Low ferrous reading in blood?

kelle

I recently had a blood count done. When I got the results, I was told my haemoglobin levels were fine, but the ferrous level was low. I've tried to look it up on the internet but I get referred to complicated medical journals! I was wondering if anybody knows what this means, and can explain it to me in uncomplicated terms?
As it happens, my GP has referred me to a specialist to be screened for cancer, as I have a very bad family history.

eth0_

It means you have anaemia, and anaemia is something that affects a large percentage of cancer patients.

I hope your GP was tactful about it - it doesn't necessarily follow that you have cancer because you are anaemic. Correlation does not equal causation and all that :-)

DrIndy

do what your GP recommends - he is being cautious and thorough. It does no harm to get a clean bill of health and reassurance after the tests.

tallaght01

It's a measure of the amount of Iron stored in your body.

Cancer isn't the first thing the pops into mind when youhear someone has low serum ferritin (which is what i'm presuming that you're talking about). It's one of the causes sometimes.

But there's a multitude of other, less sinister causes. A cause is never found in many patients. It can even be caused by heavy periods, or chroninc illnesses that have nothing to do with your blood. The likelihood of what's causing it is affected by your age, family history, physical examination and symptoms. Nobody on here has access tot he info that your doc does, so no-one can give you any info about your particular case.

IN short, don't stress about it. It's a common finding on blood tests. It's only serious in a minority of cases. but the important thing is to let your doc get to the bottom of it. Your GP will be used to this problem, and is the best person to talk it through with. Just go for whatever tests he/she suggests, ask him/her to explain why you're going for them, and you'll be in good hands.

Hope all goes well.

kelle

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, I feel better now. My GP did stress he's probably making a mountain out a molehill, but it's no harm for me to get the tests done. I know only too well what it's like when you get tested after getting symptoms - my mother and father had not been near a doctor in years, then they were both diagnosed with stomach (mum) and bowel (dad) cancer along with secondaries. They died 5 months later within a month of each other. My GP has a long list of my other relations who have died from cancer.
I'm going to start taking iron now!
Thanks again.

Tree

plenty of vitamin C makes it easier for your body to absorb iron too. dont forget

kelle

Thanks, Tree!