Iron

[Summer88]

I’ve just been diagnosed with low iron again 😩 my results were 14 (should be between 15-300) is it normal for my heart to be racing at tight chest my doctor said it’s normal. Thank you xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Summer88

Your doctor says what is normal? A level of 14 with a range of 15-300?

That is obviously ferritin, and it is below range. What is your GP doing? You should have a full blood count and iron panel to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia. Whatever happens you need iron supplements prescribing.

[Summer88 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Heart racing normal due to lack of iron. Got more bloods taking today for blood counts. Doctor given me iron tablets

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Summer88]

Ah, OK, so he's doing the right thing.

Heart beating abnormally fast (palpitations) can be a sign of iron deficiency anaemia (which I strongly suspect you may have).

See bupa.com.au/health-and-well... (Aussie site but iron deficiency anaemia down under is the same as iron deficiency anaemia here )

[humanbean]

Developing a racing heart is a known effect of low iron levels. The condition is known as "tachycardia".

When your iron is low your body has fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. In response to the low oxygen level your heart speeds up to try and make sure that the body receives enough oxygen.

In some cases low iron can also cause severe chest pain.

Do a search for "tachycardia and low iron" and read some of the links that come up.

I had the problem you have described and I had a terrible job getting a prescription for iron supplements out of my doctor. But I was lucky - the pharmacist let me know that I could buy prescription-strength iron supplements from a pharmacy without a prescription, as long as the pharmacist agreed. It is up to the pharmacist's discretion. Prescription-strength iron supplements can also be bought online.

I started supplementing iron that I bought myself, and I learned what I could about how iron is tested and what the various results mean. This test is a good one :

medichecks.com/iron-tests/i...

For info on what doctors can prescribe see this link :

bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-s...

The list down the right hand side of the page shows you the things that doctors can prescribe in relation to iron deficiency. The one I took was ferrous fumarate 210mg :

bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/ferrou...

This is a picture of what I was taking (although I got it from pharmacies rather than online)

i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yqcA...

Sometimes I changed brand, it depended on what was available.

The therapeutic dose for an adult taking these tablets is 1 tablet, 2 or 3 times a day. I took it three times a day, and so a box of 84 tablets would last 28 days. It took me nearly two years to get my ferritin level up to just over mid-range, although my serum iron and iron saturation stayed low. I simply don't absorb iron very well at all. I now take a maintenance dose of 1 tablet 4 times a week so I don't drop low again.

It is vitally important that people test iron and ferritin regularly - every 6 weeks to start with to see how well you absorb it - although once you know how fast your levels are rising you could reduce the frequency of testing if it is rising slowly.

If you get a proper iron panel (like the Medichecks test linked above) you could post your results in a new post and ask for feedback.

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

I always forget something ...

Taking vitamin C with each dose of iron should help iron absorption.

Also, if you take thyroid meds you need to leave 4 hours after taking iron before taking thyroid meds. Or, (the other way around) you could take the thyroid meds first and take iron a couple of hours later.

[Summer88 in reply to humanbean]

Brilliant thank you for your response 😀😃 hopefully the iron tablets will start taking effect soon

[Angel_of_the_North]

It's a common symptom of low iron, but in no way a good thing. What is your doctor doing about your unde range result? have you been offered a full iron panel to see if you are anaemic? If not, see another doctor as that one is negligent.

[Doris61 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Tell your doctor to do a Ferritin blood test. my doctors try to keep mine 20 and above. It doesn't always happen but it is a work in progress.

[Rmichelle]

I tpo have iron def I am 23 on a range that starts at 26. I cannot raise mine so I have been referred to GI and harm, I too have symptoms of trembles, heart palps, breathless and get tired easy, you are not alone, normal symptoms but keep testing in around 6 weeks.xx

[Doris61]

Hi everyone, my name is Doris! I have ITP and Iron def. I used to live in Illinois and I used to get two iron infusions 7 days apart and it would last about 6 to 8 months. The name of the Iron called Feraheme. I moved to Bangor Pa and I have been to 6 Hemotologist and not one of them will give me Feraheme. They ALL want to give me Venofer Iron which takes 6 infusions instead of 2. I am so........ frustrated I could SCREAM oh no I have done that. Pa Doctors all seems like this is a new drug and it has not really been tested. I have been taking it since 2012 and it seems to do well for me. Has anyone else had this problem. My Doctors in Illinois always tried to keep my Iron level above 20. My iron is now at 12. I feel like shit and am so tired of fighting.

[Doris61]

Ferritin levels are how your iron is stored in your body. I have been getting iron infusions for about 6 years. It's no big deal but makes a big difference. I see a Hemotologist!