serum iron

[Elsie77]

While seeing a Dr at Leicester hospital I was asked to have a blood test, it wasn’t a fasting one. I have just had a letter, my serum iron was 12 there is no mention of anything else. The registrar has written “ Low iron can make restless legs worse and therefore I would be grateful if you could investigate and treat this as you feel appropriate “. Any comments about what I should expect my Gp to do?

[SueJohnson]

That is low. It's a real shame your ferritin wasn't tested. But since it wasn't I would ask for an iron infusion since your serum iron was so low. Then 8 weeks after you have it, ask for a full iron panel. Stop taking any iron supplements including multivitamins that have iron in them 48 hours before the test, fast after midnight and have your test in the morning. When you get the results, ask for your ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT) numbers. You want your transferrin saturation to be over 20% but less than 45% and your ferritin to be at least 100. If they are not, post them here and we can give you some advice.

[ChrisColumbus]

Leicester University Hospitals NHS Trust seem to generally want to try a course of oral iron supplementation, usually with Ferrous Fumarate, before they will offer an infusion.

Some Trusts will *only* offer an infusion if anaemia is diagnosed, rather than RLS, but I don't know Leicester's position on this.

[DicCarlson]

As Jed Clampett (60s TV show, Beverly Hillbillies) would say "That's lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut!" I would begin oral iron supplementation - best choice is Ferrous Bisglycinate Chelate (it's non constipating). If you can get a full iron panel results - here is a good resource on just what those results mean...

bloodtestsresults.com/iron-...