Please sign the gov petition if you think the NHS advice needs to be improved!
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766643
I had levels of 14μg/L, having previously been at 16μg/L 2 years ago (but this wasn't flagged by the NHS so I didn't realise that was low at the time). I had to get a private infusion and the NHS guidance was just to take tablets, but this could have taken months to improve symptoms. One month later and my levels rose to 145μg/L, so it was worth it but still very expensive.
My experience of the varied and poor guidance offered by the NHS on iron deficiency has pushed me to start a gov petition, because if I'd known how low my serum ferritin was two years ago I could have fixed it before it got even worse (and avoided the terrible exhaustion I had especially in the final few months).
I think this is a clear example of women's health being understudied and poorly understood, as iron deficiency disproportionately impacts reproductive age women.
I don't expect this petition to take off, but if it puts it in front of a few more people and helps to explain their health issues, then it is worth it!