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 .

It isn't it, thank you. What conclusions did anyone come to for you? Sorry not had a chance to read the whole thread yet.

Well -

Gastro consultants had multi team meetings about me.
( gastro - bowel, also liver and gynae )

I have a bowel that makes polyps. Im 37.
3 x colonoscopies - 2 aged 36 - 1 aged 37.
Everything found was benign.
Will have next one spring 2026 - unless any positive qfit tests before then.
My mums dad died of bowel cancer.

My medical notes say my body does not absorb iron from tablets.
Had nhs iron iv in hosp 2023..
Took feretin from 8 to 252 - felt amazing - til it went back down..

Had ibs diagnosed too - my dad and sis also have that..

They found a ' mass ' on my liver - they thought liver cancer but that was ruled out with private liver mri and nhs liver mri.
Had fibroscan
I have fatty liver
And another liver condition..

I also have pcos confirmed
Fatty liver = common in pcos patients.

Had cfs confirmed privately last summer by a consultant rhuematologist

So i live with at least 3 syndromes.
Pcos , cfs , ibs.

Have had b12 issues.
Its being retested next week
As is feretin

Had an early miscarriage
Maybe just because
Or maybe due to low progsterone which i have and which is common in pcos patients

My feretin has been low for decades tbh

They did 2 x gastroscopies to rule out any stomach bleeds

Im on meds as have fertility consultant and some of those meds upset bowel - doesnt help re losing iron / foods

They tested 4 celiac last yr and said no
But i clearly have some absorption issues

They ruled out pernicious anemia

#novel

Hi, yes I eat chicken and we have red meat a couple of times a week.

have had my ferritin level repeated this morning along with bone profile, FBC and anti intrinsic factor antibodies. Should have results next week

Great that you'll know more soon

Mine was 3 last summer, I took iron tablets for six weeks and it went up to 8. The GP wasn’t overly concerned as I am susceptible to low iron due to bowel issues. She said mine hasn’t been over 21 in the last ten years.

@worldwidetravel2017 sorry you have had such a hard time . And all other posters living with these symptoms .

Reading people's posts I'm wondering how long it will take my ferritin to drop again - I have been feeling so ill all year - I was hopeful that my iron infusion would make me feel great but my recovery from food poisoning seems to be slow and it seems to have set off something in my body ! I've now got another virus and feel dreadful .

My feeling is that I am not absorbing iron for some reason and that also my fatigue is off the scale so do I have CFS . My DD has POTS & CFS . I have to wait till October to see the GP - could anyone guide me in what questions to ask ? My VIT D , folate , B12 all fine , ferritin now over 200 hb ok .

Wow that's a lot to deal with. It's awful being on the health 'carousel' isn't it. Really hope you eventually find some answers, that goes for all the other posters on this thread and out there perhaps just reading x

So, results of bloods done at GP surgery (and sent to a different hospital with different reference ranges) are all back except the Vitamin B12. Everything is normal apart from ferritin which is now showing as 15 but with a reference range of 30-200. GP has listed it as normal and no action necessary!! But they have also sent a message to book an appointment in 2-4 weeks time to discuss the result - though, at the moment, I’m inclined not to bother as, if they’re listing an obviously out of range result as normal, I doubt they’ll bother doing anything except prescribing iron tablets that did nothing for me except upset my stomach last time I was prescribed them!!

Have u tried spa tone water from boots ?
( gentle iron liquid)

Today a consultant asked me which dr is over seeing my anemia..
The answer - no1

Same.....

Exasperating isnt it

Consultant i spoke to today - advised me to try and reach out to an old nhs gastro consultant who helped me ..
( trying)

Ive also put through an appt for a gp appt in October

Yes when I was pregnant with my twins and it didn’t do anything for my iron levels. Just looked back through my results and it doesn’t appear as if I’ve had my ferritin checked apart from one previous occasion when it was 9 and wasn’t mentioned

If a female had feretin of 9
And has periods - they should be getting support / advice / help

Lotsa blue berries / broccoli / kale /

Thanks.

Periods stopped just over a year ago ferritin levels been below 10 until this most recent blood test - though, as I said before, this most recent result was at another hospital so I’m not sure if that would have an impact on results as it seem strange to have gone from 6 to 15 in 4 weeks with no input in between

Iron in food can make it go up

Try optifer supplements from amazon. Form heme iron rather than non heme (plant/synthetic)really helped me

Plant based iron doesn't help as these foods are high on oxalates and They bind to the iron. Why most vegans and vegetarians get. In a muddle with iron.

Same drinking tea, coffee or eating dairy stops absorption.

You need good heme based iron and heme based iron supplements to get ferritin up.

Research these terms oxalates and iron and you will be shocked.

Plant based food doesn't raise iron levels, it contains ironcin abundance yes
However it binds to oxalates rendering it useless for raising ferritin.

Will slightly raise iron levels, but iron in blood is different to stores in proteins eg ferritin.

Thanks

Ive had consultants tell me to eat iron rich foods..

Its being tested on monday

Is the spa tone gentle iron water a
heme based iron supplement ?

I had a couple of infusions in June, as my ferritin was at 4, infusions shot it up to 233 and I've got another blood test next week to see what level it has settled at. I'm feeling tired again so probably not a very high level.

I would definitely get checked for coeliac disease if I were you.

I’ve been reading the NICE guidelines on
low ferritin and low MCH levels this morning and noticed it says that having an infection may skew results and I’ve been unwell since last week with a very fluey cold but the phlebotomist didn’t say not to get the bloods done while im
unwell so now need to discuss whether it needs checking again once I’m better or not!

GPS and consultants really do not understand deeply how hard it is once your ferritin is depleted to get it back, definitely do your own research.

Iron rich foods that areBIOAVAILABLE eg READILY ABSORBED are in eggs, red meat, then poultry and fish/seafood.

Plant based iron isn't readily absorbed unless taking with high concentrations of vitamin c.

Non heme tablets, ferrous fumarate and sulphats, must be taken on empty stomach with vitamin c and you must not eat 2 hours before, after of drink tea and coffee.

Also must avoid calcium and dairy.

Thank you

They tried me on ferrous fumarate

Didnt work

( i have ibs )

They tested 4 celiac last yr and said im not

After miscarriage last yr - i took floradix gentle iron liquid - and no diff to feretin

I bought better u ' oral iron spray that i put in mouth / cheek and had with orange juice - no diff

I eat eggs daily as fertility food and b12

I dont like dairy
I very rarely eat it
I dont have coffee.
Dont have normal tea

Have spearmint tea due to my pcos

Ive ordered the apple spa tone water today to try as comes with vit c

My medical records state my body doesnt absorb iron from tablets