Low folate and ferritin

[thecrispfiend]

Hi
I recently went to the drs because I was feeling tired/dizzy and getting pins and needles in my feet.
Dr did various blood tests including thyroid, liver and all came back normal except for iron. Tests showed low folate so I have been prescribed 4 months of folic acid tablets and then to go back for another test. Dr also mentioned my ferritin (iron stores) were low at 13 but not low enough to be considered anaemic. He asked if I have heavy periods but I don't really. The only other time I've been low in iron was during pregnancy. I have recently started giving blood again (2 donations in the last 6 months) and have gradually lost a the 2.5 stone I put on over Lockdown by giving up alcohol and snacks and increasing walking but I've done it over 18 months and believe my diet is pretty healthy.
I am 41 and feel like I am starting to have some symptoms of perimenopause (hot sweats at night, trouble sleeping, bad pmt) and wondered if this could be the cause.
Wondering if anyone has had similar at this stage in life and what you used to increase iron. I used the Floradix liquid iron during pregnancy which really helped and had no side effects so thinking of getting some of that again. Also does this mean I should now avoid giving blood? Or just wait for blood results to improve and start again? TIA

Your ferritin is deficient. Normal is above 30. Optimal is over 100, I think.

Yes you should stop giving blood as you need to build up your stores which can take some months to achieve. Your results show anaemia, and the symptoms you have can certainly be down to lack of ferritin. I would be eating an iron rich diet as well as taking the folate supplements. If your results haven't moved in a few months, please push for an iron infusion, so your symptoms don't get worse.

Thank you both for replying. I hadn't realised 13 was so low..! Will definitely up my iron and stop the donations and see how I get on

Ferritin doesn’t tell you whether you’re anaemic or not - it tells you about iron stores. The normal range for ferritin is really wide (10-300), but it’s increasingly recognised that 70-100 is what’s probably needed for feeling good. But, we’re all different - when mine improved to 16 (from 5) I genuinely felt great (also in my early 40’s). Donating blood definitely won’t be helping your stores - good idea to stop.

Stop giving blood!

Take any iron tablets with orange juice and about an hour before or 2 hours after food. It helps your body massively to absorb the iron and will have you feeling better much sooner

Thank you for all this info.. great tips about when and how to take iron - all noted!

Also cut down on tea. I’ve been diagnosed with anaemia - I do have heavy periods but also any more than 4 cups of tea a day can hamper your bodies ability to absorb iron. I regularly drink 6-8!

I've got high ferretin at 182 at last count which is slightly high for a woman im told. I'm sure it's because I've had mirena since I was 36(now61) so didn't have periods after 36 and I've never given blood.

My ferritin was at 29 so I started taking Ferrograd-C (just buy it over the counter or online from a pharmacy) and I'm now up to 75. Took about 4 months. Avoid taking it within an hour or two of having caffeine as caffeine reduces the absorption. And no need for orange juice as vitamin C is included in the supplement already.

Have you been tested for Coeliac disease? My daughter is deficient in both and has just been diagnosed.

This is interesting! I drink a lot of coffee, wonder if that's the same?

Yes it could well be the reason!

That's great! I will look into those, thanks! been taking Floradix liquid iron which has vitamin C in - I'm hopingy next blood test will show an improvement

I haven't - will consider this if no improvements in my next blood test thanks

My feretin drops every month
Hoping 4 iron iv next month

Floradix is quite gentle on your stomach, but not that strong. Join the iron deficiency/low ferritin group on Facebook to learn more, and for advice on what to take and how much.

FYI ferritin takes approx 3 months to increase so you have to persevere.

This time last year my level was 4 and I felt like death!

Ahh ok thank you x yes I will join x

Used to have really low ferritin. Was on iron tablets for ages. Eventually had an IV infusion more than two years ago amd so far has been great. Actually life changing.

You need an endoscopy and colonoscopy. Not pleasant, but to be sure. I had exactly the same thing happen to me last year.

My bloods were done again, and a bowel stool test was followed by the camera jobs above. All came back, ok.

It's only recently that my bloods have normalised again, after 3 months on/3 months off ferretin and folic acid..

They think it might have been a tear inside me like a cut or something. It does happen. It eventually heals itself.

I will still have blood checked every 3 months for the next few years and the endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 years.

I'd rather that as unpleasant as it is than risk anything being there and not being found asap