Low Ferritin

[SmiggleBag]

How long might it take to improve?

Haemoglobin levels are normal but ferritin is 18 (should be 30 according to GP) so I'm starting on iron supplements and will have bloods reviewed in 3 months.

GP thinks low ferritin is due to a pattern of pregnancies and breastfeeding stemming back to 2017 and my body has never really recovered. My main symptoms are tiredness, poor concentration, headaches, hair loss and dry skin.

Anyone experienced similar symptoms/treatment plans?

Yes. Other symptoms include easy bruising and breathlessness.

I had itchy skin, tired beyond belief, inability to sleep, anxiety, breathless to the point I sounded like I'd run upstairs and not just slowly crawled.
I had to have iron infusions as I couldn't tolerate the tablets and once I also had a blood transfusion.

You should start to feel a bit better after a few weeks OP. Take strong iron every second day only ?google it!)

Thank you, I'm looking forward to having more energy fingers crossed!

Iron tablets usually make me feel so nauseous though, even if I take them with orange juice and with a meal.

I am in a similar situation my ferritin is 6 but I have to wait another week and a half to speak to my GP. I have never had this before, my GP told me via text that I have iron deficiency anaemia but, I don't know the cause. My hb has dropped 22 points. I only had bloods done as I was still having perimenopausal symptoms despite HRT.

I have to say I do feel short of breath when walking upstairs but, I work 13 hour days so assumed it was that. My legs feel really stiff,my gums and lips are virtually white, it's really worrying.

I am not sure whether to start iron before I see the GP. I can't really take time off work.

Yes I had all that. I was prescribed Ferracru and started to feel better within a month.

My ferritin is also low. I just take a good multivitamin with 100% iron now and feel much better. GP said to take with orange juice for absorption

My ferritin was at 3 for over 2 years until I begged my GP for iron infusions last year. 20 months on and with ferritin of 30 I still feel like crap.

Had iron iv - put my feretin from 8 to 252

Now unfortunately it sits at 100..

I just made a thread before seeing this actually
As started oral spray iron today

I make sure i have 2 wheatbisks every day ( cereal) ace 4 iron

Snacking on raisins and apricots is also good..

Beef too.. and peas & broccoli

Also, don't take iron tablet within a couple of hours of caffeine (so if you're a coffee drinker, not in the morning). It prevents the absorption. I take iron before bed because of this. I know some practitioners will recommend a lower dose pill but taking 3 times a day spaced out throughout the day to maximise absorption rather than one big dose pill.

@MyheartgoingBoomBoomBoom Were your B12 and Vitamin D ok?

Join the iron protocol group on Facebook. Also have you been tested for other deficiencies? Vit D, B12, folate? All of these can cause the same/similar issues and iron often combined with other issues.

My vitamin d is 67 and B12 289 - GP says they are fine 🤷‍♀️

My ferritin was 4!!!

I just felt like I was wading through treacle every second of the day and severely low in general.

It's now 45 a year after I had a hysterectomy.

I never realised how bad I felt until I felt better!

My ferritin never went up above 6 despite iron tablets.

Better to get your vit D a bit higher

Actimel is good - has a third of daily vit D in

Also 1000 or 2000 iu supplement

Spesh as going into winter - less sun

What is your diet like?

Iron supplements don’t necessarily solve this for everyone so combining them with iron rich foods might be a good idea

This article is pretty comprehensive Iron info

My vit D was 50, which is technically just about "normal". I started on a 2000iu supplement rather than the multivitamin I was taking and I felt like a new person after about a month... I haven't been retested yet but cannot recommend enough!

At a level of 18 you should be offered an iron infusion. Tablets take much longer.

I second that
I had iron iv when mine was 8 ...
Some places only give iron iv if under 11 though

I asked about the infusion @Autumcolors but because Hb was in the normal range they suggested supplements.

I never knew about the caffeine thing @Catopia thank you. Implementing immediately and stocking up on orange juice!

Some peoples bodies are not good @ absorbing iron though
Make sure its followed up to see if your body is absorbing the iron

@worldwidetravel2017 I'm getting retested in 3 months I think, will this be long enough to see if the supplement has had any effect?

Should be

The tannins in tea and also dairy products generally impede absorption. So best not take it with your morning cuppa 😀

OP i used vitamin C tablets instead, hate drinking sweet stuff.

I took them every second day at 5am before I exercised then could drink coffee on the 7am school run.

Ferritin went from 16 (12-300 scale)
To 76 (15-150 scale which had changed since first blood test).

I don't feek dizzy anymore.

Your GP telling you that your ferritin should be 30 would be laughable if it weren't infuriating. 30 is itself low.
It needs to be above 70/80 for hair growth for instance.

If you can fund a private iron infusion, that would be worth doing.