Help! Anaemic and SO weary, iron tablets not helping

[ItchyHeadNitOrNot]

Is there anything else I can do to feel better? Dr said it can take upto 6 months for iron levels to get back up buy I'm so tired I want to cry at the thought of walking 5 minutes to my local shop 😩. I can't bear to feel like this for months, is there anything else I can do to help feel better?

@AnneLovesGilbert

It’s worth asking for your test results. The receptionist should be able to tell you. The range of acceptable for b12 in particular in this country are much lower than in others so it’s worth checking.

Ferritin in your iron stores. Fixed by normal iron supplements.

And you don’t need a prescription, ferrous sulphate is widely available and cheap. I bulk buy from an online chemist as 3 a day goes quickly.

This - get your actual results.

Also, has the Dr checked your thyroid gland? I went to the Drs for 10 years with fatigue, was told it was all sorts of things, including anaemia, and ended up collapsing before it became clear what the problem was.

I’m afraid you have to be really proactive with GPs now, make sure you know what your test results are and find out what they mean. As the previous poster said normal ranges for things adjust geographically so if something is borderline for a test in your area your GP may say it is fine, but that might not necessarily be the case for you as an individual.

I was always annoyed when pregnant as they said by iron level was ok until the very end of my pregnancy even though I'd fall asleep every lunch time from 20 weeks (4 pregnancies happened each time).

They don't know what is normal for an individual nor what else is going on.

I would try bring your blood test forward, even if you have to blag it about how you feel worse than you did before you started taking the tablets.

OP like a couple of others I had low Vit D and iron. I was prescribed a weekly Vit D tablet and it made a noticeable difference. I waited for a prescription for iron whilst GP arranged other tests so I felt the impact of the Vit D by itself after 3 weeks. So that might be something that you find too.

I am struggling with anemia too but in my case partly my own doing as I have switched to taking half my prescribed daily dose of ferrous fumerate. I am still very tired but couldn't work with the dodgy stomach on full dose. Hoping levels are slowly improving. No retesting available.

Hope I can use your thread to ask those who linked anemia to periods, does the treatment help? I actually feel physically ill at the beginning of my period my head is so fuzzy. GP didn't mention doing anything about periods. Been look up transexamic acid and see it's available over the counter.

I’m probably older than you all, but I’ve had a coil put in to reduce/stop periods as that’s what was causing my very low ferritin.
It was only when I started taking iron, and upped my red meat intake, that I realised how awful it had made me feel.

OP did the GP consider underlying causes? (Like stool sample to check digestive system all ok)
Having a child who isn't sleeping well is miserable alongside being physically run down due to iron as well. I hope things pick up soon.

Tran acid reduces the bleeding but you can long take it for 3 consecutive days. For me I used to bleed for 7 days so it just seemed to delay the flooding etc. Worth a try for you? Can't take it with ibuprofen though.

I ended up with womb ablation once my family was complete, changed my life.

I have short heavy periods so might work for me. Although I feel at worst before period which makes me think hormonal.

Good that you found an eventual answer. And GoognightGrandma.

Its difficult sometimes to work out what is poor sleep/anemia/or perimenopause!

I felt like you with low iron levels, could barely manage the 10 min walk home from work at the end of the day and when I got there I had to just lie down while dp made dinner. Felt weepy and faint and exhausted all the time, it was awful.

I took high dose ferrous fumarate (prescribed) 3 x a day on an empty stomach (no tea or coffee) with orange juice. Also ate liver (bleurrgh), venison and red meat as much as I could, with something which had vit c in it (eg tomatoes).

It took 3 months to get my levels up to 'normal' but I started to feel a lot better after about 6 weeks.

It's a slow and arduous process without an iron infusion and the tablets weren't kind on my stomach but it was worth it.

Eat liver... heme iron in meat is much more bioavailable.

Liver stroganoff is really tasty (lambs/calves). Fry onion, garlic, mushrooms, bacon bits. Then lightly fry liver strips, no more than a couple of mins. Add a splash of brandy/white wine/booze, a big dollop of sour cream/crème fraîche, paprika, mustard. Heat through the creamy sauce then serve.

If you don’t like liver on its own, try pâté, or at least eat red meat/steaks several times a week.

