Serum ferritin level & RBC count help please

[CandiR]

Hi there, just wondered If anyone could please tell me if a Ferritin level of 44ng/ml and a RBC count of 3.76 (whilst actually already taking Ferrous Fumerate 210mg twice per day) is still pretty low and ‘could’ maybe be the reason I’m still feeling exhausted/heavy tired legs??

Thank you in advance 🙏🏼 😊

(Serum ferritin level Range- 30-150. RBC count range- 3.9-5.4)

[Ghound]

Hi Candi, This is just my personal experience as I'm not medically trained, but I don't feel well unless my ferritin level is at least 60. I presume that as you had blood tests, your doctor prescribed the iron tablets. Perhaps you need to be on them for a while longer.

My B12 deficiency definitely runs hand in hand with iron deficiency and I often end up anaemic .

Sometimes one " course " of ferrous fumarate/ sulphate is not enough and I have to continue it for longer.

Just be cautious with iron supplementation, as I'm sure you're aware.

Hope you feel better soon, best wishes x

[CandiR in reply to Ghound]

Thanks so much for your reply Ghound! Really appreciate it, I get the feeling I’m very similar to you re levels because I do still feel dreadful and it’s so frustrating when the GP says everything’s ‘normal’.

I’m continuing with the ferrous and will start my b12 sublinguals again, think that’ll help me!

Thanks once again 😊😊

[Ghound in reply to CandiR]

You're very welcome 😊 xx

[Technoid]

Thats a massive amount of iron to take twice daily. I am not medically trained but from what I have learned about iron supplementation and absorption in my nutrition training, that kind of dosage will have you spinning your wheels on absorbing iron while ramping up inflammation and making your other normally friendly gut residents very unhappy.

I would discuss it with your doctor of course but it may be worth considering a more moderate dosage on alternate days, as that is generally more helpful to raise iron levels than massive daily doses which paradoxically decrease iron absorption as the body ramps up hepcidin to try and prevent iron toxicity (iron is not easily removed from the body once absorbed and free iron is very toxic, creating severe oxidative stress).

[TFH1 in reply to Technoid]

This is an interesting article from another HealthUnlocked member who has spent some time researching what works helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Technoid in reply to TFH1]

I think I've seen this helvella individual on the forum! Lurking in dark corners and looking suspicious!

[FlipperTD]

Hi CandiR. I'm a [retired] scientist who spent a lifetime doing these tests; I'm not a medic so can't offer advice, just observations.

In my opinion, I wouldn't bother following the RBC count too closely. If you're iron deficient, your Hb will fall, you will make smaller red cells [microcytosis] but your red cell count will take longer to reflect the changes. The MCH and MCV are more sensitive to changes, but your Hb is the prime indicator. If your Hb remains in the 'normal' range then you're not anaemic. If your MCV falls, you're likely to be developing iron deficiency. If your MCV rises, you're probably turning megaloblastic, either due to B12 or folate.

Whilst it's easy to fool your body into increasing iron stores by swallowing iron replacements, it needs doing with great care and under medical supervision. A bit too much is far worse than not enough.

I keep on saying that Iron Deficiency is a symptom of something else, because losing iron is not easy, short of chronic blood loss. If it was me, I'd want to know what the cause was. If your diet is virtually devoid of iron, then that can happen. If not, it's 'hunt the cause'.