Low ferritin, normal hemoglobin but terrible symptoms.

[Wilburbug]

Hello,

I have been on iron for 4 weeks for ferritin levels of 4. However my hemoglobin was in the low side but within normal. Unfortunately I also have bad health anxiety. My main, and most upsetting symptom has been extreme breathlessness. My usual dog walks have me now gasping and the smallest amount of exertion makes me breathless and my heart pounds. My Dr said that my low ferritin alone shouldn't cause such breathlessness. Now I can stop thinking my breathlessness has another, more serious cause and could even be a cardiac issue.

My question is, has anyone else experienced breathlessness with low ferritin and normal hemoglobin?

That's right and yet women keep on being gaslit by doctors about this and left to struggle with ridiculously low levels of ferritin. The impact on work, relationships, fitness, intellect, mental and physical health is enormous. MN is littered with similar threads, this is clearly a widespread issue.

Thanks for starting this OP. I've been struggling with terrible fatigue and breathlessness since the start of the year. I've had every blood test under the sun, as well as stool tests, gastroenterology referrals and even urgent cancer referrals. All fine - except ferritin is borderline at about 35. I've said to the GP that I suspect this is the cause, but they won't listen because my other iron markers (and b12) are all good. The lack of knowledge about women's health is so frustrating.

The doctor was useless 😪 everything I learned was through utube and resources online. 35 is shit you need it at 70 to even grow hair x

I went to an appointment with a freezer bag of my hair and was like please stop telling me this is normal combined with having to 12 hours sleep, pale af, breathless cancelling social engagements, weight gain ( no energy to exercise ) it was horrendous intill I did my research and sorted my own treatment x

It's terrible. I think I'm going to buy myself some ferrous fumerate. Anyone know if that would be a problem with (mild) IBS? I've hear ferrous sulphate can be quite hard on the stomach, but that ferrous fumerate is gentler.

When I was a child, if you said you weren't feeling well the first thing your mum (or a doctor or nurse) did was pull down your lower eyelid to see if you looked anaemic. If that was ruled out they started looking for other things, but it was the first stop, particularly for girls of menstrual age.

When I think of the cost of all the tests I've had, quite apart from the fact that my life's been on hold for four years, it's ridiculous to think that my breathlessness could be because of an iron deficiency, and nobody bothered to check. I had no idea that it caused breathlessness until I read about it on here. I got a DIY kit from Boots and tested, then took it from there with the GP when it showed my levels were low.

(Sorry to hijack your thread OP!)

This confuses me so much OP, my iron read at 20.8 last test and my b12 was 255
Tests said borderline no further action and I'm on 210mg ferrous fumerate a day but I've never felt so run down , tired , unwell and like you even walking my dogs absolutely leaves me knackered and at times a bit breathless. I'm always tired then can't sleep properly overnight
Don't know what the answer is

@ShyMaryEllen I remember that way of checking too , I still do it with my eyelids !
Also as a teen working in a vets , during post mortems of animals run over the vet told me if their gums were really pale that was internal bleeding. Don't know how true it is but they've both stuck with me over the years

This is why I switched to fumarate the sulphate was really harsh on my stomach x so no tea/coffee 2 hours either side of iron/vitamin c I'd go for 3x per day for 3 months then I'd go one a day see how you feel x

Most GPs are useless when it comes to low ferritin issues. Breathlessness and seeing stars were my main symptoms alongside exhaustion.

My levels were at 3 for two years and my GP allowed me to drag myself through each day knowing the supplements weren’t helping (I have gut issues so think I don’t absorb them well).

I was due to have a uterine ablation and when the gynaecologist found out my ferritin was below 3 he refused to do the op until I had infusions. After the op and the infusions it’s only 53 that’s 2 years on but better than 3!

So did I? I've just had blood tests for mine and breathlessness is 1 of my main symptoms

I was on 3x a day really helped once a day/sprays ,etc diet did sweet fa x

@BowlOfNoodles I can get why because one doesn't seem to of made any difference
I have ibs and haven't noticed any extra issues with it since taking it , feels like popping a smartie for all the help it's done

One will do nothing when your low it's only good for maintenance 3 a day may give you constipation but worth it x

I’ve got IBS and am unable to take that. Any prescribed iron is impossible for me to take. I got my levels up by taking Floradix, Spatone and Feraglobin (just whatever I could get in the shops at the time). My levels did come back up despite these being low dose compared to the prescribed iron.

My ferritin was 4 and hb fairly ok.

I however - was not!

Heavy legs and breathlessness.

Thanks @Bohomovies, that's good to know. I might give the FF a try and see what happens. My IBS is pretty mild, and Floradix didn't seem to help the fatigue at all.

This is so helpful thank you. I have a ferritin of 9 with normal Hb & am definitely breathless on exertion, palpitations & anxiety. Was given iron supplements and got to 20 & was deemed as ok, so helpful to know to get to 50+ as am still breathless & just exhausted.
My folate is also low so now supplementing that.
I have IBD but not celiac - I often feel better for not eating gluten so may try restricting it again as I don’t seem to be absorbing well.

You are spot on. I don’t understand why only a small section of doctors seem to know this. My old GP knew it, as does my current endocrinologist. Yet when I was first diagnosed with low ferritin at 8, another GP at the SAME surgery basically told me more or less that it was nothing and I didn’t even need to take supplements to correct it!

I've only had ferrous fumerate. I know most people get constipated, but I had a definite opposite reaction so be careful.
I ended up taking 1 tablet every other day rather than the 3xday I was prescribed as I couldn't cope with anything more.
I think the recommended method these days is to take less often in any case.

@BowlOfNoodles thank you I think I will try upping them for definite

I was advised to take ferrous sulphate x 2 at night, you can get them otc at pharmacies. Boots sell them in packs of 100. There's a limit to how much you can absorb so no point taking loads, consistency is key.

Yes mine was 5 and I had exactly the same symptoms. As well as palpitations and definitely hair loss/breakage plus a weird type of anxiety. No one bothered to check my ferritin for a year. Ended up in A/E twice and fobbed off.