Also eat some vitamin C rich fruit after every meat based meal and avoid tea & coffee around those meals as tannins and caffeine are anti-nutrients and block absorption of minerals.

I always ask for my levels printed out after being once told I was fine to stop iron and my ferritin was 9.

You can also email your surgery and ask for them to email your results.
Or sign up to the nhs app and you can request your entire medical history including test results. Can take a little while but well worth it

It is really important to avoid the tea and coffee and to take your iron with vitamin C. You absorb 4 times as much iron that way.
I agree with pp suggesting you need to get a print out of all your results. There are different types and causes of anaemia and sometimes just taking iron isnt the answer.
Are you suffering from heavy periods? Has your gp checked for any other signs of bleeding?

I ended up having an iron transfusion (I’ve had 3 now over about 6 years) and that made such a difference.

The tablets didn’t do anything for me at all, so it may be worth asking about?

Sytron Syrup was a godsend for me. Its prescribed but is much better absorbed. Worth a try.

How have people got transfusions? Are they good for low ferritin in particular? No one has ever mentioned them to me and my ferritin once hit 4 and all I was told was take the pills but accept I’ll be anaemic or borderline until I stop having periods.

@AnneLovesGilbert that's appalling!!

How old are you and how heavy are your periods?

@AnneLovesGilbert

How have people got transfusions? Are they good for low ferritin in particular? No one has ever mentioned them to me and my ferritin once hit 4 and all I was told was take the pills but accept I’ll be anaemic or borderline until I stop having periods.

My dad got his after being referred by his doctor. I'd go back and pester the doctor.

Vitamin d supplements are really important too. We should all be taking it now it is Autumn.

Re. Original cause of iron deficiency & IDA - many, many premenopausal women are iron deficient simply through years of periods. Once your ferritin (iron stores) deplete it is very difficult to get them back to healthy levels through diet alone. Many people take iron supplements incorrectly in terms of cofactors (that limit absorption, like tea coffee etc), many of the iron salts are very poorly absorbed etc).
Also, with IDA and iron deficiency the irony is that as your ferritin lowers, periods often get heavier. Same for when you start on high doses of iron. So it's even harder to get ferritin up.
Side effects are unfortunately often part of the process of getting ferritin up.
Recommend iron protocol on Facebook again!

I'm in the same position. Iron and ferritin are both 7. I've been pretty much bed-bound for 3 weeks with fatigue and fainting. They are investigating underlying cause but I need to get back to work! I've been on ferrous fumarate for 2 weeks and Im still feeling rubbish. Following this thread for help!

Anne
That's terrible, my levels hit 4 and I was admitted to hospital ,at the height of covid, as an emergency for multiple blood transfusions.

My situation was caused by horrendous periods due to fibroids.

Seriously, if your levels are that low you need someone to help you, levels that low can cause heart damage etc.

Definitely eat liver

It’s an absolute super food, and your body definitely will absorb the nutrients unlike with supplements. It’s literally £1 and can change your life in a matter of weeks

www.verywellfit.com/beef-liver-nutrition-facts-and-health-benefits-5025125#beef-liver-nutrition-facts

I agree with a previous poster, ask for the blood test for Coeliac disease. I had low ferritin and haemoglobin. Was getting quite anaemic and tired. I had none of the classic Coeliac symptoms, diarrhoea etc, but that turned out to be the cause. I'm fine now.
Some GPs don't seem to think of it. And l know of someone who had to ask three times for the test, and GP was a bit sheepish when it came back positive

I’m late 30s and periods aren’t too bad now but the second day is torrential and I try not to go out if I can help it. They’re only 4 days now and they’ve always been very heavy so I guess it’s relative. Started tranex again last cycle and it made a difference so I’m sticking with it but I only got it as I asked. GP didn’t even ask about periods.

Ferritin was 6 when I asked for bloods several months ago and I started back on the iron pills. My GP said she was worried but I’m only allowed to book phone appointments with her, no one else, and she only works one day a week so it had taken a month from initial request to getting results back.

A month after 3 pills a day my ferritin was 40 so improving and I’m generally feeling much better but my fair is so dry I’m having half of it cut off.

It took 6 or 7 years for someone to pick up how bad my b12 was, a locum noticed and I’d been fobbed off for so long it was unbelievable. That’s under control now but the iron issue persists off and on.

If I post my blood results would someone be able to advise?