Low iron symptoms and treatment

[Fouramclub]

I had a blood test done at the end of Feb and only just got the results last week. It turns out my iron is low (ferritin 12) and I've been given iron tablets 210mg to take three times a day.

Prior to the blood test I was feeling drained of energy and constantly getting colds. I also feel dizzy and spaced out/brain fog and my eyesight feels fuzzy. The GP was quite keen on getting my off the phone when I tried to discuss my symptoms so I didn't get to discuss much with him other than the result and the prescription (the call was literally 4 mins).

I understand from looking on google that lethargy, low immune system, light headedness etc are typical low iron symptoms. How long did it take before taking the iron tablets did you see an improvement in your symptoms?

I have been taking the tablets since weds but feel the same.

I started a new job late last year and am still in my probation period (6 months) and feel like this is really impacting my performance so I want to get myself back on track as soon as possible. Would it be worth looking into getting an iron iv done privately?

It takes about a month for your iron levels to build up. But they will. Keep taking them - two tablets every other day absorbs better than one daily, so speak to your gp if you aren't already doing that.

Your gp should have explained not to expect an improvement within a week

drink orange juice w2ith the tablets. your body needs vitamin c to process the iron from them.

Take iron with vitamin c. You should feel better after 3-4 weeks.

If you keep taking the tablets and do not see any improvement, it might be because you can not or do not absorb the kind of iron in the tablets.
I took iron tablets for ages and did not improve at all.
Now, I make sure that eat beef liver at least three times a week, and I am no longer a zombie in the afternoons. You might need to experiment a little to see what is the best source of iron for you.

I could literally have written this post. Right down to ferritin being 12 and the GP not giving a toss.

I started tablets slightly after you and yet to feel the effects, feel free to keep posting for updates and I’ll let you know when they kick in for me 😅 Like previous posters have said it can take a while to kick in!!

Thanks all, I'll keep up with the tablets and I'm going to up my red meat intake. I've been taking the tablets with orange juice but might have to switch to having them with some fresh lemon or something else as the kids keep guzzling the juice!

if I don't feel better after a month I'm going to ask the GP about an iron infusion

@Ilovepotato oh no! It's just the worst. I was wondering for months why I was so tired and getting colds every other week. I'm still recovering from a cold I got three weeks ago. I'll update if I start to feel better!

Iron takes weeks to months to resolve unfortunately. It takes 6 weeks to restore your iron stores but that then needs to be encorporated into newly forming red blood cells to make you feel better (rbc have a life span of 3m so it's often then that you start noticing a difference)

If you get side effects with iron (diarrhoea or constipation is that main 2) then can cut down the number. We are now told to only prescribe once a day as it reduces the side effects, better compliance with taking it, and doesn't make a huge difference to how much gets in your system. Take it with orange juice if u like it a vitamin c increases iron absorption. Don't drink tea or coffee within a few hours of iron as these block the absorption

You can buy solvable vit c in supermarkets which is a mg dose.

If u struggle to tolerate from side effects, ask gp to swap to a different formula (theres 3, some get on with one better than others). If u pay for scripts its cheaper to ask to buy them from the pharmacist.

up your dietary green veg and meat. If u cant tolerate for side effects i find lidls multivit with iron tolerable and i buy spatone from amazon (iron rich spring water from somewhere in wales

Hope you feel better soon but unfortunately it's not a quick fix

Iv iron isn't without its risk (has an association with anaphylaxis which can be fatal), I'd commit to oral for the first instance. If you are going private make sure it's a private hosp not some hippy vitamin clinic ran by people who have done a few hour course

Have you tried taking vitamin D?

You're unlikely to get an iron infusion without a minimum of 3m of treatment without increment on the nhs. We often struggle in anaesthetics to get them for severely anaemic patients that are awaiting imminent surgery

Yea we aren't meant to give medical advice. But def recommend. Think I've only seen 5 people with normal levels in 5y of testing, often makes people that feel non specifically rubbish much better. UK sun just isn't adequate

@Destiny123 thanks for the advice and I didn't realise that about the iron IV. Hopefully the tablets work and I'll feel better by the summer.

The GP said my vitamin d level is fine. I haven't actually seen the results as the surgery hasn't put them on the app yet but I have been taking a high dose vitamin d spray once a day for a while now.

My son just turned 4yrs old had his levels checked in January he was 3 still and his level came back at 9 so very low. He's been given the liquid iron and it look 3-4 weeks but he's perked up so much and full of energy again. He was very lethargic, pale, no energy at all.

I hope you feel better soon.

My ferritin was 11 in Nov and now it’s 38. I don’t tolerate the tablets well and didn’t take them for long.
I really upped my intake through food and bought gentle iron which I’ll start taking soon. I’ve just started another med so wanted to make sure any side effects were from that and not the iron.
GP wasn’t delighted I wasn’t taking the ferrous fumerate and bought ferrous glucimate(so) but tough, she’s not the one coping with diarrhoea and reflux is she?

