Can you take an iron supplement for a short time without gp prescription?

[BiscuitBaby]

Hi My last Ferritin result was 64 (30-150)

I have read that Ferritin better to be at least 80 to help thyroid hormones work. I have lingering fatigue, terrible hair and a couple of other things. I read that the hair thing can also be low ferritin?

I'm taking vit d and b complex. There's no way on this earth will a gp prescribe iron on my results. I wondered whether I could supplement myself for a wee while?

My next thought might be hrt but I still have regular periods so not sure about this.

Thank you in advance.

[1tuppence]

When I queried my "low in range" ferritin with my GP, mentioned I'd been advised it needed to be optimal, not merely "In range", I was told it is in range, and I could buy ferrous fumerate over the counter......

[BiscuitBaby in reply to 1tuppence]

That was quick 1tuppence! I barely had time to make my coffee!!! That's interesting. I didn't know you could buy it otc! Thank you. Did you try it? Has it helped? I'm kind of sick of always feeling varying degrees of rubbish!

[1tuppence in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Your question appeared the minute I popped in :-), coffee to hand.

Yes, I bought ferrous fumerate 210mg and take it with 1000mg Vit C...as I'd read on here that the Vit C helps to keep "the system" moving.

As I've also been taking Thorn B it's hard to say which may be having which effects, but I'm going with both as I know I need good B Vits and my ferritin needs lifting.

Week before last I bought some lambs liver, as looking back through my blood test results, I saw my ferritin used to be much better....and liver and onions used to be one of my, and my husband's, favourite meals. I've also been eating some chicken live pate this week, so no ferrous fumerate as I didn't want to overdo it.

Something good is happening as I've been "off" cooking properly for myself...and now beginning to do far more. That could be due to a) changing levo brand back to the one that suits me b) more ferritin and better B vits in my system.

Does that help?

[BiscuitBaby in reply to 1tuppence]

Yes it does, thank you for sharing your experience. I've been trying to do it with food but it just doesn't seem to be doing anything. I think I might try a short course then test again. I'm taking Thorne basic b as well and vit d but I'm still just not quite right. I might have to venture down the hrt route but my periods ate still regular and I don't really have any symptoms that can't be attributed to thyroid! This is such a long journey with so much learning to. It's overwhelming to be honest.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

BiscuitBaby

Before we take iron tablets we should do an iron panel that includes serum iron, total iron binding capacity, saturation % plus ferritin. This is because we need to know our serum iron and saturation levels. If these are already good/high then taking iron tablets will increase those levels and may lead to toxicity, too much iron is as bad as too little. This is why you will see advice here is to eat iron rich foods (liver, liver pate, black pudding, red meat, etc) to help raise ferritin when there's no obvious deficiency or to do the iron panel before supplementing.

You could ask your GP to do an iron panel but it sounds as though he might not be helpful. Medichecks do an iron panel which can be done by fingerprick or venous blood draw, it's called the Home Iron Test.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusieI've been trying to do it with food but I'm really getting nowhere. I eat red meat and I've been eating pate. I like pate but I just can't do liver. The smell as well as the texture are just too much and that's before I eat it! Gp not going to test. I never thought to do home test. Would it be ok to supplement if all those came back low in range?

[humanbean in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Would it be ok to supplement if all those came back low in range?

Yes. I don't take iron any more but I took iron supplements for about 7 years at various doses to either raise or maintain my ferritin level. My serum iron has never reached mid-range so I adjust dose based on my ferritin. This "rule" that I apply to my own supplementing won't necessarily apply to other people.

Some links you may find useful :

Problems that can arise when supplementing with iron inappropriately :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

.

Discusses iron supplements available without prescription in the UK. Ignore the stuff about pregnancy.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

.

Hair loss and other info about iron for people with thyroid disease :

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

.

Pros and cons of every day and alternate day dosing of iron supplement :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

.

A useful chart about anaemia and related problems :

irondisorders.org/wp-conten...

[BiscuitBaby in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbeanThank you. I watched a video earlier in a reply you gave to someone asking about spatone. That was what got me thinking about it again. I think I'll run an iron panel and see what's happening. Thank you. It's reassuring to know that it can be supplemented safely.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to BiscuitBaby]

BiscuitBaby

As Humanbean says, yes but I would test with an iron panel regularly if you do.

My ferritin is never very good but serum iron and saturation are pretty good normally but my whole iron panel dipped recently after taking a certain medication temporarily. I am taking iron tablets at the moment but testing the iron panel regularly to keep an eye on everything.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to SeasideSusie]

I think that's what I'll do. Test first then try and increase it. Something has to help one of these days! Between the supplements, the t4 and t3 my day, like many others here is peppered with popping a pil!!! Thank you for your help.

[humanbean in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Make sure to separate taking iron and thyroid hormones by four hours. Iron will block the absorption of thyroid hormones.

[humanbean in reply to SeasideSusie]

Oops, yes. I forgot to mention the need for regular testing, particularly in the early days when people have no idea how their iron, saturation and ferritin will react to supplementation, and how quickly they will improve (if they do improve).

When I was supplementing iron at maximum dose I discovered via testing that I absorbed iron extremely poorly, so I did reduce the frequency of testing for that reason. But what happened to me won't necessarily be relevant to others who might absorb iron well.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to humanbean]

I don't think I absorb anything well!!! But yes, I'll test. I'm a bit of a wimp so I would be worried to take it without testing. Does the 4 hour thing apply to t3 as well?

[humanbean in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Yes. Separating T3 from iron by four hours is definitely recommended.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to humanbean]

OK. Thank you. I would probably have taken it with my tea so I will review that. If I take it at all. I might wait till after Christmas. Not sure I have room in my brain for this and Christmas. But that's only 2 weeks!!

[1tuppence]

Yes, I should have said that following advice on here, I asked for an iron panel before going back to my GP for results and discussion. I was told "you're in range" despite my ferritin being very low in range.... and " you can buy ferrous fumerate over the counter".... basically "you're on your own with this, as you're in range".

I came back here to check thoughts before I did anything.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to 1tuppence]

Thank you. Doctors can be so dismissive! I'm glad you feel better. At least something is working for you!