Low Iron / Feretin Level

[Doncaster Craig]

Hi

I am not diagnosed with celiac disease but my daughter and Aunt are.

I am 52 and compared to most men of my age I am skinny.  Always have been.

Recently following being refused to be a blood donor because of my iron levels my blood has been screened and my iron / ferritin level was 0.  I am quite healthy though and don’t have symptoms of anemia.
I have been on strong iron tablets for 4 months and my iron / ferretin level is now 4 which has baffled my doctor who now suspects internal bleeding.

I have not told my doctor about my coeliac relatives as until yesterday never considered it a possible reason.  Reading about iron ingestion I read undiagnosed coeliacs can struggle to ingest iron.  Hence my question has anyone suffered similar problems in the past / present??

I am calling my doctor today to make her aware of my close relatives celiac condition.

Thank you

Craig

Doncaster, England.

 

[GFinDC]

Hi,

Yes, celiac can cause malabsorption of nutrients and that can cause deficiency in vitamins and minerals.  Please don't stop eating gluten until all the celiac testing is completed.  Usually they do a blood draw first for antibody tests and then an endoscopy later for intestinal samples.  The testing doesn't give accurate results if you stop eating gluten before them.

Your doctor should be able to tell you about other vitamin problems too.  Often people with untreated celiac disease are low on B vitamins, D vitamin and some trace minerals.  Boron, copper, and magnesium are other minerals to check.

[cyclinglady]

Do not stop consuming gluten until you get tested.  Anemia was my main symptom when my diagnosis was caught.  What compounded it, was going through menopause (extra blood loss), and having a genetic anemia which causes my hemoglobin to be just out of range.  My ferritin was a 2 and would hardly increase in blood supplements.  
 

My ferritin dramatically increased within a few months and remained normal every since.  
 

Please encourage others in your family to get tested.  A recent Mayo Clinic  study found that first-degree relatives have a 44% chance of having celiac disease.  Most were asymptomatic!  Read it for yourself:

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190822/Mayo-Clinic-Study-Calls-For-Screening-Of-Family-Members-Of-Celiac-Disease-Patients.aspx