Help with ferritin levels

[piscis]

I had some bloods done yesterday due to some tummy issues I have been having recently and also extreme tiredeness.

Bone profile tests need to be repeated (I am not sure why, no values to be seen on the NHS app so I think maybe there was a problem with that tube sample)

My ferritin levels show as within normal range, the result was 29ug/L and the normal range says it is 10-100, however when looking online I find that anything below 30 is iron deficiciency. Why is 10 within the normal range then According to the NHS?

Anything with more experience with this? I'd appreciate your opinions whilst I wait for my next appointment (in January).

My ferratin was 4 lol it's now up to 11 and they class this as normal and in range but I was told to continue taking iron supplements. They say it's normal and within range but is it optimal? No. Your not actually iron deficient sice you have enough iron circulating in your blood and you have stores of iron which is your ferratin- all be it low. Just go and get some ferrous sulphate from your pharmacist.

I feel awful at 29, I cannot imagine how you could cope at 4! I am glad it is going up. They should change the range!

30 is the NHS's absolute cut off for deficiency, so at 29 you are still [just] deficient.

For hair growth and general well being, your ferritin level needs to be over 70.

Check out the NHS's own guidelines and be prepared to push for proper treatment.

Is this the same for children do you know? DD12's ferritin is 35

Screenshot from the NHS app. The comment from the GP is 'Normal'

I received some blood test results yesterday and if I am reading them and yours correctly they are the same thing. Mine state 30 is the lower limit....

That is weird cos I got result of 11 back yesterday - reported as abnormal - and I need iron tablets as per text from GP. I am
peri but haven’t had a period since April so they seem to be taking post-menopausal reading.
How do different nhs trusts give different thresholds?
i feel fine in terms of energy but I do get restless legs and I was on/off ppi for a year and they inhibit absorption.

It depends a little on your lifestyle. For people who exercise a lot, for example, they want to see higher numbers.

Yes they will say it's normal because it's within their ranges. Alot of different GPs will file it differently. Mine is currently 11 and one doctor said it was normal and the other doctor said it's normal in the sense that it's not immediately harmful to your health but it's not optimal and it could be much higher and will feel the benefit from taking supplements.

Mine was 4 last year. 45 now.

Previously (before I had a hysterectomy) I felt awful when it was 4.

I've heard some people will feel awful at 20-30 and others not so much.

Can you take some iron supplements and see if it helps you?

Mine was 6 and I felt awful but at 24 I’m fine so I think it’s important to know your body’s threshold. My gp sent me this…

There's an argument that there shouldn't be a difference in levels between male or female (or pre/post menopausal)

The normal ranges are calculated from the general population and so women, due to periods, have lower iron stores. But historically women would not have been having periods every month but being pregnant, breastfeeding and so periods were much less common.

I've seen it argued that the difference in ranges is not recognising a natural difference between men and women but basically normalizing anaemia for women.

This is interesting, I had a recent result of 10, with the range starting at 10 so the NHS app said my result was 'normal'.

I mentioned it to the consultant and he couldn't have been less interested, nothing to worry about apparently 🙄.

I have taken it upon myself to take a ferritin supplement anyway.

My hopsital range was 12-300 and I was reading 16. My results letter said 'non anaemic iron deficiency - investigate cause and treat'.

I was close to fainting a lot of the time.

My reading is now up at 70 something after taking ferrous sulphate every two days with a high strength vitamin c tablet.

Oh and I started using transexamic acid for bleeding.

Mine's been 4 too and honestly makes you feel dreadful; I've had several iron infusions, which it has improved my ferritin level. I'm on iron tablets now so although it's in the normal range it still tends to be on the lower side of normal.

If you don't already, take a multi vit, or iron supplement, it might start helping you, but do push for a repeat blood test in a couple of months.

I dropped down to 11. Was so ill.

I found spinach, eggs and red meat raised my levels quickly.

My app says 30 is lower limit, we all seem to have different suggested ranges for normal

Another example of medicine being geared around men. Here in France the minimim is 10, but it's really difficult to live a normal life with a ferritin level that low. I do a lot of sport and mine hovers around 23 when I take a daily supplement (otherwise it would be around 10 but iron infusions are unheard of here. In the US if your ferritin is below 70 you are considered deficient and often given an infusion.
OTOH too much iron - which is something men often have - is treated immediately with a phlebotomy.

This. Mine was 1 in the summer and I had to have a transfusion. But the bottom of NHS "normal" is not optimal. If your health authority has an anaemia clinic push to be referred to them.

I really don’t understand this, surely it should be standard.

It is riduculous that they can say 10 is acceptable. I only checked the numbers online as my result grabbed my attention (I never had problems with ferritin my levels being normally over 100). I definitely dont feel well at 29, my energy levels are non existent, my hair has been also awful lately, so brittle...I thought it was peri but maybe not

You’re borderline. Over 45 is sufficient, 100 is better! You can buy OTC iron.

I started a supplement yesterday, it should be easily fixed with OTC iron, but I am annoyed that the normal range starts at 10 (in my GP practice). If I hadn't checked online I would not be taking iron today

OP when I had my ferritin result last year, my GP looked at all my blood tests since I'd had children and my ferritin hadn't been over 35 for 15 years. And no-one ever mentioned it.

Imagine all the time I wasted having an afternoon sleep!

Started my ferrous fumarate today / had it with food as advised by pharmacist as to prevent gut issues. Will prob do every other day & buy some ready brek for the fortified cereal! Am having vit c foods with the iron (smoothie w blueberries today).