Has anyone had these symptoms?

[Tink3rbell30]

Nausea (no vomiting)
No appetite/low appetite
Tiredness, as in could sleep 10 hours and be very tired after being awake for 4/5 hours
Queasy stomach, sometimes with cramps and needing to toilet dash
Tension headaches stemming from neck and back of head
Hair coming out more than usual when washing/brushing
Brain fog/fuzzy head feeling
Generally feeling unwell

I'm 38. Take the combined pill which I assume masks any early menopause/hormonal symptoms.
Had several blood tests including B12, D/D3, full blood count, CRP lots of different things and stool tests.. still got to do a couple more (H.pylori, Fit test & Calprotectin)
Blood tests show low ferritin, given iron tablets. Also low phosphate.

Not seen a GP as they keep giving me an appointments with ANP but I'm not sure what more they can do so wondering if there's anything I can ask for/suggest? Been going on around 6/7 weeks. Surely low ferritin alone wouldn't cause this. Thank you.

I do and I’m pregnant…

Yes, apart from the tension headaches. I have low ferritin and long covid. Have tried a few versions of HRT in case it was peri-menopause-related, but not had any joy.

The nausea and dashing to the toilet can be caused by the iron tablets, or are you saying those ones started before you were given iron tablets?
The rest of your symptoms are actual symptoms of low iron.
What were the actual figures of your b12 & Vit D? You can still be symptomatic at the low end of the normal range, it would be worth checking your readings against your labs reference ranges.
Did they also check thyroid? That can cause some gastric symptoms, as well as tiredness and brain fog etc.

100% not pregnant.

What number was your ferritin and are you just expected to feel awful for months until the number rises? Not great is it :(

It can take up to 3 months for ferritin to improve, they can’t make you feel magically better whilst it slowly does improve unfortunately.

Yes sorry I had nausea/upset stomach before I knew I had low ferritin. My B12 is 466, vitamin D 103, thyroid also done yes and it's fine. There's so much on the blood test results but everything is apparently fine apart from the ferritin and phosphate.

Ah really? That's rubbish. I didn't think that could make you feel so shit.

I have pretty much all of the above. I have long covid and POTS, as well as being menopausal. My ferritin hovers around 200 though so it's not that for me.

What is your ferritin level?

I know a few people with long covid, sounds awful. POTS is when your HR jumps up by a lot just by standing isn't it?

It's 11.

Basically yes, but there are many more symptoms than just that, including many of those on your list: https://www.potsuk.org/about-pots/symptoms/

Low ferritin caused those symptoms for me.

Mind you mine was 4 - so extremely low!

This is your answer OP, unless the symptoms continue past your ferritin reaching a normal level.

Interesting, I've had a 24 hour monitor before due to palpitations. They said everything is normal just a slightly higher HR than average. I don't want to worry myself thinking I have something but I could mention this incase.

Wow that is really low, how long did that take to rise to normal levels? I've been trying to work out what's wrong as I didn't believe low ferritin could make you feel like this but looks like I'm possibly wrong.

Oh do you think? I've been feeling so awful I thought it can't just be that but maybe I am wrong after all. They could it take up to 6 months to be a normal level again which seems a long time with nothing to help manage the symptoms.

Mine was 13 and was told that was normal. Iron tablets have brought it up to 19. I was told to sit it out until my periods stop (no sign of that yet), but given drugs to reduce flow.

Sorry, OP, I also have POTS (I badge it all under long covid). I’m not sure what’s causing what for me. Everything happened after a covid infection

Mine is 13 and i have very similar symptoms

How do you manage your symptoms?

Oh really? I feel awful, how are you managing?

Now positive for H.pylori 🤢😳

How did you get diagnosed? Im going to try and get a drs appointment next week. Might be TMI but im having upset stomach most days recently. Its awful.

Not TMI at all don't worry. It was through a stool test. I knew myself that low iron wouldn't cause me to feel that sick and ill but this nasty bacteria does. I'm on strong antibiotics, they are horrible but I hope it clears it. Let me know how you get on.