Theres something wrong and I can't work it out.

[XxrosesxX]

Hi. My health has never felt the same since my second child 2.5 years ago. Just remember never feeling "right". I put it down to tiredness. My mood felt fine. But I had a variety of symptoms like weakness and feeling abit off. Periods were bad. 9 months ago I told the Dr at last how o had felt. She told me all my symptoms seem like anxiety. She gave me a CBT online course card. I walked out confused. I wanted to do loads of stuff. I wasn't worried. I wasn't nervous. But my body was letting me down. I went back and she gave me the combination pill. I tried that hopeful it would improve my periods. At the same time she took bloods to check iron, vitmain d, thyroid etc.

Three days into the combination pill I woke up trembling. Feeling sick. Panicking. Couldn't breathe properly. It last half an hour and my partner held my hand as I finally was able to sleep. The next day we talked about how odd it was. I stopped taking the pill straight away. I realised my mood was terrible the next day.

Blood results came back. She said no wonder you feel terrible you have no iron reserves. She started me on tablets. 8 weeks later another blood test confirmed numbers were ok. Receptionist said no further action. I stopped taking iron as I ran out. I was at that point doing the school runs,4 miles walking a day and feeling pretty good.

Then February this year a heavy period put me right back down. I was so weak o was shaking. My heart was pounding and I was soaking through loads of pads. The following week I laid on the sofa and cried. I just couldn't move. A blood test confirmed no iron reserves again but my numbers were higher weirdly. I felt horrendous. The next three weeks I took iron and watched my partner take over. I felt guilty as I'm a stay at mum and he was doing all the school runs.

I just had got better before lockdown and started taking her again. Since lockdown I have just felt rubbish. I had a locum dr give me the mini pill to try. I have always been told I can't have it due to anemia. But he prescribed it and I trusted him. I hoped I was lucky. But 12 days in I started bleeding. It lasted 5 weeks and I gave up. All that time I was weak. Tired. Sluggish. Feeling slightly queasy.

My cycle is back to normal now. But my digestive system is awful. I feel sick and stomach achy alot. I phoned the drs yesterday. Same man rang me. I just can't get access to anyone else! He prescribed me lansoprazole for nausea. He said it could be the iron tablets causing a reflux thing. I've taken it for two days now. Had an okish day but felt yucky and tired at teatime. Went to bed around 10.30. now I'm awake feeling sick and my throat feels like it's got acid in it. I am sat in the bathroom writing this with water.

I'm so confused as to why my body feels so Terrible. I feel something is wrong. It's more than just iron levels surely. I've been taken them for 3 months now and still suffer so many crappy feelings.

Where do I go from here?

[SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing]

What dose iron tablets are you on?

[XxrosesxX]

200mg ferrous sulfate. I've taken spatone the last 2 days as I sometimes do that. Still no better.

[TorkTorkBam]

When I'm anaemic I take Spatone twice daily and live off red meat and broccoli. It takes a lot more than two days to build iron back up. Your bone marrow has to regenerate in effect. It takes a good 6 weeks to properly work. Two days is nothing. When it works you need to keep it up, albeit at maintenance levels, like one spatone a day and don't be vegetarian.

[Yallreadyforthis]

Maybe take liquid iron daily. Like, assume you will take it for the rest of you life

[3girlsmama]

I'm no expert but have had ferritin & thyroid issues over the years. Low ferritin can make you feel lousy. Could you ask for different iron supplement recommendations? Some are much more easy on the stomach. Are you getting enough vitamin C to help absorb the iron? Avoiding tea/coffee? Would iron infusions be an option?
Did you get your actual thyroid result numbers? Sometimes what is considered 'in range' can still be off and hypothyroidism can cause problems with heavy periods & anemia and pregnancy can knock your thyroid function. Was your vitamin B12 checked? I know it's hard when you have no energy but I'd get all blood results from your gp and do a bit of research then insist on a review of everything.

[CareBear50]

I have had ongoing problems w my iron too op.

Those ferrous sulphate tablets are so so hard on your stomach.

Spstone is much better. But you'll need to take it for months and always ensure they do a full iron count.

I was v v close t needing a transfusion my iron was so low. I now take iron supplements every day and am on mini pill

[changeagainandagain]

Hi, can you do me a favour and read up on endometriosis. The symptoms are very hard for drs to grasp, the mood, the periods, pains, pelvic pains, feeling tired, feeling no right.

All ties in, the extreme reaction to the pill would be a spike in oestrogen levels, the fact this started after a baby, did you have retained placenta? Etc.

General GPS don't understand it much, so you could find yourself in and out for years, and the iron could be a different issue. But let us know how you get on.

[Justwannabe1]

Poor you 💝 I had an iron deficiency after having my second. I felt pretty tired and sluggish and I was on iron tablets for a long time then moved onto folic acid felt much better after that.

If they are causing reflux then all I can say it’s bad reflux is pretty awful. I’ve suffered with that since I was very young.

It went undiagnosed for 2 years and every month I would have a bad flare up. Weak shaking, head thumping, vomiting. I was also rushed to hospital one time with pains in my arm and chest and feeling like my heart was jumping through my chest that’s when they got to the bottom of it as realised I had a haitious hernia which is basically your tummy slipping into weird positions and acid coming up = reflux.

I also get a sore tummy when I have it shooting pains, bloating, usually had a day going in and out the bathroom after a bad flare up. It also leaves me shaking.

If it is acid I do find sleeping propped up a little helps. Sipping a little milk and water to help break it up and helps me to burp.

