - your GP should treat the symptoms, not the numbers.

Thanks Corabelle. Omg just looked at the symptoms of Hashimotos and they are tie up.

But that TSH result doesn't tie up though.