NEED ADVISE: Low Ferritin Levels in Thalassemia Minor

  Hello,  I would like to introduce myself since this is my first post on this board.   I am an artist and teacher in Southern California.  I hope I will learn more about thalasemia from all of you.

I have thal. minor.  and my ferritin levels are always very low....I have kept record of my blood levels, and my ferritin has been below "15"  for 30 years!!!  I wanted to find out if that could be an effect of thal. minor?   I also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, and that limits my foods...no onion , no wine, low fat ....not good since I am Italian!

Recently I have noticed loss of my hair!!!!!  I am freaking out.   I have very thick hair, and it is thinning all over my head.   I saw a dermatologist, and she did the ferritin level which is at 12.
So now I saw a hematologist....she wants to have me scoped from one end to the other to make sure I am not bleeding internally. However all my hemocult cards are negative. And If I was bleeding since 1985, I think I would have been way dead by now!!!    

Can anyone provide any ideas if this sounds like a thalassemia trait?   I would REALLY appreciate it.  

Yeah, this is thal  minor. I would suggest a complete iron panel, not just a ferritin test to see if you may have iron deficiency, as well, but please be aware that thal minor depletes many nutrients essential for building red blood cells. Iron does not get depleted normally, like other nutrients, so more often things like folate and vitamin D will be needed for a positive effect.

Please review the recommendations at http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php/topic,4890.0.html for ideas on how to be healthier as a thal minor.

Hi!
I'm not too sure but perhaps vitamin B12 deficiency may have these symptoms.

There is a type of anemia that affects the stomach lining re vit B12 deficiency.
Perhaps that should be tested too.