I had to chance my diet and I mainly avoid spicy foods and juice or anything too citrus.

Gavisgone is good as a top of to my main tablets.

It really is a horrible condition and when I first started to have it I was convinced I was constantly coming down with a bad bug.

[Musicforsmorks]

There’s something irritating about a dr reverting to stress and anxiety when you present with a physical problem.
I understand that they’re often related, but....
I wonder how often they do that with men .

[Justwannabe1]

A little spot of custard is good to help with reflux I think it’s the heavy texture of it but even just a few spoonfuls helps.

It could be your iron tablets which has caused this and I second what the other posters have said about the iron concerns and tummy pains.

Wright it all down pains symptoms and date etc it becomes more clear and you see a pattern xx

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasher86]

Did they check your B12? I have pernicious anaemia, and feel rotten on the lead up to needing the injection again.

[XxrosesxX]

Thank you. I've been taking iron since February not 2 days. But I was given lansoprazole for nausea.

Lots of helpful suggestions here. I never get given copies of my bloods. I am going to ask for them next time.

I tend to take spatone on the odd day to give my stomach a break.

Tonight is the worst I've ever felt. I just feel it's falling on deaf ears. I've been contacting the drs since February. I've had a scan done and they said my ovaries and wombs healthy. The locum said the combination pill is my only option for my bad periods now. I've tried other options.

I'm sure there's something wrong with me. My head is always in a good place mentally. Obviously right now I'm feeling down as I've been woken up feeling sick. I've told the drs three times since February that I have young kids and it's making me struggle.

I wonder if the stomach tablets have caused this? It's like a fizzy sick feeling all up my throat from my stomach.

I'll look up the hernia thing thanks! That's interesting. I've googled endometriosis in the past and I don't get bad bad pains. I get one cramps that ibruprofen helps with on the first two days?

I'm frightened for the future. I really need to be there for my kids. If this was a school night I'd be so anxious about the morning after a night like this.

Thanks for your help. It's nice to not be alone

[Juanmorebeer]

B12? Had it checked?

[SkyesBackPack]

I had low iron. I took those horrible tablets too. You need a daily top up. I know not everyone gets on with them but I take prenatal tablets daily which are far gentler. So I might do iron tablets for two weeks to kick start but it’s ongoing on the prenatal tablet there after

Have a read up on fibroids and endometriosis. My sister was bleeding badly. All kinds of mess going on inside which once found was quickly and permanently fixed.

[SkyesBackPack]

Your periods being heavy is one way you ripely loose iron but it can be also low level constant internal bleeding. Like endo or a ulcer. I think it’s worth looking at why your periods are so bad.

[Justwannabe1]

Sick feeling into your throat sounds like reflux.

Sound like a few things are going on. One symptom leading or causing another write it all down.

I totally understand you feeling worried about your kids. I’ve been recently diagnosed with PTSD after neglect at a hospital which left me needing major surgery and now left me with ongoing complications. The most stressful part of all these was that feeling of like being totally upside down as my husband tried to keep things going with the kids and the house while I was so unwell and nearly died.

It’s a mum thing we spin all the plates, when we go down we take the full house with us and nothing ticks over quite the same.

You will be ok just get everything on paper and it will help you under what’s happening and be your own advocate don’t let the GP pass it off as stress!

[paradisebythedashboardlights]

I had to take iron tablets prescribed by the doctor a while ago and they caused me stomach problems including feeling sick a lot of the time and constipation.
Eventually it was decided I could have iron infusion's. I originally had 2 over a two week period, and have had a couple more since then. This is something you could ask about
Also yes to getting B12 checked, I was also low in this and the regular injections make a big difference

[Polpette]

OP you're describing the symptoms I have when my B12 injection is overdue. No amount of iron supplements will help if your body can't uptake B12. Definitely worth asking about. I hope you find a solution soon.

[Inkpaperstars]

Recent guidance has changed about iron tablets, they used to suggest three a day for example of 200 or 210mg each but now it is thought that the body cannot make use of more than one dose in that time, so the other two are just causing side effects for nothing.

[SquarePeggyLeggy]

Have you been checked for endometriosis? This sounds like me pre-surgery.

[SusieOwl4]

If you can I would recommend having a full thyroid panel and other tests on medicheck. I had undiagnosed thyroid problems for 5 years because a full test was not done . You can put in symptoms and they can recommend a test . You do it at home and 3 day turnaround .

[PurpleTrilby]

Just want to say don't be a vegan. So many people I've seen with serious problems, mental and physical and they are vegan, it's nuts. Get some meat or at least eggs down you. Don't be a martyr.

[hellywelly3]

Definitely recommend getting your thyroid checked

[Mnthrowaway20202]

I don’t think you took the iron tablets for long enough frankly.

The lower lab range for ferritin is quite low, so even though you may be within the lab range you can still experience deficiency symptoms with lower “normal” levels.

Just off the top of my head, my ferritin was say 15. I took ferrous fumarate for 6 months and was told to stop. My level was 90, but 3 months after stopping dropped to 70 - quite a stark drop considering I had no periods or bleeding of any sort as I am on the Depo.

So I reckon your iron stores have already depleted again, especially as you have been bleeding.

Spatone isn’t a sufficient replacement for the tablets I’m afraid - the amount of iron the sachets contain is laughable if you’re deficient as it’s not enough to raise your levels.

I would ask your GP to switch you to a more gentle product, ferrous fumarate is bearable. Or you can buy something else online, the tablets are available over the counter so you don’t need a prescription

[TheSandgroper]

Persistent anaemia is also a symptom of coeliac disease.