Ferritin levels

[Star8181]

Would anybody mine helping?
I went to the GP because I’ve been feeling so awful - mostly with feeling exhausted, struggling to walk as far as I used to without having to stop a few times, wanting to sleep all the time and muscle aches. I was guessing my iron was low as I have heavy periods. Anyway my haemoglobin level was 12 about 4 months ago, and this time I’ve been tested for ferritin and it’s come back as 24. Told by the receptionist it was normal. I think it’s still on the lower side? Could these results still explain the symptoms I’m experiencing? Any help gratefully received.

Normal is anything between 12-150.
Are you taking a multivitamin containing iron or anything? So while it is a bit low, its still within normal parameters.

Did they by any chance check your folic acid and calcium levels? Low folate and calcium can have very similar symptoms to iron anaemia.

Thanks for the quick reply, no other tests done, just ferritin. Maybe I just need a multivitamin, my diet isn’t the best.
Forgot to mention, also getting dizzy a lot and my heart is doing double beats.

Not sure about the heart palpitations. But when I had low folic acid I had dizzy spells, was tired all the time, felt like I couldnt concentrate on anything at all. It sounds familiar to me, but I also had low calcium and ferritin and they all seem to have the same symptoms when you’re deficient in them. I’d ask the docs to do more bloods to make sure there’s not something like that. And then take a multivitamin. I was feeling loads better after a week or two.

mine was 23 a while ago and it is within range (our area has 15-290). I felt awful. absolutely awful. exhausted, tired, brain fog. going to sleep at 6 pm instead of midnight.heart palpitations. it was hell

GP said even though it is within range, it is not ok and she wants me above 50 and put me on iron tablets (you get ferrous sulphate OTC). I was on 3 x 200mg/daily and re-tested after 4 months and my ferritin was above 60.I started feeling better again after taking meds but it took a while. it didn't happen after a week or two so you need patience.

If you are symptomatic at 24, I would just get ferrous sulphate or ferrous fumarate and self medicate. Lots of GPs are crap with ferritin. and don't bother with spatone etc. way too little iron inside.

In my area it stated on my print out that 70-2?? and something was normal. I can feel a bit off if I'm around 50 and better if I get it up.

There's a bit of dispute around ferritin levels but many women find higher levels do improve symptoms despite what general practice practices.

I had to avoid tea, milk / dairy during the day, ate iron rich foods with OJ and got it up quite quickly without iron tablets.

I'd been taking iron tablets on and off for months and they'd caused really bad ibs. Avoiding milk (which helped the ibs actually) - I used oatley - and eating high iron foods raised it around 30 points in a month, which previously had taken lots of prescribed iron tablets a couple of months.

A recent article on inside health radio 4 discussed getting iron up more quickly by taking tablets on alternate days and less of them (iirc about 80?)

Bit about supplements:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ply54

I'd try the supplements first though as it'll be quicker. If you have lots of problems with them, try diet.

Thanks for the replies, it’s very interesting to hear from others. Just spoke to a GP at my practice who is adamant my ferritin level is fine and it’s not the reason I feel so awful at the moment. I’m going to look into suggestions, one thing I know is that I really need to feel better quickly with 3 little ones to look after!

@Ekphrasis thanks for the link, I’m going to watch the video now

Mine was down to 5 and my hair was falling out in handfuls. Had ferrous fumerate pills for 3 months and it went up to about 70 and my hair stopped falling out. However, 3 months down the line, hair started coming out again, so GP has put me back on for 2 months and then re-test. She said I might need a maintenance dose. Heavy periods....

You need to have a complete iron panel done rather than just taking piling in the iron tablets. Your ferritin store might be low because you have a lot of free iron in your blood already - hence your body won't store it.

Heart palpitations and dizzy spells can be caused by other things. How old are you? Ask for further tests to be done.

Maursh I’ve heard of this situation before. Do you know what to do if this is the case, by any chance?

What other tests have you had op?

Eg thyroid?

Wanting to sleep all the time for example...

