Low iron

[mummyanxious]

So my blood tests have come back and I have low iron levels. Have been prescribed iron tablets. Anyone have any experience of low iron? I wasn't told how long it would be till I started to feel some improvement. At least I know now why I'm tired I guess.

[Anxious_gal]

If you fibd tge iron tablets too harsh on your tummy, you can buy this natural iron in the pharmacy. It comes in little packets of iron infused water.

Or you can get a syrup as well.

I've had low iron a few times. Not had it now in years though.

[mummyanxious]

He said the other day that they don't recommend the sachets. I've had tablets before after childbirth and they gave me terrible constipation so not looking forward to that!

I'm worried now as to what has caused it. I'm happy I know why I feel rubbish but I've seen that it can be internal bleeding :(

Plus I'm back to my heart worries again and heart failure from low iron :(

[hangingbasket]

Low iron is different to anaemia. I've been told by my doctor that MOST women who have periods have low iron.
If you're not anaemic then you're fine, but even if you were anaemic that doesnt definitely mean internal bleeding, plenty of other things can cause it

[mummyanxious]

I had a few tests - fbc, ferritin, calcium, potassium, u+e, something else can't remember. I only had the test yesterday and the surgery called tonight and said there was a prescription waiting for me for iron. She said all my tests were ok but there were low iron stores and I would benefit from a supplement.

---------- Post added at 22:05 ---------- Previous post was at 22:05 ----------

In taking it that as my other tests were ok I'm in the almost clear for leukaemia etc. which was one of my worries.

[hangingbasket]

If they even SLIGHTLY suspected you had leukaemia, they wouldnt have just sent you off with iron tablets.
It's REALLY common for women and children to have low iron levels x

[lizzie29]

I used to have low iron. Tablets sorted it. I can sometimes still tell if it's a bit low, as I get breathless.

[mummyanxious]

Thanks peeps :)
Not feeling great this evening, very washed out. Had some awful palpitations today as well which scared me, when I was bending over. In hindsight probably to do with the fact if just eaten and bending over but felt awful at the time and frightened me.

[Vanilla Sky]

Palpitations are also a sign of low iron

[emlica]

Hiya,

I was also told I had low iron levels and I immediately assumed it was something to do with the digestive issues I'd been having, like maybe either internal bleeding or malabsorption or something, and I was quite anxious about it.

But - the doctor said given that I'm female and having periods it's not at all surprising that I have low iron - and that was before I even mentioned the fact that my periods are quite heavy. She wasn't even particularly worried about it - she reckoned the majority of women who are having periods would have low iron levels, like a previous poster said, it's just that if you don't have any real symptoms, you'd never get tested for it. And I think there are a lot of women who either don't notice the symptoms or just think they're normal - my mum was often tired, but she thought nothing of it because she had a long commute, so she got up early and was always very busy. Wasn't until she went to hospital for an (unrelated) operation that they said her iron levels were so low she was almost anaemic - and once she was on the supplements she was much less tired, but she'd never have thought of it otherwise.

I was 'let off' taking iron tablets as the doctor said because I was already having issues digestively, they probably wouldn't be a great idea. She suggested I should go on the pill to regulate (and hopefully lighten) my periods, try to get more iron in my diet, and I'm just taking the liquid iron supplement that you can get over the counter (which obviously is nowhere near as effective as the hardcore tablets, but I figure it'll be doing something, and it seems to have no effect on my stomach at all). My mum also took the liquid iron when she couldn't face the stomach-related side effects of the iron tablets and it did actually seem to improve her iron levels.

[mummyanxious]

Thanks fit your reply.
Well never rely on a dr receptionist who told me I had to take these tablets. Just spoke to an actual dr who said that I'm not anaemic, all of my blood tests are remarkably healthy but I just had low iron stores (25, healthy is 12-150) and would benefit from tablets but if I can't tolerate them its not the end of the world and to just boost through diet.

---------- Post added at 10:29 ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 ----------

So back to square one with why I feel so incredibly awful

[emlica]

That's very close to what happened to me - I got my 'low iron' results over the phone from someone who made it sound like it was really serious, but then spoke to the doctor who said, like yours, that all my bloods were spot on apart from my iron stores (not sure of the actual numbers in my case) and that it wasn't all that worrying. But I don't think that necessarily means that it can't be the low iron making you feel a bit rubbish. I would guess that some people tolerate lower iron levels better than others - from those numbers I'd say yours definitely looked like the decidedly low end of normal, so I'd have thought the low iron probably wasn't helping, at least...

[LE]

I too have this. I am low on iron stores. What I would say though is that you can be symptomatic on low levels.

There is what is know as 'optimal' levels ad I think it's at about 70-100. So to feel well you need to be in this range.

I first went to my gp feeling unwell and just not myself and my hair was falling out. She tested my iron stores and I was told they were normal. Fast forward almost 2 years and I mention it again and they test ferritin. This time it's just under the 'normal' as the lab our surgery uses starts at 30-350. So when I was at 40 I was low down the range and clearly symptomatic!!


I have same issue with my b12. Was told its normal. But again the range is 180-1000 and I am sitting at 190!!! I am now being treated for the low b12 as I challenged it and said I had read about the difference between 'normal' levels and 'optimal' levels for wellness. My gp then agreed!!

---------- Post added at 21:52 ---------- Previous post was at 21:50 ----------

Sorry just to clarify - two years ago my ferritin was 40.

It's now 23. (I had a baby 6 months ago and was anemic in preg. My haemaglobin levels are perfect now and my stores are low)

[mummyanxious]

Thanks for your replies that does make sense about optimal levels. I'm going to carry on taking these tablets and then maybe switch to the water iron and then get my levels tested again in a couple of months :) hopefully ill feel some improvement. Incidentally my hair falls out like nobody's business! Did you have any other symptoms?

[LE]

I have quite a few. Shattered all the time. Feel quite light headed a lot and when I do physical activity I sometimes feel breathless.

I also feel very sweaty a lot and at night. It's not night sweats and I've had it checked out by a haematoligist. I don't know of its a symptom or if it's anxiety related.

Why other symptoms do you have?

[mummyanxious]

Well I don't know whether these symptoms are linked to the ferratin or something else:
Lower side of normal blood pressure
Slow pulse
Lightheaded on standing
Anxious obviously
Bruise easily
Hair falling out and brittle
Greasy skin
Sometimes I swear at night but its not all the time
Insomnia
Smothering feeling after excercising or housework etc
Shakiness inside randomly

---------- Post added at 06:54 ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 ----------

And of course the lethargy!

---------- Post added at 06:56 ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 ----------

Dry skin on my body (its my face that's greasy)
Greasy hair quickly
Brown patches on my skin like liver spots
Thinning skin
Premature aging

[Cags48]

I have all those symptoms I have just been given ferrous fumate reluctant to take as I suffer constipation and bowel issues also vitamin D deficient given ProD 20,000 units I'm on my menopause and haven't had a period in 5 mths so haven't a clue why now got myself in a right tiz thinking i was internally bleeding , I'm going to try eating an iron rich diet and then see what my iron levels are like when I go for my follow up blood tests if they no better then I suppose I will have to take the iron ....

---------- Post added at 16:16 ---------- Previous post was at 16:14 ----------

The night sweats are awful especially with the palpitations