Iron levels not going up anyone know?

[kissmelittleass]

My Haemoglobin last October was 11.7 so my doctor decided as my levels hadn't changed with the last few years to put me on Galfer 305mg one a day . I repeated the blood test one month after taking the tablets in the November and the results were the same 11.7.
Three months later in February this year the blood test was repeated and again the levels were 11.7!!
I repeated the blood test again last week and also asked for my ferritin to be tested I've just rang for results and I'm told my ferritin is very good at 96 but my Haemoglobin is 11.6 so it has slightly gone down.
The nurse said I don't need to see the doctor and to remain on the galfer tablets 305 mg one a day or every second day.
She couldn't answer my question of why the Haemoglobin has slightly gone down and why after being on iron tablets since last October it's not rising.
She just said the baseline she feels is my diet of being vegetarian, the only dairy I eat is live yogurt and milk in my tea occasionally and I rarely eat eggs.
She said about ulcers bleeding as I'm on a list to be seen by a gastroenterologist to be ruled out but I had a gastroscopy nearly two years ago and there were no ulcers. I had mild gastritis but no ulcers seen.
Any ideas?

[quote kissmelittleass]@Bemorechicken sorry to hear your having a hard time, can I ask what tests you had done? What level is your iron at?
It's worrying isn't it looking for answers, I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid two years ago too.[/quote]
My last test was Feb due to Covid and I can't remember. But it was shockingly low - lower than yours. They did discuss at one point admitting me to hospital for it. I'll see what happens this morning with my results.

I would not worry at all about the difference between a Hb 11.6 and 11.7 that could literally be down to how hydrated you are on the day you had your bloods done. A B12 of 413 is well within normal range but some people (especially those following veggie/vegan diets) still benefit from a supplement.

@Bemorechicken good luck with your results this morning

Another poster has linked the study and there was a radio talk on it too which I can look for too - it was on bbc

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ply54

@Eloisedublin123 Thank you!

So it is worth getting folate checked to rule this out but I think it would be best to ring the doctors back and just explain that you don't understand some of the results and could they have a chat with you whilst you await your gastro appointment. But sounds like gastro are the best people to review as could be many reasons it hasn't gone up