Low ferritin but GP says "normal"

[DisappointingAvocado]

I've not long had the contraceptive implant out after it caused several months of near-constant bleeding. Been feeling awful - hair loss, exhaustion, headaches, breathless, all classic anaemia symptoms. GP ordered full blood count and told over the phone "all normal". The thing is - I also ordered a private blood test (delivered to home and taken to local pharmacy for bloods then posted off) as was getting distressed with the wait times, and wanted as much info as I could get as quickly as I could get it.

Private tests indicate ferritin of 22 and the tests only taken a couple of weeks apart so can't have been significantly different. I don't get it?! NICE guidelines say ferritin of <30 warrants treatment for iron deficiency so I'm confused as to why my GP says results normal. Any idea how to approach? I'm going to have to argue my case and come clean about the private tests but I don't want to come across like I'm telling GP they are wrong (which never goes well).

Is the only way to improve iron stores by prescription strength iron? I have some 20mg tablets from Holland and Barrett and not sure how many I can safely take or how long it will take to feel better on OTC stuff. Still feeling like death and really struggling, albeit my hair has stopped falling out. Thanks if anyone can help.

Ferritin isn't part of a full blood count so perhaps the FBC is 'all normal'. Maybe it's worth checking what tests were actually done and then discussing the private ferritin based on that.

Just ask at the pharmacy for iron tablets. I got a pack of ferrous fumarate tabs for £7 just last week. Di read up on how to take iron supplements correctly.
My ferritin level is 6 down from 14 a year ago, but no anaemia - Hb, PCV and MCV all normal. Never knew you could ne iron deficient and not be anaemic! My hair is falling out in hands full though, heart palps and insomnia. Sympathy OP! X

I second the ferrous fumerate. My GP told me to buy it when I had low ferritin (14).

My records indicate the normal range for ferritin is 15-150 from the lab my results were done. Have you checked the range from your lab?

You get a ferritin result with a iron profile blood test but not with full blood count. My hb result from full blood count is always fine, and my ferritin is also always marked as fine even though it was 11, as nhs guidelines say anything over 10 is normal which is insane! For hair growth though is needs to be 70+
I've got mine up to 37 from taking 2 spatone a day as I cant tolerate the iron tablets but it's a sloooow process for me 🫠

You can buy ferrous fumerate from online pharmacies for about £6-7 to be honest I would just do that (I did myself recently).

I just bought an iron supplement and ate liver and steak!

Thanks so much all - really helpful. I have learned a lot from posting! Didn't realise ferritin wasn't done as part of full blood count, and that you could feel this awful without being anaemic. Or indeed that I can buy ferrous fumarate without a prescription (have just ordered some online). I'm much less fretful now.

Can I ask how long it has taken others to feel better on the tablets?

Thanks again

Had steak for dinner but have a feeling it's not a quick fix...

I would have a look at the Iron Protocol group on Facebook if you're on it. Will give lots of info on the dose of iron to take and lots of other useful info.

You would be considered deficient in some other countries eg Australia. I'd just do as others have suggested and get the tablets to increase your level as you are symptomatic. It can only help!

I had iron iv at hospital
As my feretin was just 8
And body is bad at absorbing iron

I tried floradix liquid - gentle iron 4 a month - made no difference 2 Feretin number

Now im trying better you 5 mg
Oral iron spray
That i take with orange juice
.having 2 wheatabix daily
And having apricots - raisins - blue berries and strawberries - all good 4 iron

Apple juice also good iron wise ..

Many brits are vit d deficient

Id ask 4 this checked too

I was deficient of feretin - vit d and b12 @ same time - was hell

My ferritin levels were low at the beginning of August (12) and I felt horrendous. Exhausted, struggled tk stay awake if i sat down in the afternoon, headaches, tingly hands/feet, awful insomnia, painful tongue. I am due to go for a repeat test in a few weeks, but I know my levels must have improved. I feel so much better. I wasn't technically anaemic, but my haemoglobin levels were at the very low end of normal and I had a lot of anaemia symptoms. My GP prescribed iron tablets but when I went to the pharmacy they recommended I just buy the same thing over the counter as it was less than half the cost of a prescription charge. Having done some research online it seems like a lot of GPs seem to think ferritin levels don't matter if haemoglobin is normal but in my experience low ferritin made me feel horrendous and I wouldn't hesitate to buy tablets again in future even if I encountered a Dr that said it was normal. Normal range is very different from optimal!

My local hospital says the normal range is 10.0 - 291.0 ug/L but my GP told me to take Ferrous Sulphate when my result was 17.6 ug/L. My second reading two months later was 29.6 so it’s having some effect.

I have read elsewhere that you should take some sort of iron supplement if your results are <50 ug/L.

Boots sell packets of 28 200mg tablets for about £2.99 I think. They are a pound or so more in my local pharmacy.

Every time I’ve been to buy it I’ve been asked why I want it. When I say my GP told me to take it because my ferritin levels are low they are happy with that answer.

I started taking tablets beginning of August and felt noticeably better but not perfect towards the end of September.

Iron Bisglycinate has better bioavailability than ferrous fumerate. It is also more gentle, so you get less gastro side effects.
I managed to get mine up to 34. I’d been prescribed ferrous fumerate 3 x a day for 6 months and it had only got up to 22, at which point the dr took them off my repeat prescription because my levels were ‘normal’ 🙄

You say the results from your private test was 22

What is it from the GP test? Was ferritin actually tested?

Always ask for a print out of your test results, I always do and then google it all at home

DM (she’s in her eighties though) had same symptoms and low ferritin, she needed prescription strength vit D which you can’t buy over the counter (at least this is what Boots staff told us). We tried to buy it as couldn’t get the prescription filled anywhere. She won’t take it due to the side effects though. 🙄
She is now taking a general vit D multivitamin, too early to say if any difference. Doc said they’ll repeat bloods in 8 weeks.

I can’t say I feel a lot better yet after three months of Ferrous Sulphate but my symptoms (tiredness, hair loss) are probably mostly due to long Covid. I’m getting advice from the NHS post-Covid service for that.

I’ll keep taking the tablets!

Take ferrous fumurate with orange juice and no tea/coffee for an hour either side. Helps your body absorb the iron. 3-4 weeks of that got me feeling myself again.

Those that have had covid - def get b12 checked too

Covid tends to cause issues with feretin ANDb12

The leaflet in the 200mg Ferrous Sulphate tablet packet says 2-3 per day for treatment, but my GP says recent research says 1 per day or every other day is enough.

Was recommended these by a dietician:
Ferrodyn® : Iron glycinate with 5-MTHF and vitamin B6 | Nutri Advanced
Got from 20 to 80 in 3 months with no side effects.

3 tablets per day, spread across the day and with food.

I don't know why the NHS say above 10 is normal as so many women feel horrendous at this level. Everyone's normal is different and so long as someone is experiencing symptoms it should be treated as such. I had a level of 12 when pregnant and felt so ill. Hair loss, headaches and heart palpitations to name a few. I didn't know what was wrong with me and thought I was losing my baby or that my body's was shutting down or something. I had to reach 30 before the heart palpitations stopped. Ferrous fumerate from the pharmacy and it took about 3 months to improve symptoms. Hope you feel better soon!