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Emerald222 profile image
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I really have no idea what to do about these, could anyone please advise? I take spatone iron because I found iron tablets heavy on my stomach. I eat a lot of veg and folate rich foods and doctors have encouraged me to eat more which I have done so why my folate is still so low I don't know. Doctor has given me 800iu D3 for vitamin D deficiency.

Ferritin 21 (30 - 400)

Folate 3.8 (4.6 - 18.7)

Vitamin B12 227 (190 - 900)

25 hydroxy vitamin D2 <6.0

25 hydroxy vitamin D3 42.5 (25 - 50 vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is indicated)

Thanks for reading and feedback.

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Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Emerald

Ferritin 21 (30 - 400)

As this is below range, did you have an iron panel and full blood count done to check for iron deficiency anaemia?

As you had problems with iron tablets, did you take each one with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation?

Ask your GP for an iron infusion, this will raise your level in 24-48 hours.

Spatone contains a very small amount of elemental iron, about 5mg I think. Eating liver once a week can help raise ferritin, maximum 200g a week.

Regardless of whatever a GP may say, ferritin is recommended to be halfway through it's range.

**

Folate 3.8 (4.6 - 18.7)

Vitamin B12 227 (190 - 900)

As you are folate deficient, were you offered folic acid tablets?

Do you have any signs and symptoms of B12 Deficiency, check that here

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

You should pop over to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on Health Unlocked, post these results, along with ferritin result and any signs/symptoms from the list, for further advice and then discuss what they say with your GP.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

**

25 hydroxy vitamin D2 <6.0

25 hydroxy vitamin D3 42.5 (25 - 50 vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is indicated)

The 800iu D3 daily won't raise your level but your GP is following guidelines for insufficiency so probably won't prescribe more.

You should buy your own D3 softgels like these

bodykind.com/product/2463-b...

and take 5000iu daily for 3 months then retest, privately if necessary with City Assays fingerprick blood spot test

vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html

When you've reached the recommended level of 100-150nmol/L reduce to 5000iu alternate days as a maintenance dose, maybe less in summer. It is recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range.

When taking D3 there are important cofactors needed which you can read about here

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check here to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check the other cofactors too.

Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222 in reply to SeasideSusie

Thanks I was taking vitamin C with the iron but that made me feel really sick to my stomach. Yes iron panel and complete blood count have confirmed iron deficiency anaemia.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Emerald222

So if iron deficiency anaemia has been diagnosed, what has your GP suggested? Surely he didn't ignore that?

Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222 in reply to SeasideSusie

The GP knows I have iron deficiency but when I told him I had problems taking the iron because it made my stomach heavy he didn't offer me any alternative iron medication and just gave me tranexamic acid tablets instead and suggested I get a pelvic exam since I said I have heavy periods.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Emerald222

Just a thought, I presume you took Ferrous Fumerate?? Iron bisglycinate is supposed to be more gentle on the stomach although it contains less elemental iron. I don't know if your GP can prescribe that but you can buy it eg Solgar Gentle Iron.

Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222 in reply to SeasideSusie

Yes I took the ferrous fumarate 3 times a day originally.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Emerald222

You can include as many iron rich foods as possible in your diet

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

But I would ask about an iron infusion and suggest a referral to a specialist.

Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222 in reply to SeasideSusie

Ok I will ask for a referral tomorrow. Thanks

Emerald222 profile image
Emerald222 in reply to SeasideSusie

Red blood count 4.38 (3.80 - 5.80)

White blood cell count 7.14 (4.0 - 11.0)

MCV 75.3 (80 - 98)

MCHC 369 (310 - 350)

MCH 28.2 (28.0 - 32.0)

Iron 9.3 (6.0 - 26.0)

Transferrin saturation 18 (12 - 45)

Saggyuk profile image
Saggyuk in reply to Emerald222

Yes, you do need the iron. I found it okay if I ate with porridge lol :-)

You are also showing signs of Folate/Vit B12 deficiency with the high MCHC. You are clearly folate deficient so need to be treated and more than likely B12 deficient so you should treat that also as this one is not easy to overload in anyway and can cause problems to treat folate before B12 if you are B12 deficient. Iron anaemia can mask the other indicators of folate/B12 deficiency and your doc should know this.

Yes as mentioned you are deficient in everything so you have to start thinking about your stomach and why you're not absorbing especially if eating enough of everything. As mentioned on previous post, most likely is coeliacs/gluten intolerance so best thing to try is to go GF for at least three months and see if you have any improvements in symptoms. My periods were horrific all my life until I went GF. I was also deficient in everything. Remind your doc that iron anaemia can actually cause heavy periods!! If GF doesn't help at all then you need to get your doc to investigate further why you are not absorbing anything and refer you.

If he looked at these results and didn't even bother to treat you for folate or look into B12, I think maybe you need to consider a new doc :-)

Jollypolly profile image
Jollypolly

I wouldn't think the dose of vit D is nearly enough. I understand that 1000 ius is the minimum that ALL hypo patients should take regardless.

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Try taking your iron with an orange. More vitamin C to help absorption, & extra folate.

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