Low Ferritin

[rubyslipperss]

Hi I've read through a few threads on here as I have low ferritin - it's 28 , it came up in my NHS app.I think it's always been a bit on the low side but feeling really fatigued , going to bed after work, can only work part time etc ,not able to socialise unless I've had a rest , day off etc . Palpitations , hair thinning, headaches. Feel generally rubbish . So fed up, I cried when I went into surgery to ask for blood tests.

I've called my GP surgery to discuss but the receptionist said it might not be looked at for a week. I'm worried it will be dismissed . All other bloods fine including thyroid , though they didn't do full screen , and Hb, folate, B12 all ok just the pesky ferritin .

Should I start taking iron supplements anyway ? I've seen some gentle iron on Solgar website.
I've read on here that you should only take iron every other day . Can anyone advise ? Thank you .

Ps so sorry for everyone feeling rubbish, its a right pain!!!

Yes I know exactly what you mean - it's a horrible feeling . I'm getting that a bit now with post viral fatigue even though my bloods are ok - but I remember just crawling in to bed some days after work feeling like I couldn't do another thing because I felt so weak - it's a really scary feeling .

@rubyslipperss Thanks, horrible isn’t it. Also seem to get a weird dissociation type feeling, like no oxygen reaching brain and limbs, so surreal but could be an anxious reaction to feeling rubbish

@Woolycardy I think for me there is definitely an anxious side of it. If I feel ill in anyway, I always get really anxious. I'm looking into getting some therapy for it or maybe going on antidepressants for a while as I'm sure the anxiety of it makes me feel worse. Do you work? Can you try and get some periods of rest in during the day? My DD has low ferritin & CFS - she really struggles but tries to pace herself .

Yeah that’s true. I do work full time, it’s not a physical job but the symptoms can still cause trouble. I think i’ll read up about pacing, thank you @rubyslipperss

I also have cfs ( had glandular fever in 2022) - probably have a fair bit in common with your dd

Does anyone have a good recommendation for an alternative to black tea to reduce intake of tannins? Tried redbush but didn’t like it.

I like nettle , peppermint , pukka do loads of lovely ones .

I have peppermint and also spearmint

( meant to be good for pcos )

Yes, consultant surgeon and anaesthetist involved in my care. Department co-ordination told me on Friday that the clinical nurse specialist was off but back in tomorrow so I expect he will be in touch at some point.

Still waiting for repeat intrinsic factor but last one was negative so, although my Hb, vitamin B12 and ferritin are all lower than last month (and, apart from ferritin, lower than in August too) it probably isn’t pernicious anaemia which was why they wanted the repeat bloods after the ones in August. I am armed and ready for a text from the GP surgery to make an appointment to discuss the results - and probably prescribe the dreaded iron tablets!! I have saved a copy of the NHS/NICE guidelines for the investigation and treatment of anaemia when ferritin is below 30.

@rubyslipperss @worldwidetravel2017 Thank you i’ll try those!

Oh I've found my people!
I've just had some tests after feeling so ill, thinking I had a brain tumor or something, feeling constantly dizzy and breathless and pins and needles all over, and had my first ever panic attack when I though I was having a full blown heart attack and my husband called an ambulance.
Turns out my ferritin is 8 which is probably due to 3 pregnancies/births in 6 years and then adenomyosis causing awful periods.
The GP said my levels were 'a bit low' and suggested supplements. I've been on iron bisglycinate plus vitamin C for 3 weeks and apart from throwing up for the first week and some digestive issues it seems to be getting a bit better.
Does anyone else get a weird feeling like their head is being squeezed from the inside?

8 is really low! Poor you. Yeah I get a lot of funny head symptoms but it’s a vicious circle because i get stressed about feeling ill and i think that makes the head symptoms worse. Do you get like a pressure in the head feeling?

Yes, pressure like an internal migraine and a weird tense feeling in my jaw that always comes before the dizziness.

@wejammin welcome to the thread ! Full of people just feeling the same way . You are amongst friends. I have a long term brain condition which is quite stable as well so difficult to know what is what where headaches are concerned but i definitely had more when my ferritin was low .

@worldwidetravel2017 is there a link with CFS that you know of? All the women in my family are low ferritin and in the tired side. DD1 only one with CFS diagnosis and Pots . Sorry to hear you have CFS - it makes it all worse!

Hiya,

My iron levels were 8, and I was very anaemic. I was prescribed the iron tablets for the doctor and over the course of a few weeks (red meats/ spinach, fortified cereals) I got it up.
I was a healthy BMI, exercised and ate well before, so it was a surprise.

It doesn't sound like it'll be dismissed just that they'll look at it next week?

No harm in starting supplements whatsoever mind!

I know theres a link with pcos and low feretin

Id be asking / advising your dd to be checked for pcos

Also with cfs - ive just had another ton of bloods and another rheumatologist referal..

Ive a lot going on - including ibs and absorption issues and a colon that keeps making benign polyps

Had 3 colonoscopies in a 12 month time period

Drs gave me Q fit test when i had low feretin
( my mums dad died of bowel cancer)

I always - always suggest those with low feretin to ask Gp to look at the cause - rather than just teaching symptoms -

For me i had some big benign colon polyps that were bleeding

Additionally - any female with low feretin and heavy periods should get their periods assessed by gynae
And ask Gp for clotting tests

Im also on a fertility journey with history of miscarriage and theyve now uncovered potential clottihg issues

I know what you mean. I compare it to going up a hill on a bike with no gears - the energy reserves that you need to draw on are just not there. Even if it's something as basic as walking up the stairs.

Yeah definitely that’s how it feels, i feel like a machine on ‘low power’. Even my vision feels off! Ugh!! Sorry we are in this low ferritin club,!

Does everyone take their ferrous sulphate/fumerate 3 times a day? Do you think 1 a day is enough to bump up from 13 level ferritin?

My level is 10 and I’ve been told by the GP to take mine twice a day.

I was meant to take 2 or 3 a day, can’t remember, he did say though I could do that every other day if the side effects were too unpleasant. Obviously takes longer to come up that way though.

I really wish I knew the reason for mine.. TMI but I’ve had diarrhoea for nearly 2 years. I have had a gastric sleeve but that was 3 years ago and I’ve always had iron issues even before the sleeve.

I take ferrous sulphate. It has only started going up (creeping up) since I started taking it every other day with vitamin C. Every other day is now recommended over more frequently, I think.

So I contacted GP surgery this morning as my intrinsic factor results still aren’t back. They said the GP wants me to make a routine appointment so I filled in the request form and they’ve called back saying I’ll get a call on November 1st; I also commented on the form that I am due surgery next month and the GP apparently said nothing in my results will stop me from getting to the operation done - so, looks like they won’t be requesting an iron infusion before then!

It will also be interesting to hear if the nurse specialist at the hospital has the same opinion when he calls me (apparently he is looking at the pre-op results for all patients today so I should heard back either later on or tomorrow) I will ask him about the iron infusion as well as it may be easier/quicker to get it done through them than the GP surgery.

Does your surgery have any senior gps or any partner gps ?
Or you could ask to talk to the medical secretary team etc or practice manager