Ferritin

[willsie01]

5 months post triple bypass I'm feeling quite fatigued much of the time so GP sent me for blood test to look at ferritin. I can see the result in the Patient Access App and it is reading 21 ug/L, which is marginally out of the normal range of 22 - 322. Could this explain my fatigue? My wife doesn't thing the GP will do anything about it as it is so close to range.

[Motorman]

May I suggest you do a little research on ferritin levels for heart patients. A higher minimum level seems to be accepted as best in many articles I have read. At least 100 as a minimum. The problem seems to be getting some doctors to accept this. 21 is lowish even for non heart problem people so yes, it's low for you. I have been started on ferrous sulphide to see if it brings my ferritin up.

[Janma123]

Have you had vitD, b12, folate tested? Do you take metformin or a PPI? My hubby was fatigued post op and was eventually found to be low in all 3. Apparently metformin and PPIs affect extraction and absorption from food.

Best wishes

[willsie01 in reply to Janma123]

I’ve not had those tests and no idea what they are or where I’d get them done. I don’t know what metaformin or PPI are either, I’m afraid.

Added:

Just had call from surgery setting up telephone appointment about the low ferritin level.

[Janma123 in reply to willsie01]

Hi willsie01

B12, folate and d are checked with a blood test that your gp can do. Metformin is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and PPI’s are stomach acid suppressants such as omeprazole, esomeprazole

[willsie01 in reply to Janma123]

Interesting. I used to take omeprazole but it was changed to lansoprazole, which is a possibility. I don’t take Metformin as I don’t have diabetes. Let’s see what the doc says on Monday.

[seasider18]

My levels were low prior to my aortic valve replacement and I needed a ferritin infusion.

They have to be done under observation by a nurse as they can cause problems and from memory it took about three hours to do. Eastbourne hospital do not do them so I had to go to Brighton for it.

[willsie01 in reply to seasider18]

Did you have the feelings of fatigue when the levels were low? If yes did the Infusion make an immediate difference?

[seasider18 in reply to willsie01]

I had not noticed any signs of it being low nor did I notice and surge of energy after it. It was just something they found in the pre operation tests. I only needed one infusion but others need a series of them.

healthline.com/health/iron-...

[willsie01]

My doctor is scheduled to call me wrt my low ferritin level. Coincidentally, the last couple of days I've been experiencing more and more that feeling when you get up too quickly and feel like your head is buzzing. If I am anaemic, or even if I'm not, would it hurt to buy some iron tablets while waiting for the call? I guess I'll ask the pharmacist.