Iron Deficiency Help!

Hi. Back in January I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia and was put on supplements for 3 months, and then to have a follow up blood test a month after finishing the supplements. My ferritin has come up from 5 to 47 (range 30-148) and I was just wondering what sort of response anyone else who has been on iron supplements had? Obviously I’ve had a good response and increase, but 47 to me still seems a little low? I am awaiting the rest of the results to get a full picture but was curious to know how others have responded.

I am not currently on any thyroid treatment but regularly monitored due to being high risk for under active thyroid.

Thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Ferritin is still low but NHS won’t prescribe once out of deficiency levels

As discussed in previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Have you now had B12 , folate and TG antibodies tested

If not they need testing

all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am

This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 and includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£29 

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

[jrbarnes]

I went on iron supplements when my ferritin dropped to 19 and my iron serum dropped to bottom of range. Brought my ferritin up to 50s which rid me of the symptoms but I stay on iron supps due to my continued state of hypo and low appetite. I haven't gotten it above 50s yet. Currently take Thorne iron 100mg every other day. Curious if I increased to 200mg if it would increase. I'd like to know if there's any difference once it's at 70+.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to jrbarnes]

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron 

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Stop iron supplements 5-7 days before test

Test early morning, don’t eat before test and don’t eat iron rich dinner night before test

ook at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat daily, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

[DiNL]

Hi Nicki-Lou123

Ive been a poor absorber of Iron and have always struggled to get my ferretin up. Recently I started using heme iron tablets and take them with a dissolvable vitamin c tablet… it’s working for me and my ferretin is slowly rising. You could give it a try. I bought it on Amazon and the brand is Optifer. Good Luck