anemia

[fed up with it]

I have been feeling worse for a while, very bad dizziness, and vertigo, doctor said anxiety which i deffo have anyway, but i asked for a iron check and it came back anemic, does anyone else have or had this on top of anxiety?

c.lambert

[Miss Pink]

Hi,

You sound just like me! I have had anaemia on and off since I was 14 (mine is due to heavy periods). It is very common to have and can be helped by taking Iron tablets (these are usually cheaper to get in a Supermarket or Health food store eg Holland and Barrett) than on prescription, so my Doctor always tells me to buy them from there as they're just the same. You just need some that have the 100% daily recommended allowance on them. It's best to take them with Vitamin C as the Vitamin C helps your body to absorb the Iron (you can buy bottles of Iron & Vit C at Holland and Barrett)

Anaemia makes you feel permanently tired, weak, faint, dizzy and can give you palpitations too - but its harmless don't worry - just a sign you're lacking in iron. I often get a strange "sinking feeling" when I'm sitting down and I know this is a sign that I need to start taking the iron tablets again !

As well as the iron tablets, you can help yourself by eating foods that contain lots of it. It's found in meat, liver, cereals, raw green vegetables, fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals.

Anaemia can also mean you're lacking in Vitamin B12 (check with your Doc) and this can be found in meat, shellfish, milk, cheese, and eggs. It is not found in any vegetable.

Hope this helps, sorry if I've been rambling - just thought I'd try and put your mind at rest. After taking iron tabs for a few weeks I'm sure you will start to feel better. you can get your Doc to check your iron levels are back to normal after a few months.

One word of caution - my Doc always tells me that iron can affect your ...ahem...toilet habits[8)], a lot of people get constipated or the reverse, I've found this to be true sometimes, so if you find this is the case with yourself- don't worry, it just shows you that you're body is now getting the iron it needs!

Take Care

Rachael xx

‹(•¿•)› Best Wishes To You All ! ‹(•¿•)›

[fed up with it]

Thanks for that miss pink, i have heavy periods and i think i have been low in iron for ages, the sinking feeling on the sofa i get alot, glad it could be related to the lack of iron, the other day i reached for a cup out the cupboard and it felt like the floor extra was shifting im sure iron again, this morning i woke up feeling like a low down sad feeling, but probably cos im panicing. Im am normally borderline anemic but they never told me to take iron, i also get loads of flushed feelings inside my body horrible, and like a feeling i cant stand if i dont go and sit down feel like i am gonna fall down, horrible, thanks for advice really helped.

c.lambert

[nell1965]

Hi
It will also alter the colour of your bowel movements to a greyish black this is also normal.

I just want my life back
nell
x

[Farr06]

I had this for years, so bad I couldnt pick up remote control once cause it was too heavy. This was the mid 90s. Recently found out I have thalessemia, which is folic acid deficiency, so am on folic acid, but stick with the iron cause they deffo gave me a boost when I had anaemia. My lowest iron level was 8.5 at one point

Anxiety Is Evil

[fed up with it]

Ta for the replies. The doctor said ferritin low too, whats the difference in iron and ferritin? anyone know.

c.lambert

[nell1965]

ferritin is a protien which stores iron in the body and the levels of this are directly in proportion with the levels of iron in your body so i suppose he really just confused you by saying this he should just have said your iron levels are low. low levels of ferritin could be due to either gastro-intestinal bleeding (more common in men and post men or probably in your case either heavy menstrual bleeding or just a plain old iron deficiency anaemia which can be from lack of iron in diet or poor absorption by the body. there are several different types of anaemia and when a full blood count is down it breaks down the results further to try and give a clearer indication of the type and cause.
hope this helps

I just want my life back
nell
x

[fed up with it]

yes, ta did help, so if i had a full blood + ferritin done i am ok then as long as i take the iron it should correct itself. i do have heavy periods and crap diet. cheers, have to work on what i eat.

c.lambert

[nell1965]

yep, keep taking the tablets and try and improve your diet,if your levels dont come up (which they will) then doc will do further tests but that isnt gonna happen so dont go worrying about it right?

I just want my life back
nell
x