Low iron or not?

[_Jen_]

I went to see my doctor today because a recent blood test showed my iron levels to be low, or so I thought. Is it just me, or do the results in the picture say that Iron Deficiency Anaemia is possible?

According to the doctor, I absolutely DO NOT need medical help with this, though she did say I could take an over the counter supplement and alter my diet. I already take a supplement and eat meat, eggs, spinach etc. but she denied that anything is wrong with my absorbtion. She's agreed to blood tests for thyroid, vitamin D and magnesium.

I feel like an idiot. This looks like a very low iron level to me. Who is right?

[Gambit62 Administrator]

There are lots of indicators for iron deficiency - ferritin is just one - though tends to be quite a good one but there was a case reported in the papers a few month ago of someone who was actually treated on the basis of low ferritin on its own and suffered iron poisoning as a result - sorry I don't have reference back to the news item.

You are correct that the report says that iron deficient anaemia is a possibility but it isn't clear if there were other indicators that clarified and confirmed that there wasn't an iron deficiency eg a full blood count.

[_Jen_ in reply to Gambit62]

I see what you mean. She never explained any of that though. I did have a full blood count done and everything came back normal. I wish they'd explain their reasoning so I could understand things!

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to _Jen_]

totally agree on explaining things being a good idea