Ferritin of 9, no treatment?

[FeatherySquawkington]

Long story but been feeling quite rough for most of the year. Finally plucked up the courage to have blood test I was supposed to have back in March and it's come back with ferritin of 9. I was told by GP that this is borderline low so wants to do a repeat blood test in a month. Does this sound right? I would have thought if it were low then would need treatment?

@FeatherySquawkington hi this happened to my son, he had a blood test and it showed borderline low feriritin then he was asked to repeat it, the second one came back normal.

@FeatherySquawkington that’s really low and I’m not surprised you feel rubbish. I think the boundaries for normal ferritin levels are so low. My gynae consultant says ideally ferritin should be over 50, ideally 70 to be at full health. I always feel rubbish when I get to around 20 or less. My hair falls out, my fingernails break, I’m exhausted, I get heart palpitations and joint pain at that level.
The way things are at the moment, I have to wait weeks to get a blood test so I normally just get ferrous fumerate from the pharmacy - it’s cheaper to buy over the counter rather than prescription anyway as it’s around £2 for a months supply.

@FeatherySquarkington
That's rubbish, I even had a consultation tell me I should feel any symptoms from low ferritin, I was exhausted, I felt dreadful
Mine was 6 because of coeliac disease and I couldn't tolerate any oral iron (diarrhoea) so I had 4 iron infusions over 2 two weeks and it went up to 126 and I literally felt amazing, like a normal human being again, push for an infusion, it'll take ages to come up even if you can tolerate the tablets. Do you know why yours is so low?

Sorry spelt your name wrong
@FeatherySquawkington

Thanks for replies. No idea why it's low, it was low a couple of years ago so was given tablets that seemed to sort me out. Dr said might be due to heavy periods but I wouldn't class mine as heavy.

I've felt like this since Feb so I guess another month will be manageable. I'm not sure why the GP thinks it will magically go up though.

I had low-normal ferritin, felt awful, exhausted, I had palpitations, weak nails, hair failing out. We quit eating red meat last year so that maybe why. I now take Spatone every morning in my OJ and it’s made a difference.

Interesting that a few posters mention coeliac - I’m also diagnosed and I always have low ferritin. Two of my children have low ferritin - one had a positive blood test for coeliac, the other negative but doctor still assumes coeliac because of the family history.

@ABitOdd
It took 15 years to get diagnosed with coeliac my antibody tests were always negative, I had normal/light periods, but always low ferritin, normal Hb. In the end one of my kids was suspected coeliac do I had the genetic test and biopsies and was confirmed coeliac disease. Push for the iron infusions they can give you them

Ferritin of 9 is not borderline low it's 'crashed through the floor low'. Mine was 23 and I was losing my hair and crippled with palpitations. Ask to see another GP straight away.

Definitely recommend spatone in the meantime.

What is wrong with GPS on this? They seem so inconsistent. My GP has done fairly regular blood tests. It was 11 at one point and I was given tablets. It slowly climbed to 40. She told me over 50 was the aim.

Then last test, she told me all great and in normal levels even though I was very tired again. It had fallen to 20! I queried it and she said it was in normal range and fine. But some women feel better of its over 40.

She blames it all on periods. Tried to put me on contraception despite other reasons I can't tolerate it. Then mentioned 'an operation'. Think I just annoy her cos I didn't want the coil or the pill.

I'm now in menopause anyway so we'll see if I feel better now I'm not bleeding. But then maybe I feel shit cos of menopause!

I've started taking iron in a mouth spray. I like it. Easier than pills.

Oh and I'm also on omeprazole which stops you absorbing iron... But gp also denies!

Mine was 4 - I felt awful! Definitely take spatone with OJ and up the greens/iron rich food.

DD15 had a level of 12 at her last test in March, range was 30-400 as 'normal'.

Hb was normal range, she just cannot tolerate iron supplements, she's been referred to Gynae but 6 months on we're still waiting for an appointment. I got her the iron spray which she manages to take so at least it's something.

Her TSH level was also a bit out of range but that wasn't even mentioned.

Mine was 11 and my GP said it doesn't matter how low ferritin gets as it doesn't really make a difference. My hair has got really thin and I have been supplementing with iron but I haven't had it retested yet.

Erm ten years ago I had ferritin levels. Of 2.5 to the point that every time I got hot I lost my vision and hearing. The doctor saw my results and was wondering how I was still standing. Thankfully I loved red meat so my blood iron stayed fairly stable. Normal Ferritin was 30 to 120 I think

400mg of iron with orange juice for a year and I got to about 22 which was still low but manageable. Finally sitting at about 31 now but still need daily 200mg tablets.

My main symptoms are dizziness/lightheadedness, tingling in hands, sometimes fast heart rate after walking up stairs, brain fog and hair loss. Does it sound like low ferritin can be causing this?

I was putting my symptoms down to anxiety although I've not felt especially anxious recently and never had these symptoms with it before. Also ringing in ears on and off.

Yes to ringing in ears. That's always a sign for me. And tiredness and dizziness

I had same, levels of 9 last year and the practise nurse told me it should be around £300. I've not been given anything either. I feel exhausted most of the time. It's rubbish. They told me that infusions are dangerous and shouldn't be recommended. I think that's nonsense but what can I do?

Yes ringing in ears - although I get that anyway due to vertigo!

Tesco sell the spatone - it’s only £7 a box

My ferritin is 8 and doc prescribed me iron tablets. She said it should be 30. My DD’s is 20 and she got tablets too. We eat a good diet including lots of veg and meat.

Floradix liquid made a huge difference to my partner. She couldn't tolerate iron tablets but has no problem with floradix and it has brought her blood results back to the middle of normal range.

Mine was down to 5. It was my hair falling out in handfuls that sent me to the GP. Mine took it very seriously, ringing me at 7 in the evening with the blood test results! Put me on 3x 240mg ferrous fumerate daily. I also had really low vit D which was similarly sorted, but I don't know which was responsible for which symptoms. Apart from the hair I was very tired, achy, breathless.

The problem with normal supplements - spatone, floradex etc is they actually are very low level. Fine for maintaing your levels but can't really do much at raising levels the significant amounts required when ferretin has dropped really low.

You can buy ferrous fumerate OTC, but be careful as too much iron in your blood can be dangerous too.