Low serum iron , any advice mucho appreciated

[Mistymog]

Hi all 🙋🏽‍♀️,
soo even though I have spent many MANY hours over the last few years looking at fab advice through sleep deprived baby hazes from you lovely mumsnet’ers this is the first time Iv ever posted on here, so I hope I’ve posted in the right place 🤔 🤞🏼

Just wondered if anyone had any advice on some blood results Iv received,
I’m booked in at the docs on Monday to go through the results properly but I get the fear a little that I’ll just nod along to whatever they say even if I should maybe push more for extra answers …

so the print out says my

serum iron levels are 3.6 Umol/l
serum transferrin 3.39 g/l
transferrin saturation index 4%

Iv been feeling pretty rotten for a while now and it seems to have peaked so I wondered if they recommend me iron tablets should I just go with them or does anyone have experience in pushing for something a bit faster working ?
Iv done the usual mr google but it’s all abit gobbledygook to me I’m afraid !

many thanks in advance 🙌🏼

I don’t know what your levels mean as not medical but have had iron infusions given iv in hospital as a day patient when I had low levels of iron and felt terrible and it was a game changer. Quick and amazing and no constipation etc as with tablets. If taking orally I like spatone - liquid.

Spa tone has so little iron in it that it’s pointless

Get the tablets (ferrous sulphate or ferrous fumerate) and take one tablet a day on alternate days.
It improves absorption taking it like that such that it’s more effective than the one tablet three times a day dosing and it’s also easier to tolerate.

Avoid taking it with tea but taking with vit C eg orange juice helps absorption.

Ah thanks so much for the speedy replies !!
Thats really good to know that IV does give you a much quicker hit 🙌🏼 glad it made you feel better fast , did you take anything after then to keep the levels up?

Great advice about taking the tablets alternate days Thankyou , iv had them a few times in the past and always been told to take everyday (they never even mentioned correct foods ect to take with) and I just never felt they were really cutting it , which in turn made me give up abit with them!
I'll defo try it that way then if they prescribe them , thanks so much !!
If they could babysit the kids so I can have a whole day in bed too that would be marvellous 🤔 😂😴

@Thesoundofmusic23
@Sausagerolex
Sorry , I didn't know how to tag so not sure if you would see my reply , anyhoo Thankyou so much for the advice !

You can buy iron tablets at the chemist but you need to ask at the counter. You don’t need a prescription.

@Sausagerolex
Never knew that , great thanks so much :)

Do you know what your ferritin levels are?

When my iron levels were low I took 210mg ferrous fumerate tablets three times a day for three months, as prescribed by my GP. It improved my levels but was a long slog and my stomach hated it. I also ate lots of red meat.

After a while my levels dropped again and I paid for a private infusion because I couldn't face the tablets and it taking so long again.

@Pip1402 hi pip, ah no they haven't shown the ferretin on the print out no , when I had it a few years back they did but it seems different this time , I never realised you could pay for an infusion , I think if they don't offer me one then I'll definately look into that , great bit of info Thankyou 😍 as like you I had the 210 ferrous fummerate tabs last time and it took so long to feel better x

And the kids are just relentless today , I feel like I have no brain power to think how to keep them entertained on this lovely rainy day 🙈 sorry , I'm in moaner mode today I think x