has anyone corrected low ferritin?

[Netty510]

I hwve low ferritin and want to know has anyone raised it?I have high iron to but not over the range...so I don't want to riase that..how do i find the cause and correct it?

[pennyannie]

Hey there Netty

I 'm able to maintain my ferritin at around 90 by consuming a weekly tub of Asda chicken livers. They are very clean and once defrosted I flash fry and the whizz down with a dollop of mayo into a pate consistency and take a spoonful everyday.

On building up to an optimal level I also included Spatone liquid iron sachets in my daily routine and purchased Solgar Gentle Iron which were much kinder on my stomach than the NHS prescribed tablets.

I do not know however of the implications this might have on your high iron / low ferritin issues, and it took me over a year to build back up ferritin to a decent level to assist the conversion of thyroid hormone replacement.

[Netty510 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi Penny thank you...did it raise your iron levels as well?i been reading everywhere and asking whoever how to raise ferritin and it seem bleek at the moment.lol when I google search cant really fine anything I was supplemnting iron and my iron went up and ferritin down..my nerves are shot from thinking to much on trying to get my ferritin and iron issues resolved and my thyroid..and can't find a remedy

[pennyannie in reply to Netty510]

Well I'm sorry I can't offer much else -

I was so ill and having been on a NHS Merry Go Round for over 18 months and left with no real answers - I was by the end in 2016 house bound and too unwell to keep asking of my doctor " what is going on and what has happened to me ? - fuller details are on my profile page:

[Netty510 in reply to pennyannie]

Yes doctors and there ranges and bs ugh..thabjs again ill check out your pfile..did the livers elevate your iron levels as well as ferritin?

[pennyannie in reply to Netty510]

I don't know as by then I was not receiving any support from my doctor and just doing this for and by myself.

I returned to the doctor after about a year, having read up on here and researched through Elaine Moore. I requested a full thyroid panel along with the vitamins and minerals as advised on here :- only to be told " No " :

I stayed sitting down and eventually it was agreed I could have a T3 and T4 blood test undertaken at the surgery if I paid for it.

I received an invoice from the hospital to £ 34 for the blood test which showed a T3 @ 25 % and a T4 @ 80 % through the ranges. This assisted me in getting a dose increase back to 125 mcg Levothyroxine where I knew I always felt better and a reluctant referral to endocrinology - first time since RAI in 2005, so in over 10 years.

When I eventually saw the endocrinologists to ask questions and request a trial of T3 I was dismissed with no answers as to my symptoms and disqualified for a trial as my TSH was suppressed.

I have several unanswered letters, both written to my doctor and endocrinologist and the more I tried to stand up for myself the more exacerbated my symptoms became.

So, for self preservation I have stayed away and now self medicate and am " back in the room " with full cognitive function and not housebound, having become my own dyslexic doctor at 70 !!!

[Netty510 in reply to pennyannie]

Im in the same boat, in 2007 had rai..doctors wouksnt listen to me I pleaded for almost a year for ndt then finally got it.and now I'm self treating it just causes more stress to even explain to my doctor with his ranges ect.i was house bound myself in 2008 for a year and half im not trying to do that again..i have to return to work in aug.im praying every night that things will turn around for me even though I'm not as bad as I was 15 years ago..

[pennyannie in reply to Netty510]

I'm so sorry - there doesn't appear to be much help out there.

At least you managed to get a prescription for NDT but understand why you're now self medicating.

The guidelines and treatment options are not fit for purpose, and it's deplorable.

It is very much a case of " the computer says No " - whatever happened to treating the patient's symptoms and that oath :- " first do no harm " ?