Low Ferritin, anyone..?

[MemmaJ]

I'm actually only 21+5 but posting here as it seems busier than the second trimester forum, and I figured there may be more people who might have been through this in their pregnancy here.

Has anyone had low Ferritin? If so, what was the treatment and did it work?
My Ferritin is low but my Hb is OK, so I've just been given some tablets but I'm still really suffering with it this time.
I had low Ferritin in my last pregnancy too but I felt fine with it - again I was put on iron tablets to bring the levels up then.

This time I'm incredibly breathless, tired to the point of exhaustion, heart is constantly either racing or pounding, and have dizzy and nauseous spells...

It's been like this for weeks and weeks now, and I just can't stand the thought of being like this until the end!

 

[arturia]

Theoretically if your iron is low, a couple days with the tablets and you should start to feel better. You can boost this by drinking orange juice with your tabs, as vit C will help you absorb the iron.

 

[SonnyH]

I do! Although I think all my readings were low.. I'm taking iron tablets and feeling much better I went to my doctors with a racing heart (was spiking to 105 beats a minute frequently through the day), constantly short of breath and feeling faint/dizzy. I had a blood test and a 24 hour ECG. The blood test showed pretty bad anaemia and my EGC showed a frequently spiking heart rate, even when asleep, and extra beats that shouldn't have been there :-/

I've just swapped onto Ferrous Furmate from Ferrous Sulphate (hurt my stomach) and I feel so much better already after 3 weeks in total on one or the other. My heart has stopped racing and I just get mild palpitations at night. I'm still short of breath but it's improving. I don't feel like collapsing when I go for a short walk now! Have you spoken to your doctor? They are usually pretty hot on getting you on iron tablets if you need them. They don't like you to be anaemic for labour plus it's not good for you or baby in pregnancy. If you are not keen on iron tablets, you could try iron water? My midwife says it's good for maintaining already healthy levels but not always that good at bringing up low levels but better than nothing if you can't stomach the tablets!

 

[MemmaJ]

Yes I've been put on Ferrous Fumurate twice a day, by my GP.
My symptoms are not improving though. I am intolerant to anything sweet too, so I can't have orange juice!

I haven't seen or spoken to my midwife since I had the test done (when I was about 17 weeks pregnant), and I didn't actually see my GP at all (she just left a prescription at reception for me when she received my result).

 

[arturia]

Yes I've been put on Ferrous Fumurate twice a day, by my GP.
My symptoms are not improving though. I am intolerant to anything sweet too, so I can't have orange juice!

I haven't seen or spoken to my midwife since I had the test done (when I was about 17 weeks pregnant), and I didn't actually see my GP at all (she just left a prescription at reception for me when she received my result).

Well, it doesn't have to be orange juice. It could be a vitamin C drop if you can tolerate those or a chewable/swallowable pill of some sort. Or snack on a bell pepper, they have some C in them. Any C source will do so long as it doesn't stack calcium at the same time.

 

[SonnyH]

Agreed, I don't take mine with orange. I take one with my lunch time apple and one with my tea which always has something like broccoli or bell peppers with it. They are high in vit C. A bolognaise with tomato sauce would be good too etc.

My friend had a problem getting her iron up. She went up to three tablets a day but still struggled. She had to have an infusion in the end :-/

My doc just left a prescription with reception too but I went back as I couldn't stomach the initial tablets! Doc said they'd do a blood test after 4 weeks to check levels which happens to tie in with my 28 week midwife blood tests anyway. If you still don't feel any better after 3-4 weeks, I'd honestly go speak to your doc and ask them to re-check your levels and rule out any issues with your thyroid which causes similar symptoms to those you describe. It's horrible to feel so rubbish and better to get checked out. My doc has said to me she doesn't care how often she sees me in pregnancy, she would rather always check everything was OK with me and baby!

 

[MemmaJ]

Thanks Sarah, was your Hb low too or just your Ferritin..?
My Ferritin is low when not pregnant too but it's never affected me before, even in my previous pregnancies.

I've been back to the GP this morning (dragged there by my partner!), and am having my bloods repeated this afternoon.
She has suggested that if it's still low then an infusion might be discussed, however she's 'not sure' about the safety of them in pregnancy so that might not be an option (I know they are safe and done quite routinely and frequently in pregnancy though).

She is going to chase the results, then speak to someone at the hospital about options if it's still low, and then phone me at the end of next week with a plan... :-/

 

[kimberley3]

I struggle with hb and ferrtin what are your levels I can't tolerate anything but infusions, I had one in last pregnancy and just before I got pregnant this time my ferrtin was 11 in January and in 3weeks it's dropped to 5 hb is 108. I feel shocking sick tierd can't breath when walking exhausted I feel horrible I have consultant tomorrow and will be discussing another infusion I'm 30weeks

 

[MemmaJ]

My Ferritin is 6 and Hb is 109.
Hb is not too bad but it's dropped slightly since my Booking Hb which was 118.

My GP is not contacting me for another few days but I've seen my Consultant today and she has arranged for me to an infusion tomorrow! (I'll be 22+6). How often are you having them and when did you start having them?

She did reiterate that they don't normally do them this early as the effects wouldn't last the whole pregnancy, so she encouraged me to keep taking the tablets too but I do really struggle to tolerate them... :-/

 

[arturia]

My Ferritin is 6 and Hb is 109.
Hb is not too bad but it's dropped slightly since my Booking Hb which was 118.

My GP is not contacting me for another few days but I've seen my Consultant today and she had arranged for me to an infusion tomorrow! (I'll be 22+6). How often are you having them and when did you start having them?

She did reiterate that they don't normally do them this early as the effects wouldn't last the whole pregnancy, so she encouraged me to keep taking the tablets too but I do really struggle to tolerate them... :-/

Try asking your pharmacist if you can get some liquid supplement. Supposedly most ladies tolerate it better. It does, however, taste disgusting, or so I hear.

 

[ttc bubby no2]

My ferritin was low but Hb was still ok when I was tested around 28 weeks. I was experiencing breathlessness and dizziness but since taking iron tablets I have improved.

I take maltofer tablets which are very tolerable and not many side effects.