Ferritin

Hi, I recently had a blood test for underactive thyroid which runs in the family. The day before I got the results I collapsed which the paramedics told me was due to low blood pressure. When I got the results of the blood test the next day my thyroid was fine but I had low ferritin 6.6ng/mL. Doc has put me on 600mg Ferrous Sulphate a day for a month. Doc told me I was anemic but I didn't get the impression it was that bad since it is very common. At the time of the blood test I was still active & going running. Though I had injured my hamstring 5 days before my collapse so had not done any excersise.

Q1 - I wonder if Ferritin levels this low could have caused my collapse? I guess they may have got lower as I did do two 4 1/2 mile runs after blood being taken for the test (I did find the last run particularly hard, obviously not knowing I was anemic at the time). How low would iron / ferritin have to be to cause a collapse?
Q2 - how long can I expect it to take for my iron levels to bulid up to a normal level. Am booked in for a blood test in 4 weeks but will it really take that long?
Q3 - The doctor did say that Ferritin lower then 12 would be considered anemic, when she said mine was 6.6 I thought it sounded v. low but she didn't seem concerned & gave me my prescription with a smile. On looking at comments on this website from other people I now think this is very low? Is <7 ferritin common?
Q4 - I have found refferences that anemia can cause lower blood pressure, why is this?


Any advice is welcome. I am just starting to research anemia & am finding it very interesting.

Thanks


  

[stella5349]

I haven't learned enough on the levels of ferritin and what can happen entirely if that is low expect hypothyroidism can be linked with low iron in the system.

But my first thought after I read your question was - what ws your potassium level? It sounds you really were exerting yourself prior to the collapse, so were those levels checked? Were you found dehydrated? How about your electrolytes? Were those depleted?

[stella5349]

Isn't sodium linked to BP??

[Ellouise]

Thanks Stella.

Electrolytes- as far as I know weren't checked. My blood sugar was 3.5 which I was told was low considering I had recently eaten but not low enough to cause issues. I was checked for diabetes but am OK. Phew, I can keep eating the chocolate.  
Potassium level - also not checked
Dehydration - no test was done but I may have been dehydrated.
Sodium - I guess if people with high blood pressure are told to eat less salt then this could work in reverse. My 1st though on being told I had low blood pressure was don't take me to hospital, get me to a Macdonalds!


When My blood test was done it was just for thyroid, my mum & 2 aunts have been diagnosed with it so it was recommended that me & my sis get checked out. Ferritin level was one of the things tested for. I guess this is done as standard.

The test results showed no issues with my Thyroid, the only abnormal result was Ferritin. I was told that it wasn't urgent & just to ask the doctor about it the next time I went in (never trust a receptionist!). After my collaspse I made a appointment to check it out but the doctor didn't seem to be stress it was particularly bad.

I hadn't exerted myself on the day of the collapse. I hadn't done any exersise at all for 5 days since I had injured my leg. I had felt tired & finding it hard to concentrate which I put down to being miserable! About 4 days before I had the blood test done I did a 10k race which may have caused a slump in my iron?
On the day of the collapse I was feeling a bit queasy but had gone out for a meal with friends. I had felt sick & when I stood to walk I went down like a sack of bricks. I had drunk 1 small glass of wine & a glass of water, so wasn't drunk. After 10 mins of sitting down I felt a lot better, made it about 8 meters & then went down again, then a 3rd time & after that my friends decided an ambulance was needed.

I give blood so get my iron checked regularly. The last time I attempted to give blood I was rejected as the iron was to low (107 & the cut off is 125, not sure on units). I have  been taking a 100% RDA (14mg) iron supplement + Vitamin C for about 6 months now as I have been active & since being rejected to give blood have been making an extra effort to eat spinach, red meat, dried apricots etc in my diet. With training I am carefull to eat regulary & get enough carbs / protein at the right times.

I am naughty & probably don't drink enough water so dehydration is a possibility.

When I left the hospital after laying down for 3 hours my blood pressure had returned to normal, the ECG showed my heart was in perfect health. It was left that my collapse was a mystery, possibly due to a virus I didn't know I had & I was told to eat regulary, drink plenty of fluid, everything I already do etc etc.  I asked the Dr if it could be anemia / lack of feritin but he could not comment as he did not have any results to hand but he didn't think.

Sorry my posts are so long, just trying to be accurate!

  

[stella5349]

Did they have an IV in you when you were at the ER?

[Ellouise]

No IV.

I wasn't given anything in the hospital. I was just told to lay down until I could see a Dr. After about 2 hrs they done ECG & after about 3 1/2 hrs I saw a Dr who checked the results, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, eyes, general check for abdominal paint, told me my urine test was ok, etc & told me I was fine. I didn't feel faint by then, just tired.

The only thing I was given was a cup of milk & a flapjack.

[stella5349]

hmmmm... odd.

I would have assumed they would have put an IV in b/c of the fainting. ( they: assuming dehydration was an issue)

Well hopefully, things are back on track for you and with the ferritin stuff, you should be able to fix that in a snap.

[zfaith]

I have been on iron for a few months now & my iron is still low.  I was told it could take a while, but everyone is different.  Wishing you the best of health.  

[Ellouise]

Thanks for your comments.

I''l keep taking the tabs & see how my next lot of results come out. Guess I had better cancel my next few races :(, better to be save then sorry.

Stay healthy to!

[Pinkypink25]

I'm in a similar sitution. I recently nearly collapsed when visiting a friend and just put it down to low blood pressure as I stood up quickly, but my mum suggested I go to see the doctor. The results came back with the Ferritin Levels being 4. I'm going back to the doctors to talk about it then.

I also do exercise and have started jogging at least 3 miles a night. I'm wondering whether the low Ferritin levels could cause someone to collapse, as symptoms include dizziness, so it's possible ??

Thank you.