Serum Ferritin level

[Lockdownbaby2021]

You may have seen me post a couple times before about drastic weight loss post birth with my second baby 6 months ago. I am also extremely fatigued!
I’m not breast feeding.
I have had some full bloods and doc says all reassuringly normal, however I feel like my ferritin levels (which I believe show iron) seem on the low end to me. My result was 12 ng/ml and the averages were between 10-180.
I am still so worried why I’m losing weight. I’m starting to worry it could be something more sinister e.g to do with bowels? But doc says I’m too young at 28. They’re just trying to put it down to being tired and having two kids. But I really don’t feel like myself in my body! I’m being really light headed, trembley, forgetful, weak!
Does anyone have any knowledge in blood tests results? Would you say this iron level is still on the lower end despite being ‘normal’?
thank you, from a very tired, worried mum 😩

Glad you’ve been prescribed iron but be aware not all forms suit people and if you’ve had the generic (cheapest!) iron it may not agree with you. Ferrous sulphate and ferrous fumerate give lots of people digestive issues.

if this happens for you, you can try iron bisglycinate which is much gentler and easier to absorb.

my levels were the same as yours and I had all the same symptoms. My hair came out in chunks, I had pale gums, pale palms, was so breathless and fatigued all the time.

as said on here previously the way you take the iron is key - you need to avoid tea and coffee either side and take them with a drink high in vitamin C.

I take iron bisglycinate once a day, and I take it with a small ‘shot’ of OJ. I take it up to bed and when I inevitably wake in the night I take it then which means with an empty digestive system, I’m maxing out absorption.

I've just had a full blood count plus other blood tests and my ferritin is 37 which isn't as low as yours but it's interesting for to read about it needing to be around 100 my hair is falling out. I've put this down to peri. According to the guidelines I've got mine is within the guidelines but maybe I need to take some supplements!

where do you buy them? which brand please? Thank you x

Have you talked to your doctor about options to lighten your periods? Mine are nowhere near as heavy as yours (a super tampon per 2 hours) and the GP was confident that in the absence of other symptoms and red flags, this was the cause of my low ferritin (13). She said that was “heavy” and to let her know if I wanted to explore options to lighten them, whether contraceptive or taking something when I have them to lighten the flow. Might be worth considering?

Did the GP say anything about your weight loss?

I had heavy periods and my ferritin was 4, ferrous sulphate brought it up to 85. I actually do not know how I survived at that level

Ferritin is an indication of Iron stores and 12 is VERY low. However, it does not necessarily mean you are anaemic (that can only be diagnosed with a full blood count)

However, anaemia and low iron stores ARE not a diagnosis. They can be explained by (amongst other things) diet lacking in iron (vegan for eg), high requirements (pregnancy, breastfeeding, endurance athletes), blood loss (heavy periods, bleeding ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease), absorption issues (coeliac disease, diet again).

Together with unexplained weight loss, I would consider low iron stores a red flag and push for further investigation.

Do you have any other symptoms? Abdominal pain or discomfort ? Bowel movements ok? Night sweats? Do you use lost of anti-inflammatories (like ibuprofen)?

I would go back to GP, emphasise the weight loss and any other symptoms.

I'm really interested to hear that low iron could be a cause of hair loss! I'd put mine down, like so many things, to peri. Earlier this year I had my bloods done, and my level was 5! Suddenly why I was so exhausted all the time made sense! I've been on the tablets for nearly 3 months and had my levels rechecked, now up to 17. So still low but heading in the right direction. Heavy periods one of the causes here too.

OP I hope you start to feel much better soon.

Thanks all! I’ve had a FIT test which came back okay. So I’m slightly more reassured by this. I have been getting lower right abdominal pain which radiates to me back when I have a wee bit seems to happen at the same time every month… a week before I’m due my period!! I do know I have a bleeding cyst on that side after the doc also sent me for an internal scan on my reproductive systems.but they didn’t See anything else.
Ive been checked for celiac disease before but came back negative.
thanks all for tips on how to take it. Never said this on the box it just said take 3 a day! Nothing about vitamin c or dairy!
Will look into the other type of iron if I’m not getting on with these.

Hi all.
so still taking my iron which I can’t say I feel any improvement yet. But it’s only been a week.
however I’m on my period, the first two days I can say I’ve honestly never lost so much blood. I have no idea what’s wrong with me as my female reproductive system scans were normal (except a small bleeding cyst) this time heavy for me was leaking through a super plus tampon and soaking into a towel within 45 mins. I nearly used a full box of tampons in two days! I’m now on day 4 of cycle and feeling really weird, dizzy, losing balance, heavy chested, weak and shaky. Could this have caused my iron to drop again suddenly?
Never had a period this heavy ! It’s slowed today but I feel rotten. Funny thing is I don’t even get period pains with it, just the bleeding !

also still worried about my weight loss. Doc sending me for extra tests to try get to bottom of it. However I’ve found a lump in my neck which is moveable and around 2cm in length. Doc has felt it and said it seems fine but I can’t help but be worried 😟

Did you get a blood count when you get your ferritin checked? Was it low or normal?

With the way you are feeling, don't wait if you are bleeding heavily for days on end, go straight to A&E and get checked out. I was told that if you are getting through more than a pad or tampon every hour for more than a couple of hours, that is excessive bleeding and needs to be checked.

Your GP sounds useless by the way. I would ask to see someone else, and get a referral to gynae.

@Lockdownbaby2021 with those symptoms I would look to get seen as a matter of priority. Your bleeding sounds very heavy and that you are having symptoms of blood loss.

Let us know how you are doing.

How are you doing OP?

@Hellohihola

thanks for checking in..

Still feeling knackered! Still losing weight unintentionally. Getting referred to a rapid diagnostic clinic in next 2 weeks for further testing.
period still ridiculously heavy this cycle too!

had some ‘iron studies’ blood tests done the other day if anyone can translate to English for me. They said normal.

Hi all me again, so they missed some bloods the other day so I had to have them all done again. They did my serum ferritin again and it’s 16 ng/ml

but I also noticed a blood test they did Called hematocrit and this result came up as 0.367. Which said below range but normal? Does anyone know what this can mean?? Is it something to do with iron too??

I think a low Hematocrit result means a low number of red blood cells and can also be an indication of anaemia.
What is your haemoglobin result? I think NICE classifies under 120 as anaemic but I know my local hospital trust uses less than 115

Haemaglobin concentration is 124 g/l

Have they checked your thyroid levels?

Yes @Starbarash 2.45 miu xx

Watching with interest