Help with iron levels

[Django1988]

Hi everyone,

I appreciate you’re not medical professionals (though maybe some of you are!) but I was wondering if anyone can help me figure out if I will be getting any treatment for the below iron levels:

Saturation of iron binding capacity 9 % [16.0 - 40.0]; Below low reference limit

Serum ferritin level 4.0 ug/L [10.0 - 291.0]; Below low reference limit

Blood haematinic levels Low ferritin suggests iron deficiency, although haemoglobin within
normal limits

Mean cell haemoglobin level 26.4 pg [27.0 - 32.0]; Below low reference limit

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 305.0 g/L [310.0 - 360.0]; Below low reference limit

I had the implant in which caused a lot of heavy bleeding which has since stopped after going on the pill (on the waiting list to have it out) and I feel tired, breathless and sometimes cold when everyone else is warm.

All other levels are ok including B12.

The reason I’m asking is that the results have come back ‘satisfactory’ and no further action so I was wondering if anyone else got any prescribed treatment for these levels or did you have to get over the counter stuff?

Thank you in advance ☺️

Dear god. I’m sure you feel dreadful.
You can buy ferrous fumerate OTC the same strength as prescription, but you should definitely get treatment at that level. Nice guidelines used to say treat if under 30 but may have changed. I’d try and do a telephone consultation/EConsult and ask the question. I hope you feel better soon.

My ferritin was 10 and haemoglobin just under like yours and I was prescribed ferrous gluconate (as fumerate doesn’t agree with me). My hair is falling out in handfuls. If you have a GP appointment just ask them if they can treat it .

I have no idea how you’re functioning on ferritin that low! You definitely need to be supplementing. Best of all would be an iron infusion (works much quicker for me than tablets or liquid), but you might (well) have to pay privately for that. IME many GPs are just dreadful at acknowledging and treating low ferritin in women.

You definitely need treatment.

My results weren't much better than yours and my GP suggested a multivitamin 🙄

Just to add: stop drinking tea and coffee. The polyphenols in them reduce your iron absorption by up to 90%. So if you're taking iron tablets and having a cup of tea an hour or two before or after, it's a waste of time.
Same with dairy, don't eat dairy within an hour or two of taking iron or eating iron rich foods.

I got my iron levels back up by taking ferrous fumurate with a Vit C tablet or drink of orange juice. The Vit C helps with absorption. Huge improvement within 2 weeks.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Yeah I don’t feel great, I need to nap every day and get out of breath reading my little boy a story or waking up to stairs.

I hadn’t linked it to iron levels but over the past couple of years my hair has gone very thin, I don’t think it’s come out in clumps though. Might not be related but who knows. I’d love to have my thick lovely hair back!

I don’t have a GP appointment but I’m going to ring them tomorrow and see if they will offer any treatment. If they don’t and I end up buying it over the counter, how do you know when to stop taking it? Just when you feel better?

Thanks for the tip about dairy and tea!