Iron Transferrin saturation

[Lilxa89]

Hi all.for the past few months been suffering awful dizziness (drunk like feeling rather than room spinning), weird noises in ears, sinus pressure,headaches,palpitations,breathless, weak arms and legs etc. My biggest issues were the dizziness and breathlessness. Had lots bloods all came baxk normal other than folate at 2.4. I pushed for more and the drnsaid my uron was normal but my transferring was low at 12% (should be between 20-60% on their guidelines)
Could this be a reason for my symptoms as I'm so terrified. I have major heath anxoety and scared it's something more serious. I'm waiting on head mri etc too.thwse we're my results below
Folate 2.4
Ferretin 16ug/l
Serum Iron 13.4umol/l
B12 296
Haemoglobin 144g/l

Bumping for you.

Anyone?

Both your folate and ferritin (iron) are low although you aren't anaemic.

The most common cause of low folate is diet, and for iron, assuming you are a woman, diet and heavy periods.

We used to think that as long as you weren't anaemic, it was OK to have a low ferritin but more recently it's been recognised that low ferritin on it's own makes people feel crap.

It doesn't help that the normal range for ferritin is usually something like 13-150, when symptoms can kick in at less than 100.

16 is very low. Mine was that and I had to sit down half way around dog walks.

Get some ferrous sulphate from the pharmacy and take one tablet every 2 days on an empty stomach.

And see if you can have a mirena coil fitted.

No need for health anxiety, it's v normal and common

Ferrous fumarate is apparently better than ferrous sulphate. You can get tablets for folic acid too.

I have both mine on prescription. Phone the gp and get some. You will feel soooo much better in three weeks time you won't believe it.

They aren't very expensive if you want to buy at the chemist. How's your b12 ?

@Lilxa89 how are you feeling now and did you get to the bottom of your issues. I'm feeling the same as you, although I've been feeling like this for the past month. Main symptoms are breathless (air hunger, at rest), lightheaded/dizziness. I also have palpitations, mainly at night, heart feels like it's jumping everywhere.
My Hb is 10, ferritin 15. I've been taking ferrous fumerate for 2 weeks now but can't say I feel any better.

I should also mention my BP is lower than normal, at 100/55, which I think it causing some of these symptoms.

Just like you, I have massive health anxiety and this is taking over all my thoughts, thinking I've got a major illness. I just want to relax and not worry anymore 😔

@Lilxa89 sorry to pester but do you have any updates?

@Els82 hi sp sorry for the late reply,how are you feeling? I'm still the same at the minute the dr has prescribed ferrous fumarate liquid. I haven't started it just yet as I'm so scared. All my anxiety started from passing out to a medication that didn't agree with Mr so now have such a fear of anything new. I've been on my folic acid ones for while and no improvement really.have a lot of dizziness, always tired, palpitations, thin hair, awful anxoety at the minute. Have they said much on your bp? Mines been ok and hasn't come back low. Not that I know of x

@Els82 also when do you take yours? I take my ppi as soon as im up in a morning and have to wait an hour to eat and take folic acid in afternoon so wanst sure when to take the iron

@Lilxa89 thank you for getting back to me.
This week I'd been feeling better, hoping the ferrous fumerate is making a difference. Breathlessness was less and bp was going up to around 105/65 which is more my normal. However for some reason today I'm slightly breathless again and my is bp is 108/58. If low iron/ferritin was the reason for my symptoms and I'm taking iron tabs, why do I feel like this today?
I take 210mg twice a day with vit C, lunch time and early evening. Been taking for 3 weeks now.
Can I ask how old you are and what your bp is? I'm 42

@Els82 glad you're feeling a bit better. A lot of people recommended a fb group the iron protocol to follow with lots of info. Alot have said it can take months,sometimes uo to a year to feel fully better. But have heard some say within weeks so I guess everyone is different. Do you take yours on an empty stomach or with food or how do you do it? I'm going to start mine today. I am 35 and not sure what my BP is i will check on my app and get back to you. Do you wver get a random heaby weight feeling in your chest eith breathlessness and dizziness? I thought it was my heart bit just had my echo etc and all finex

@Lilxa89 unfortunately my bp had gone back to being low (100/55), although I feel a little less breathless than I did a few weeks ago ( not sure if it's the iron tabs working).

However I still get palpitations, mainly when falling asleep. I don't get chest pains or chest heaviness.
I take my iron on an empty stomach with vit c , but I eat 30 minutes later.
Really glad to hear your echo has come back fine.

@Els82 I'm sorry to hear that what has your go said about blood pressure? I've just taken my ferrous funerate. Feels like it's burnt my throat and oesophagus is that what it feels like with you? It's peppermint/choc flavour

@Lilxa89 the gp doesn't seem too concerned but I know gps don't really fuss about low bp, only high bp. It's so frustrating because last week it was going up back to normal, I don't know what's changed.

Sorry to hear that the iron burnt your throat. I don't have any issue taking it although something I feel like it gives me a bit of reflux/heartburn

@Lilxa89 how has the iron been working for you? Are you still getting symptoms? My breathlessness is still around, even after taking ferrous fumerate for almost 3 months. Going to have repeat bloods soon.

Iron is really poorly absorbed. My ferritin was 10 before I had an iron infusion. I was suffering (still am but not as badly) from restless legs and the associated lack of sleep.

Before the infusion I was started on fumerate but went on to sulphate because I was having digestive issues. It took me 6 months to get the ferritin level from 10 to 34 with tablets but it got to over 300 after a fortnight after the infusion.

It's been steadily dropping since and is now down to 150 in 8 months, despite eating more haem rich food AND continuing to take iron supplements. I get heavy periods (always have) which isn't helping.

I'm now taking Gentle Iron (Solar) after my main meal, along with a vitamin C supplement or a glass of Berocca. Iron isn't absorbed well unless there's vitamin C present and tea/coffee/milk can block it so I don't have that two hours either side of it. If I know I'm going to eat an incompatible meal I'll use the BetterYou oral spray iron.

There is evidence that it's best absorbed by taking it last thing at night and every other day but my digestive issues won't tolerate that.

@Itdoesntendwellatall thank you for this, that's really helpful. Can I ask whether you had breathlessness with a low ferritin of 10?

@Els82 hey sorry for late reply. My transferrin went up to 51% from 12% my fererjnf 16 to 17 and dr took me off them. It made me feel so ill I didn't get on with the ferrous fumarate at all and haven't seen any improvement. Still dizzy,breathless, feeling like I'll collpase at times etc. What about you?

@Lilxa89 thank you for replying. How long had you been on the iron tabs before your Dr took you off? And did he take you off because your ferritin didn't go up much?
My main symptom which has not gone away with 3 months of taking iron is the breathlessness and constant feeling of not being able to get a full breath. It really worries me, I don't understand why I still feel like this. That and low bp.
I'm sorry to hear your symptoms have still not resolved.