Please help! Low ferritin levels and scared

[Redrosebelle]

I think I may finally know what’s wrong with me. For months I’ve felt unwell, dizzy and tired, today the midwife said my hb is 98 but my ferritin is v low at 7.9. They’ve asked me to go and see a dr today at half 2. Does anyone know what they’ll do? I’ve been on iron supplements since about 27 weeks. I’m worried they’ll keep me in overnight - I have a little boy who I cannot be apart from. Does anyone know what they are going to possibly suggest?

I have low ferritin and I have an infusion of iron every few months. Basically they hook me up to a drip for half an hour, I read the paper, and then I go home. I start to feel the benefit within about 10 days. If they offer it, take it.

Mine was at 5, they just gave me iron tablets - 210mg ferrous fumerate x 3 a day. It did come back up. Mine due to heavy frequent periods - I wasn't pg though.

Hello! I was diagnosed two weeks ago with somewhat lower iron and ferritin than you - the high 80s and 6, respectively. I arranged a date to go into hospital for an iron infusion, which took about an hour to infuse into my veins, and felt much better within a few days. I'd recommend pushing for the infusion; they are tremendously effective, especially for those of us that don't absorb the oral medication very well.

Thanks so much for your replies everyone! Did any of you have to stay overnight? I can juggle child care for during the day but want to be home for my little boy. He’s already seen me poorly and I don’t want to worry him!

@redrosebelle I was out within two and a half hours.

You won't have to stay overnight x

Thanks. I’ve just got here and there’s a long wait. Incidentally does anyone know if 7.9 ferritin is particularly low? They didn’t tell me the normal reference range.

You say you have been on iron supplements but have they been prescribed or just ones you've taken off your own back?

Whatever they suggest at your appointment today iron is best taken with water/orange juice and eating loads of vitamin c and iron rich foods will also help. Cutting down on dairy and not taking your iron supplements within 2 hours of eating/drinking any dairy (including in tea/coffee) will also help.

I also highly recommend having a sachet of fybogel every day as well to help with the side effects.

They were prescribed by my dr at the end of August. First iron tablets which caused vomiting so they switched me to a liquid which I’ve been on 3x a day. Plus I’ve continued taking pregnacare.

I also have tried floradix with orange juice. I think my iron levels tend to run low anyway, I’ve been anaemic many times before but it’s never ever been this bad.

My ferritin levels were low when I was pregnant and they just gave me iron tablets to take every day. You'll be ok x

Been to hospital. Have to go back next week for a consultant appt and probably iron infusion. Thanks everyone x

Mine is 3 and my GP doesn’t seem concerned at all I was told to take Iron and that was it. Maybe it’s different when you are pregnant though.

I've had lower ferritin levels and lower HB than that countless times (I have heavy periods) and I've never been close to need iron infusions in hospital.

I just take ferrous sulphate and it fixes it.

In pregnancy I get it at a drop of a hat so I take ferrous sulphate continuously.

I have tried all the usual prescriptions of iron but I don’t seem to be absorbing them or if I do it’s not raising them enough. My ferritin was said to be extremely low. The dr said I looked very very pale and would probably need an infusion. Maybe they have different thresholds in different hospitals?

they are more concerned about it in pregnancy because you lose blood whilst giving birth. That's why they actively try and increase your levels earlier than someone who isn't pregnant.

It really is worth looking at your diet OP if absorption might be the issue. Synthetic iron is harder for the body to absorb than naturally occurring sources, as I said previously making sure you don't have any dairy or cups of tea within two hours of taking the iron and increase your intake of vitamin C, red meat and green leafy vegetables. Every little helps!

I know. I don’t drink tea at all, I’m vegetarian and have vomited most of the pregnancy so have been living on things like bread, juicy fruit and plain crisps. It isn’t ideal but I’ve done what I had to do to get food inside me. The gp suggested taking antisickness again but although it stopped me being sick I still felt very very sick and it’s the hardest thing in the world to eat something you don’t really want when you’re on he verge of throwing up anyway. Outside of pregnancy I’m actually really healthy

@missedmoments listen very carefully. That is not in any way a normal level and I want you to call the haematology department at your nearest hospital in the morning and tell them what you’ve just said.

Supplements are not likely to bring that up quick enough and you also need to get to the bottom of WHY it’s so low, which is even more pertinent if you’re not pregnant. Do not leave this. Call tomorrow. I mean it.

I have tried all the usual prescriptions of iron but I don’t seem to be absorbing them or if I do it’s not raising them enough.

Oh I see. The prescription medications have always worked for me.
The infusions should do the trick then.

Call tomorrow. I mean it.

Bit dramatic.
I mean she doesn't have to demand the haematology department. Perhaps she could just get the opinion of a second GP.
Plus her ferritin level could be 3, but her HB could be 115 (11.5).

Even with normal Hb that’s still an alarmingly low ferritin which really needs followup.

When mine was that low, I can only explain that I felt like I was fading away.

Itchyknees - calm down and don’t panic the op!

Low iron levels are common, esp in pregnancy, and you won’t feel great but it certainly doesnt need immediate calls to the hospital

Op - iron infusions are super quick these days - if you have the newest type it’ll take 15 min, but if you’ve not had before they’ll want to keep you for an hour after. If you need more than one, you’d be in an out really quickly. Certainly no overnight stays needed.

My ferritin is low, or the pp’s of 3? I do feel pretty shocking but I’ve been saying for weeks I felt unwell and the midwife just said she wasn’t sure why I suppose after I’ve been seen by the consultant I should have a plan. You’ve all made me feel much better just saying I won’t have to stay in the hospital though.

I feel horrible today. Short of breath, my legs are hurting and the soles of my feet feel tingly I just can’t wait to be sorted.

Breathlessness is a symptom of anaemia because you are struggling to get enough oxygen carried in your blood. The tingling though makes me wonder about your B12 levels - deficiency in that causes another type of anaemia and symptoms include exhaustion, breathlessness (constantly sighing), pins and needles, brain fog etc etc. B12 is found in meat and dairy so you're already more at risk being vegetarian, have you been having any dairy? I'd ask for a B12 blood test if I were you.