From here

What is a healthy ferritin level?
Standard lab ranges are pretty broad currently set at 15-150 ng/ml for adult women and 30-400 ng/ml for adult men. I prefer a ferritin of about 50-150 for optimal health. Some women need to have a ferritin at 80 or above just to start seeing hair regrowth and to really feel better. Thyroid function may not be optimal until ferritin levels reach 90. It’s amazing how symptoms can set in when the ferritin drops below 50. One other important thing to note is that your ferritin levels can be extremely low but you may not show signs of anemia on standard blood tests.

Exphrasis thanks for posting that link about taking iron every other day. Very interesting.

@Seeline - you must have felt awful with a level of 5! My hair is falling out a lot, thought it was a post baby thing but after 14 months it’s still going on.

@Maursh I’m 36. Sorry for my ignorance but what is free iron? My hemoglobin was 13 this time so good.

@Ekphasis no other tests done, just iron. I wanted to ask the doctor more questions but she was desperate to get me off the phone Had a nap 3 hours after getting up this morning. I had almost 8 unbroken hours, a lot more than I was getting 6 months ago but yet I feel worse these days.

@annwithnoe I tried to ask my GP if a level over 50 was better but she wasn’t listening. Very frustrating!

Some gps may not agree it needs to be higher so just try to get it up your own way and ask for retest in 3 months. It stated it on my test ranges that over 70 was normal so I asked to try to get it up - also had some restless leg symptoms too.

Yes I thought that radio iron article was interesting - im thinking that I was just better able to absorb the iron naturally in the absence of the dairy (calcium) and tea in a similar way to how they describe it in the research.

Sounds suspiciously like thyroid; but do get vit d tested too.

I do see extra hair and feel more with it / less brain fog if over 70. But I'm on thyroxine if it makes any difference.

You do need the iron (and iodine) for healthy thyroid function if not already on thyroxine. (No huge need for iodine if on thyroxine though it's good to have some as they still don't know all the ins and outs of it. Plus very important in pregnancy for foetus.)

I wouldn't say this lightly but your doc is talking rubbish. That's low enough to be having symptoms, ideally it should be 70 or above. Would also agree it would be worth getting other bloods checked: thyroid, vitamin D and B12 x

The range seems to be too vast. 12-150?!

You aren't likely to die from a level of 24 but you can definitely be symptomatic...

There needs to be an overhaul r.e. interpretation of blood tests.

Very interesting, i have Hemochromatosis, and supposed to kep ferritin below 100, but recently its been falling and now 31,its too low,and my hair is falling out too,i am trying to eat more meat and green veg, to up it
I am sick of having blood tests every month to make sure it doesnt go over 100
I am, also falling asleep every time i sit down for long
Hair is thinning, nails are soft,
I am due for another blood test in 2 weeks, and i have told them already im not going so often,
I have liver scans which always come back fine
I think they are being over zealous
Please tell them again about how you feel and in my opinion 24 is too low, even if its classed as normal,
I have had thyroid checked, and am on vit D,
My Dr doesnt recommend taking supplements,
I have not had any venesections in over 2 years, because i dont need them
One Dr doesnt even think i have Hemochromatosis,or at least its very mild
My twin sons have it and their ferritin was almost 3000, and have joint pains and other problems connected with it but yet they bother with me, i have no symptoms

I have iron infusions every six months. The last lot my HB was 7, ferritin was at two and iron at 3. Even post infusion the highest my ferritin gets is around 23.

Ferritin is the amount of iron stored in your cells - it is your reserve of iron if you like.
You also have iron in your blood. Normally speaking if your blood iron is high then your body will try to get rid of excess iron any way it can and it will not try to store it (in my instance it made me want to pee all the time even though my bladder was empty).

The fact that your HB is normal suggests that the dizziness is something else. Is anything else out of whack in the CBC differential (low MHCH for example). Did your doctor check in your ears?

As someone else advised, I would also suggest that you do some research on hypothyroidism and adrenal function. I started with similar symptoms to yours, and similar test results, took iron supplements, but mine progressed to digestion and breathing difficulties. After having the iron panel test about one month ago, which showed my blood iron was through the roof, I ditched the iron tablets and switched to Ray Peats low starch / high caffeine diet. I still take B-complex, D and E supplements and I feel much better.

I need to wait until I back in the UK to have a RT3 test.

Just linking to another recent thread about issues in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism, as there may be overlap for some posters