Ferritin level

[wineandsunshine]

Hello,

My GP called back with recent blood rest results and my ferritin level is 6.

He has asked me to try iron supplements and add to diet.

I completely forgot to ask him if this could be a cause of increase in palpitations?

Any experience would be great Thankyou!

Yes it could be causing palpitations. That's quite low so you must feel pretty washed out.

That's almost certainly below the reference range. Over the counter supplements just won't cut it, I'm afraid. GP should refer you for an infusion.

Ok Thankyou.

To be honest I have felt quite tired but put it down to being a working mum!

I've just picked the tablets up. He said x 2 per day so hoping they will help!

I went initially because my palpitations had increased quite a bit. Fingers crossed after a few weeks they will settle down too!

Yes definitely. I have extensive experience! The only thing that cuts it for me is an iron infusion at the hospital. But even that takes 6 weeks to kick in I'm afraid.

I'd definitely push for a better solution as your levels are so low.

Other symptoms when I get that low are shortness or breath, not being able to get a full breath, itching (randomly) and the need to eat ice. It's called pica I think!

I can't function at those levels so be kind to yourself op.

Thankyou starry skies - you poor thing! Funny you should mention the breath symptom, I was putting that down to hay fever!!

I remember having low levels four years ago after my son. It's weird now though because I don't even have a period!

He asked me to re-test it in a few months ago to check how the levels are.

You'll struggle to get infusions in the UK if just your ferritin alone is at six. What's your haemoglobin? My ferritin is usually single figures but they don't infuse until Hb reaches 7.

I'm not sure what my HB is...!

That's not been the case for me walnut. My hb has been 10 and I've still had an infusion with an 8 ferritin. Maybe different in different places of course.

My specialist nurse says that it's the ferritin level that is the main indicator for me.

My daughter's (age 10) ferritin is 2 and HB is 7.7. She has just been put on ferrous fumarate liquid. No talk of infusion so far.

OP, I’ve iron deficiency many times, gp always recommends taking iron tablets with pure orange juice as you need vit C to absorb

My ferritin is 2.3 my iron is 2.5 but my haemoglobin is 97(? I think) so I'm on tablets but side effects and poor memory mean I don't take it often enough (meant to be 200mg 2x daily). I've also not been lifted anything else (UK). Levels been this low for over a year.

I've just ordered more orange juice!

Just a heads up on the prescription iron tablets, get some laxative in as they block you up and watch out for black poo! Nobody warned me about the latter when I had to take them and I nearly died of shock!

In September 2018 my ferritin level was just 16 (10-300unit range).

In January 2019 I started taking prescription strength supplements, ferrous fumarate. Was just taking standard OTC supplements prior to this.

In April 2019 I took new blood tests, my ferritin is now 78! Really happy with this. Just wanted to share as it didn’t take long at all for my ferritin to jump up once I switched to the prescription supplements

I was taking 2 tablets a day btw.

Yes the tablets can change your poo for the worse and make you feel constipated. I also felt a bit nauseous on these at times, eg taking one early in the morning before eating anything.

Yeah I've had to take them before so I knew of the poo issues!

Hopefully it won't take too long to go up!

Hopefully! In 3 months you’ll feel such a difference.

I have noticed that my hair is growing faster too! My hair grew so slowly that I could wait 3 months before getting my regrowth tinted (natural blonde with dyed brunette hair). It’s been 3 weeks since my last salon visit and I’m already due another tint!

How are you feeling now? I’m a lot better 3 months in but still have tough days where I feel achy xx

Hiya! That's good you are feeling better!

I'm feeling the same really, quite tired still and getting daily palpitations too. Maybe it will take.l a few more weeks?

I'm going to go back to the GP around July and get levels checked again.

Thankyou for asking though

Hiya! I just wanted to update that my repeat bloods were done and my ferritin levels are now 40! Yay!

I'm definitely feeling less tired! I'm going to continue with a daily supplement for the time being too.

That's really good. Mine have gone from 11 to 18 in the same period. Frustrating but at least they're going up.

Aww keep going - how many supplements are you taking?

Probably not enough as the full dose was giving me stomach cramps!

OH has just been diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. Going to be a long road back for him, but the exhaustion etc. is finally diagnosed thankfully.