I've heard a few pts swear by these but never personally tried and they're expensive

Lucky Iron Fish Ⓡ A Natural Source of Iron - The Original Cooking Tool to Add Iron to Liquid-Based Meals, Reduce Iron Deficiency Risks - an Iron Supplement Alternative, Ideal for Menstruators & Vegans https://amzn.eu/d/9ohJ5FB

I’ve just come here to ask about low iron as well. I also have low ferritin, not as low as you, mine is 24 but apparently under 30 is considered deficient. Was going to ask if spatone which is 5mg iron but is a liquid so more easily absorbed would be as good as a 20mg iron capsule, but now wondering if these are much too low to make any difference if you were given 210mg three times a day. (I haven’t been to the GP, just did a private blood test and their advice was to eat more red meat and chicken, or lentils if I am vegetarian, which I’m not. I already eat enough meat so was going to try supplements.

You'd be better off taking heme iron like Three Arrows, it's better absorbed. An iron IV would help for a bit but your iron would soon drop again. Certainly eat more red meat and mussels are also a very good source of iron if you can get hold of them and like them!

Whatever you take, it will be a slow climb back to a decent level (you should aim for 90 with ferritin).

It does work but takes ages and ages. I use to maintain rather than treat personally for bad periods. There's loads of options at the pharmacy just ask and try. Some prefer liquids like floridex (tastes minging) or there's ferrous sulphate/fumarate/gluconate. Obviously need to find the cause of the iron deficiency in the first place (which is why not going via your gp isn't the best route) as can be benign like periods to potential gi tract cancers and anything inbetween

Thanks, will try to get a GP appointment, but from past experience they wouldn’t even mention this from a blood test result let alone be interested in testing for the cause. In the mean time will try the pharmacy who are usually quite helpful.

I had to call 111 last night as all of a sudden my breathing was shallow and I felt like I was going to collapse from exhaustion. They told me it was the anaemia and to call the gp in the morning if my symptoms persisted.

I called the gp and they said they would speak to me tomorrow evening but if I got worse to go to A&E.

im a bit in limbo as my head is spinning and I feel like I'm a bit drunk (even though I haven't had anything to drink) it's got to the point where I am struggling to do my day job and looking after the kids this morning was tough. the reason why I want a quick fix is so I can just function normally, particularly with the kids as I can't seem to get through an hour at the playground without wanting to collapse. I'm sitting here looking at my computer screen and even now I just want to lie down. I'm too scared to take time off as I'm still in my probation.

anyway, I looked again on the nhs app and my results are up and my Mean corpusc. Hb. conc is low and red blood cell distribution is high and eosinophil is high too. No idea what this means as the GP didn't say anything about this when I spoke to him last week.

Hey OP!

I suffer from chronic iron deficiency. Most of my symptoms are neurological and I can feel them when my ferritin goes below 50. I don't absorb iron through my gut, so I need iron infusions every 10/8 months. I get a gram each time.

It took 12 years for the NHS to actually just give me the regular infusions. Your symptoms sound about right from when my ferritin is below 15. The worst symptom was migraine with aura, I really felt like I was hallucinating.

In your shoes I'd push for the iron infusion (I've had plenty) and also figure out the cause of your deficiency.

I am also low in iron. Serum ferritin level 8ug/L. Not really sure what that means? But I’m also low in vitamin D. I’m a bit stupid because I didn’t take the tablets for long enough last time, they gave me terrible side effects but I am taking them again now and am persisting through the side effects because I think it’s contributing towards poor mental health and sleep issues and I just want to feel better. I am interested to see what others do to boost their iron intake as I can end up with quite a restricted diet at times which is probably a part of my neurodivergence but I am trying to find ways to be as healthy as I can be.

Are you still having periods OP?

My ferritin was 5 and my haemoglobin was 83 at the beginning of December last. The tablets take forever to work and the NHS will say you are fine even if you are bumping along the very bottom of their threshold. I ended up going privately and had an iron infusion a month ago which has been transformative, although took a couple of weeks to work. I'm nearly 60 though, so the GP and consultant all panicked a bit as there is no obvious reason to be losing blood or not creating blood cells.

@chatenoire thank you for sharing, I will ask my Gp about the infusions tomorrow as I really am feeling worse than I was last week.

@Deerdrinkingtea i am still having periods. They last about 7 days and I have 3 days with heavy clot like bleeding (sorry tmi!) and the GP said this was the cause.

@colourblindrainbow the last week I've pretty much had red meat every day and been eating more leafy greens. Not sure how much of a difference this will make for me as I was eating leafy greens regularly and red meat x2 a week anyway with lots of pulses in my diet. I hope you find something that works for you!