My ferritin levels are 6!

[OdettySpaghetti]

This is why I feel so crap isn’t it? They don’t seem to want to do anything about it! Just pushing iron tablets on me which flare up my IBS 😭

But surely taking iron tablets is the first step to get your iron levels higher? And they're not being 'pushed' on you; they're prescribed.

Is there anything else they can do? See www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/

Have you tried taking the tablets with food, and eating plenty of iron-rich foods too?

Lots of people have side effects from taking iron tablets, unfortunately.

I could tolerate ferrous Fumarate better, and I actually managed to take 3 a day.
I also upped my beef and lamb intake,

If you can’t tolerate oral iron supplements then you can be topped up with an IV infusion of iron instead. You’ll need a haematology referral but tbh if it’s as low as 6 you may well end up fainting and going to a&e.

Well the dr scared me saying if I start to feel faint or have heart symptoms to call an ambulance. I was A&E not long ago with HR of 130 and chest pains. ECG was fine - they put it down to a panic attack!?

Take the iron with orange juice if you can , and leave it 30 mins or so before you have tea/coffee.

I'm on them. However I don't take them every day. Some days only once. If my gut is playing up then I give it a rest. And then restart. I do try snd build it up prior to my period. Definitely eat plenty of meat and green leafy veg and take tablet wjth orange juice snd never ever within 2 hours or caffeine or dairy xx

You must feeling shocking. I was twelve and I couldn't function!

If ferrous sulphate flares up your IBS ask for ferrous fumarate which is an alternative.
Your iron stores need replacing - oral iron is tried first because iron infusions can cause allergic reactions (and are more hassle, more expensive) so generally used when oral iron fails if someone is very anaemic.
Also are you losing a lot of iron eg heavy periods - is this something which could also be addressed?

I buy ferrous Fumarate over the counter.

Oh op you must be feeling awful! My daughter has chronic severe anaemia and her ferritin has been that low. She gets heart palpitations and it really scares her. She has colitis and iron tablets makes things worse. She has iron infusions through drip instead. I hope your doctor is arranging tests to find out why yours is so low. Hope you feel better soon x

@OdettySpaghetti

Well the dr scared me saying if I start to feel faint or have heart symptoms to call an ambulance. I was A&E not long ago with HR of 130 and chest pains. ECG was fine - they put it down to a panic attack!?

Look at PoTS and dysautonomia OP as it sounds very much like you might have that. Chest pains in particular and the high HR (tachycardia) indicate that. Plus the fatigue. You can do a 10 min standing test measuring your HR and blood pressure every 2 minutes which will tell you if your HR increases by >30bpm while standing still.

Also as you are getting IBS symptoms, you could also have MCAS which is very common alongside PoTS and causes digestive issues that look like IBS.

Meanwhile try Quattroferrin 21 supplements as they are much easier on the digestive system. DD (who has all of the above) was recommended them by her consultant. If you do have PoTS your iron levels need to be even higher than the NHS range (think >80).

Mine was 4 at the last test and I feel pretty terrible a lot of the time. You have my sympathies. I can't tolerate the tablets that they prescribe so take Blue Iron liquid instead which seems easier on my stomach as long as I've eaten.

I'm trying to limit caffeine as much as I can and have vit c more to help absorption. Plus eating more green veg and red meat etc. That was all the dr could recommend but makes sense.

I have a follow up test this month to see what difference it's made. Hopefully some as it's a really ongoing issue for me too.

anaemia is a symptom not an illness.
do you know what causes it?

wrt to iron tablets, I didn't get on with the usually prescribed ones. I then was prescribed a duodenal formulation that only dissolves in the gut and not the stomach.

Mine was 13 a few years ago. I got racing heart/palpitations, breathlessness. I have anxiety and have previously had panic attacks and although they present in a similar way I knew the difference. It was definitely the low iron causing the symptoms.

I have IBS. I was given iron tablets. I found I needed to take them about 30 minutes after food to keep the side effects to a minimum and the side effects eased off, although as PinkDaffodil2 says, the liquid is often better tolerated.

Have they looked into the cause of your anaemia though? Have they done bloods for things like coeliac? With such low ferritin levels, they really should be referring you for investigations such as a Gastroscopy (Gastro problems are some of the most common causes of anaemia, although obviously in women of a certain age it can be gynae).

I agree about finding the cause.
I had a poo test which was negative, so now I’ve had a coil fitted as I was having 2 heavy days and more frequent periods.

Have you tried buying spatone over the counter.

Some find they tolerate it better

spatone or other off the shelf liquid formulations are great to keep a good level of iron, but don't contain enough to treat severe anaemia.

There is research that taking iron every other day is better overall for absorption- look it up. Then it's easier in your system.

Also though iron infusion might help a lot. My hair was thin straw when my Ferritin was down that low. Almost a year later there is a big difference

I think the bigger question though is why is your ferritin so low. Women often immediately ruled out of anything else being wrong if they are menstruating though there are other factors that cause this though rarer.

@OdettySpaghetti mine were 6 I have coeliac disease, I can't tolerate the iron tablets so they gave me an iron infusion, 4 actually, 2 one week, two the following week, was retested after a month and my ferritin had gone from 6 to 126, I felt like superwoman!! Insist you can't tolerate the tablets and ask for a infusion

I've been in your shoes. Ferritin was 5. I tolerate ferrous sulphate better than fumerate but know it's the opposite for some. I now use two spatone sachets in orange juice and take Feroglobin plus twice a day and feel great!