Ferritin level 22

[Happyinheels]

Hi, I've been ill for months. I have been really exhausted and keep picking every tiny bug up, but where others in my family recover in a short space of time it takes me weeks and weeks. I find I'm bug free for maybe a week if I'm lucky. I have recently had a chest X-ray, urine test and bloods. I had a call from the doctors receptionist today to tell me the doctor had looked at my blood results and that my ferritin levels were borderline and if I wanted to buy some over the counter treatment then I could. If my symptoms don't get better then I can see the doctor again.
I've been thinking about this all afternoon and ended up ringing back to see what my levels actually are and they're 22. I feel absolutely awful all the time and it's really affecting my life. I can't believe that the doctor is so blasè that I can get something over the counter if I feel I need to.
Does anyone have any advice or experience they could share please? Thank you 😊

I also had levels if ferritin at 22 recently and I was prescribed a three month course of ferrous sulphate iron tablets. I imagine I could have also bought these over the counter - perhaps ask the pharmacist for advice? I believe there are certain types of iron compounds that are more effective.

My ferritin levels were 3 when I was a teenager, looking back I wonder how I actually put one step infront of the other.

Take Vit C alongside the iron. Spatone in OJ is a good combination.

Thank you for that advice. I can't imagine having a level of 3! I can barely function as it is! And my hair is falling out so much. I used to have thick curly hair and now it's so straggly and brittle!
I'll ask at the pharmacy for advice.

Mine has been around 2-3 since having my DC over the last few years. I bought iron tablets over the counter and its now rising so it's definitely worth taking them and seeing how you get on. They're the same as prescribed but a bit cheaper to buy than prescription.

I've missed a few over the last couple of weeks and now can't catch my breath so I definitely know they're working!

I'm really going to have to get some tablets then!
Since October I've been ill with one thing after another. I said to a friend that suddenly for the first time in my life I actually felt my age. Everything ached and I've never felt exhaustion like it.

My levels were 19 and I didn’t even notice. Everybody is different.

have you had your calcium levels checked? B12?

On the report my gp sent me it said the normal range is 30-300. Mine was 15 and they said normal no action 🤔 I bought the gentle iron supplement from Holland & Barrett and Spatone as they have less side effects than the horrible prescribed ones anyway

My ferritin at its lowest was 4 and I felt on my knees, but I haven't been getting every illness around. In fact, I can't remember, apart from covid two years ago, the last time I was ill with a virus. I think getting the other things checked would be a good idea, but the spatone sachets would be a good idea. I had mine in a glass of orange juice

The reason Spatone had fewer side effects than those “horrible prescribed ones” is because they have 5mg of iron compared to 65mg

Mine didn't register at the end of 2020 and I was just told to take iron tablets, I spent a year on ferrous sulphate 3 times a day and it got to 7, but the doctor told me just to continue on them.

I ended up getting a couple of private iron infusions just before Christmas and feel a million times better, but if my GP had their way I'd still barely have the energy to get out of bed

Oh and it was cheaper to buy the ferrous sulphate over the counter at the pharmacy. They were a couple of quid

Yes, the prescribed ferrous sulphate is a far higher dose.

Vitamin c with whatever iron supplement you take will increase absorption so take with fruit juice or vit c supplement, preferably on an empty stomach if you can tolerate it.

Try to avoid tea and coffee a couple of hours each side of taking iron as they hinder absorption.

If you are on Facebook this group is great www.facebook.com/groups/theironprotocol/?ref=share there is a lot to read but you really learn about how to treat your low iron. I take Ferrous Fumarate 210mg tablets and take vitamin C with them, they are cheap to buy online.

Tbf spatone info does say lower does but it has more 'bioavailability' than ferrous fumarate, so ff has a higher dose but not all that is absorbed and many folk do suffer with the side effects from it.

I take spatone and it keeps my ferritin in a normal range when it previously has been 18.

Until February this year, my ferritin levels were and been at a 4 for a long time. I felt exhausted and depressed. Breathless just walking up the stairs and I kept getting aura migraines. I could only take Spatone as I have IBS and every iron supplement killed my stomach. My GP told me that Spatone isn’t much better than water and obviously it didn’t help me with such low levels so I had to have an iron infusion in February. My ferritin tested 4 weeks after the infusion was at 152.
I have to say that although my levels were so low I didn’t have any issue with getting rid of viruses etc.
Did they check your vitamin d levels?

Thanks for the replies. I have an appointment with the doctor as I also had a chest X-ray which has apparently come back borderline. Borderline what I've no idea! It's great when the secretary of the surgery rings with a message that she can't expand on! So I'll discuss the iron situation then.
I've been researching a bit more on iron levels. It says about hair loss and also about picking up illnesses which were 2 of my main symptoms, along with the utter exhaustion.
I haven't had my vitamin D levels or calcium tested, to my knowledge, I'll check with the doctor.
I did take Floradix after my last bout of illness before going for my blood tests. The lady in the health food shop said it was a good all rounder. I did notice a slight difference but really need to take it for about 3 months to notice a real difference. It's quite expensive though!