Blood test results - low or very low?

[Ferritinaround]

I picked up a copy of my most recent blood test results. Apparently I'm anaemic.

Can anyone tell me if I'm a little anaemic or very?! The range seems so wide, but I just have no concept of what the result means.

Here it is;

Serum ferritin level - 9 ug/L [23.0 -300.0]

What does this mean in practice?

Thanks!

Have you got your Haemoglobin result?

Basically Haemoglobin is having enough red blood cells, and ferritin is your store of iron to make the red blood cells. You are anaemic if your haemoglobin is low - the low ferritin tells us it's due to iron deficiency.

You have used up all your stores and if you are anaemic as well, now don't have enough iron to make the right amount of red blood cells.

Even though the normal range for ferritin says 23-300, most people need to be 100+ to feel properly well.

Most common causes are not eating enough iron and losing iron through bleeding - in women most often this is heavy periods.

Thanks @AnnaMagnani

Haemoglobin A1c is 35 mmol/mol [< 48.0]

So that looks low too?

Nope. HbA1C is something entirely different to test for diabetes. Yours is excellent. It's supposed to be <48, so yours is totally normal.

I think you need to talk your results over with the person who requested them.

No, that's your average sugar level, which is fine. Have you got one that just says haemoglobin, or Hb?

Also just found haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean cell volume and mean cell haemoglobin level all "below range"

Sounds like anaemia. I’m in a similar position and just been told by a dr that it’s “very normal for my age”. I’m 43 ffs.

Specifically in the order listed, they are;

106 g/L [120.0 - 150.0]
0.322 [0.36 - 0.46]
80 fL [83.0 - 101.0]
26.4 pg [27.0 - 32.0]

I'd be pushing heavily for an iron infusion with those results. Bet you feel dreadful. I ☹

Your ferritin is super low, I had a blood test recently and mine was 91 ug/L. I think you must be anaemic, I hope you feel better soon. Xx

Very much like me, just below range on all the markers. If I take supplements consistently for a while I can get just into normal range but it doesn’t make a massive difference to how I feel. I am looking into an infusion privately - I don’t think they’ll do it on the NHS as not dangerously low, they’d want me to try heavy duty supplements first I think.

Looks similar to mine OP but my serum ferritin is 3.0, HB is 98.0. Currently on iron tablets and folic acid. Not noticing a huge difference.

You may find this website useful. https://theironprotocol.com/

It makes me so cross that GPs don't refer for iron infusions more. ☹

I'm also anemic. Been on iron tablets a couple of weeks.

SF 25ug/l
HB 107g/l
PCV 0.348

I'm 43.

And,

MCV 70.7fl
MCH 21.8pg

Thanks all. I was a bit surprised to find out I was anaemic (I went for other issues) but it actually makes a lot of sense. I feel dreadful!

I'm just confused about the results. GP described it as "mildly anaemic" and has put me on 1x 200mg ferrous sulfate. According to the leaflet that's a prevention dose rather than a treatment dose. What do the levels need to be to require "treatment"?!

That is a treatment dose, the leaflet hasn't changed with the times.

We used to give 3 tablets a day and everyone would give up because of the side effects. Plus you actually absorb more iron from one a day than 3.

The key is to do something about the blood you are losing. If once a month you lose loads in a heavy period you will never catch up.

On the bright side, I found that one 200mg pill of ferrous fumerate every other day had a massive effect in only a month. Some say you can’t take a pill to get fit, but I did.

@AnnaMagnani Thank you so much. I understand it all a bit better now.

@WhatWouldJeevesDo Fingers crossed! I don't think I had realised just how exhausted I was but now I've got a reason for it and some treatment, I'm desperate for it to take effect!

Also take the iron tablet with a Vit C rich meal- glass of OJ, peppers, vit C supplement etc, which will help your body absorb it better. Reduce or cut out tannins as much as you can- which will inhibit iron absorption. If you eat meat, try to get more red meat and even kidneys and liver. I used to hate liver, but could cope eating it with bacon, mash and onion gravy- to help disguise the flavour. Spirulina and other seaweeds like nori also contain some iron.

It takes 3mths for red blood cells to full replicate, so its not a quick fix using diet and pills. You will start feel better after a month though. My nails grew thicker ad I could see a ridge running across them all. As someone else said though, if you also have heavy periods, def get that looked at too.

It seemed obvious when I thought about it, but iron tablets are cheaper over the counter than on prescription.

There is a massive difference in the dosage of over the counter iron which is for a maintenance, compared to a prescribed dose for correcting a severe deficiency though. From memory, some were 10x stronger! The OP needs a prescribed dose, if not an iron infusion- not over the counter iron supplements!

It’s definitely worth looking on line. I admit they may not be available literally over the counter @SM4713

Prescribable iron tablets such as Ferrous sulfate 200mg are available to buy over the counter. So yes they probably are cheaper to buy than on prescription.

The big difference is with supplements such as Floradix - they don't have side effects because they don't contain nearly as much iron.

I was recommended Ferrograd C as the best OTC option - it has 325mg Ferrous Sulfate and also has vit C to aid absorption. When I take these it does make a difference but not a dramatic one.

Anyone know the difference between ferrous sulphate and ferrous fumarate? Is one better…?