How to get ferritin levels up if the iron upsets you?

[ImaHogg]

I’ve had low ferritin for sometime. Ferritin is 5 and HB is 9.9. Goes without saying that I feel like crap.
My gp keeps prescribing me ferrous fumerate even though she is fully aware that I have awful digestive issues, have been diagnosed with IBS and that these tablets make my gut issues so much worse.
I am limping along taking 2 Spatone per day but they aren’t having much impact especially as the probable cause of the anaemia is my very heavy periods due to uterine polyps (have been on a year long waiting list to have them removed via hysteroscopy), so each month my levels are dropping.
She tells me to just keep taking the Spatone.
I have a host of symptoms which are probably all related to the low ferritin but she insists it would only cause tiredness, nothing else.
I am at a loss.
How do I get these levels up?
I feel like shit most days.

Can you get a dose higher than spatone which is quite low and iron tablets which are very high? I could only ever take one every other day not 2-3 a day they wanted. Just be careful to follow the rules around not having tea or coffee before or after take them. (Can’t remember which it is) Drinking with orange juice to help it get absorbed. Adding lots of iron rich food I know you have to eat wheelbarrow full of spinach but every little helps.

Iron infusion

I take a heme iron supplement which is much less irritating and supposed to be better absorbed.

This is the one I use, I did get it from Amazon but I see it's now out of stock on there.
threearrowsnutra.com/pages/simplyheme

Ask your GP for liquid iron, sodium feredetate - it is much more gentle on the stomach - I take this making sure I don't have any dairy or caffeine an hour either side of having it, I have stocked up on all the iron rich foods and I'm topping up with Spatone. I am hoping my next blood test shows an improvement.
Push hard, I've just ended up in hospital needing blood transfusions as my levels became so low and the bleeding is so heavy and constant.
I am waiting for a hysterectomy to deal with my fibroids and polyps, and bleeding.
Good luck

With both Hb and serum ferritin below the lab reference ranges, your GP should be referring you to Haematology for an iron infusion and chasing up your hysteroscopy as well. Spatone is not going to cut it.

Trying to supplement orally at a rate which will raise your levels despite your heavy bleeding, is just not possible. You're on a hiding to nothing.

Back to the GP to bang the table, I'm afraid.

Eat liver!

If your GP won’t refer you for an iron infusion, there is a clinic in london that do them for £200

I found taking the ferrous fumerate on an empty stomach but with a glass of orange juice was the best.

Your GP should be referring you for an iron infusion if you can't tolerate the iron tablets

I can’t comment on the need for an infusion as I have no knowledge but I couldn’t tolerate ferrous sulphate (vomiting and severe nausea) and was given ferrous gluconate instead when anaemic.

Just to say I take ferrous fumarate and it really really upset my system at first but my guts gradually adjusted. I find it's better to take it at bed time. Then my stomach is sometimes upset first thing in the morning but not all day.

You can get gentle iron which might help.

You need an iron infusion, end of. Look at ref actual amount of iron mg in Spatone compared to ferrous fumerate- it's minuscule, ditto dietary sources, completely pointless when your hb levels are so low . Tell
your GP to refer you for an infusion.

Iron infusion and tranexamic acid to help mange the periods?

If you can't get an infusion, definitely the heme iron as mentioned above

I remember my GP saying the spatone was keeping me on the cusp of feeling normal. previous to this useful info, I'd had an iron infusion while pregnant.

Back to GP to ask if an iron infusion is a possibility.

I wanted an infusion but the haematology department rejected my gp’s request for one. My ferritin levels are less than 5 ffs!
Maybe it’s because my HB is 9.9 so not horrendously low?
I still feel like crap though.

I'm sorry your GP isn't treating you effectively, OP.

I struggle to keep my ferritin levels up, too and it causes a whole host of issues. It was even stopping me getting pregnant. Two months on huge doses of fumarate and I was pregnant; after 7 years of fertility treatment! I can tell when it drops, my hair falls out, I get tired, breathless, joint pain....it's not fun!

I hope you get it sorted soon.

Agree with others - you need to see another gp. Your numbers aren’t just low - they are dangerously low.

I had an iron infusion and seriously felt alive! I didn't realise how run down and tired I was. My iron and stored iron was so low my gp didn't understand how I was still able to walk about. I too have issues with the tablets. There is an iron liquid you can get in Boots which tastes a bit (not envy) but my stomach seemed to tolerate it much better than the iron tablets (both types). I too have IBS and they just gave me such an upset stomach all the time.
As for feeling tired being the only symptom of low iron, well, your gp needs to read up on it more. I had really itchy skin, very tired, headaches all the time, and walking up even a slight hill had me out of breath. At its worst I had tingling across my shoulders and down my arms. Quite scary.
I really hope you get help with this. I too have anaemia due to very heavy periods due to fibroids and polyps which I am also waiting to have removed. Hope you get sorted soon. The last time I had polyps removed the change in my periods was amazing. I wasn't diagnosed with anaemia then, but could have had low iron due to the constant period/spotting.

I ended up in A&E as my iron levels so low sent by GP as almost passing out. Think was 5 and they just gave me one iron tablet and sent me home! If men had put up with it on regular basis they be giving infusions left right and centre.

Honestly it’s a constant battle and doing it whilst feeling absolutely crap. You are right Akire no man would ever put up with this for long. Longtompot I was so much better after my polyps were removed but the buggers keep growing back!

@HazeyJaneII hey did the sodium feredetate help bring your levels back up? If so how lomg? My ferritin is 14 and transferrin low at 11% just started this medicine last week. I'm.hoping it will help as been dealing with awful symptoms ans feel like my body is shutting down