Hello Doctors, I have been experiencing constant fatigue, excessive sleepiness, and very low energy throughout the day. I sleep around 8–9 hours but still feel tired and sleepy and often don’t feel like doing anything.
My recent reports are: Ferritin: 4 ng/mL
Hemoglobin: 10.9 g/dL
Vitamin B12: 311 pg/mL
Vitamin D3: 33 ng/mL
Also have a ligament injury in right ankle though I'm traveling and working in a lab where maximum part of the day is standing.
Could these levels be causing my symptoms? Is my ferritin level dangerously low, and what treatment or further tests would you recommend?
Answers (35)
Get your queries answered instantly with Care AI
FREE
If you would like to discuss your concern in more detail, please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp at nine one one nine two five five six nine nine. Alternatively, you can connect with me through the Practo app for a detailed consultation
Nutritional deficiency of iron and b12. If you consume majorly a vegetarian diet b12 deficiency could be explained by it.
Health Tips
Take iron rich sources of food like gurd(jaggery), dal and pulses, do add vitamin C helps in iron absorption. For b12 advice would be to include meat and fish in your diet, if for any reason do not want to take it you can take tab methylcoboalmine once daily
Its due to iron deficiency anemia you should include palak beet root and green vegetables in your diet.Take care of hydration and in between after 1 hr take rest for 10 minutes and do some stretching exercises of leg in morning with 10 minutes morning sunlight it will be helpful
Tab Ferrous ascorbate- one tablet to be taken 2 hours after a meal or one hour before a meal for 6 months daily.
For better absorption of iron in your body please follow the meal timings that I mentioned and no not drink coffee or tea or alcohol around the time of taking iron.
Your Hb is low and serum ferritin level is also low it is suggesting iron deficiency anemia so you should start on oral iron supplements continue it for 5-6 months
Don't stop it after your Hb returns to normal range stop it after 3-4 month after getting normal Hb so it maintain your body iron level
Your ferritin of 4 and haemoglobin of 10.9 suggest iron-deficiency anaemia, which can explain much of your tiredness and low energy.
Your iron stores are severely depleted and need treatment, but this number alone does not mean an emergency or that you need iron injections.
Please consult a physician for iron supplements and to check the cause, including dietary intake, heavy periods if applicable, or other blood loss.
Your B12 is borderline and vitamin D is adequate; repeat your blood count after 2â4 weeks of iron treatment to check improvement.
Standing for long hours can aggravate your ankle injury, so take seated breaks and get it reviewed if pain or swelling persists.
If excessive sleepiness continues, sleep quality, medicines and thyroid function should also be assessed rather than assuming everything is due to low iron.
Dr. Pankaj Kumar
General & Lifestyle Physician
Your ferritin of 4 ng/mL is low and with Hb 10.9 g/dL, is possibly iron-deficiency anaemia. Which causes fatigue, low energy and reduced exercise tolerance.
Next Steps
I would recommend checking CBC with MCV/MCH/RDW, iron profile (serum iron, TIBC and transferrin saturation)
Health Tips
Please consult a physician for an individualized treatment plan rather than taking iron supplements on your own.
So as you have mentioned some of the test result you might have done CBC reports so please also mention the full report or share the photo of that so we can see if it is due to iron defeciency or not
Next Steps
Have nutrient reach food like fruits , almonds and all and if your symptoms persist please consult a physician
Persistent fatigue despite 8â9 hours of sleep needs evaluation, not just vitamin replacement. Your low ferritin may contribute, but we should also check CBC/haemoglobin, thyroid function, B12, glucose and sleep quality.
I would review the reports and examine your ankle before starting iron; avoid self-medicating with high-dose supplements.
Please book a consultation with me on Practo or visit me at Synergy Multispeciality Hospital, Miraj for a focused assessment.
If you would like to discuss your concern in more detail, please feel free to contact me on WhatsApp at eight six one nine six six nine nine zero six. Alternatively, you can connect with me through the Practo app for a detailed consultation
Hello
Yes your ferritin levels are low and your Hb levels points towards mild anaemia
There are 3 stages for iron deficiency anaemia- during the first stage only the body iron stores ( represented by ferritin levels ) goes down Hb levels remains nearly normal( Known as Iron depletion stage )
So this could be a possibility that it might be progressing towards iron deficiency anaemia
Next Steps
Start Oral Iron Therapy ( Ferrous Ascorbate)
Take it in morning empty stomach
You can take the tablets with VIT C rich sources ( citrus juices )
But avoid having tea coffee with the tablets as they could impair iron absorption
Health Tips
You have nothing to worry about this is very common and after oral iron course of 3-6 months Hb and Ferritin levels tend to return to normal
If you feel any discomfort after taking the tablets do mention it here you can consult me on practo i would guide you further
Thank you
Ferritin of 4 ng/mL is significantly low and, together with hemoglobin of 10.9 g/dL, strongly suggests iron deficiency with anemia, which can contribute to fatigue, sleepiness and low energy. Vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels are not markedly deficient based on the values provided.
Do consult for confirmation with a complete blood count including MCV and iron studies, and to identify the cause of iron deficiency. Treatment with iron supplementation is usually required, with the dose and formulation decided based on the severity and tolerance. In a 24-year-old woman, menstrual blood loss is an important cause to assess; dietary intake and other sources of blood loss should also be considered.
Your ferritin level are low could be a Iron deficiency or A vitamin C deficiency.
Since you told that you have excessive tiredness too this need to check by Thyroid function test
Yes. Your reports strongly suggest iron-deficiency anemia, and this can very well explain the persistent fatigue, excessive sleepiness and low energy.
Your ferritin of 4 ng/mL is markedly low. Ferritin below 15 ng/mL is generally considered diagnostic of depleted iron stores, and values below 30 ng/mL are commonly used to identify iron deficiency.
Next Steps
Please consult a physician/gynecologist and discuss starting therapeutic iron supplementation rather than relying on diet alone. Oral iron is usually the first-line treatment. Ferrous sulfate, fumarate or gluconate are commonly used; once-daily or alternate-day dosing can improve tolerance.
Health Tips
I would suggest discussing a CBC with MCV/MCH/RDW, serum iron, TIBC/transferrin saturation, and evaluation for the underlying cause with your doctor.
Your ferritin and haemoglobin levels are worth a proper look, since low iron stores are a common and treatable cause of the fatigue and sleepiness you're describing. A general physician can confirm this from your full picture.
Next Steps
Please see a general physician in person with these reports so they can decide if further testing or iron replacement is needed.
Health Tips
Please don't start iron supplements on your own before that review, since dosing depends on your case.
Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Flu
Reasons for flagging
Hateful or abusive contentSpam or misleadingAdvertisement