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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if this is an emergency?

257 replies

Soitis83 · 01/03/2025 20:56

Posting here mainly for traffic.

The last week or so I've felt terrible. Finally took an iron tablet and felt so much better.
Problem is that better didn't last very long so I took another one..then another and then another. All together 80mg, one packet is mixed with other things and one is just 20mg.
I've convinced myself I'm going to die. Please someone reassure me I'm going to be okay

OP posts:
Original poster
Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 10:16

GardensBooksTea · 02/03/2025 09:52

I hope you've managed to sleep and are feeling better this morning OP.

I've struggled with health anxiety a lot at times, especially in my 20s and early 30s, so I really empathise. It's truly horrible to feel so panicked. Mine definitely peaked again when my son was little, and I can feel it again now my parents are elderly and unwell.

This probably isn't of help right now when your feelings are so intense, but I wanted to share a few things that have helped me to feel much better for the last decade or so.

CBT helped me a lot, as did an amazing mindfulness course (before it was trendy!). If you look up John Kabbat Zinn online, he has some things you can listen to and do at home which I found v helpful.

I've learned that keeping my blood sugar as stable as possible helps me to feel less anxious. It's really difficult, especially when you're exhausted and feeling under the weather and reaching for sugary food is all you want to do. But I know if I have a day when I eat erratically and my blood sugar yo yos around, that I'll feel panicky by the end of it.

I was in a pattern where if I felt any slightly odd physical sensation, I'd freak out about it, which would make lots of other anxiety symptoms start, and I'd start to feel I was dying of something and need medical reassurance. So a moment of dizziness for example, could send me into a spiral for weeks - and once I was worried about it, the symptom would stay, even through it was nothing really. I've very slowly learned to accept that my brain is just oversensitive to fairly normal sensations, and I can usually let them come and go.

The vitamin levels are definitely worth checking, as a B12 deficiency recently made me feel under the weather. And again, once there's something like that, until I know what it is it's easy to start catastrophising again.

I hope there might be a helpful thought somewhere in there OP. And good luck speaking to your GP tomorrow. Sending lots of supportive thoughts your way.

Honestly, your post helped me a lot just now. I realised that the moment I stop and give 'it' attention, the symptoms are there. When I'm just playing with my children, doing the housework ect, it's almost non existent. I think so much of it is in my head. You saying 'once I was worried about it, the symptom would stay' has just clicked. I think that's what's happening here. I'm almost positive I'm low iron and b12 which wouldn't be helping, but I think my main issue here is I had one panic attack and haven't yet shaken it off. My brain sounds very much the same as yours, super sensitive to normal sensations ! I cannot begin to tell you the difficulties I had in my early 20s with MH problems. Psychiatrists, doctors, medication, CBT, counselling, hospital trips, extreme weight loss and even attempts. I thought I was out of all of that but perhaps I was just stable, and now it's unstable again (gratefully not to that extent).
Thank you so much for your post, I'm sorry I can relate to you as I wish no one had to go through any of this, but it does help me a lot knowing I'm not the only one.

OP posts:
Audiprettier · 02/03/2025 10:37

Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 09:41

Then you clearly haven't read the whole thread

Show quote history

Clearly!!
Obviously a man!!.. get off

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 11:19

@Soitis83

Then you clearly haven't read the whole thread

I commented on it within 5 mins of you posting it, o have read all of it. I still don't understand why someone with anxiety would willingly take too many tablets. And that's ok, for me to not understand it, all it means is I have not experienced what you are.

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 11:20

@Audiprettier

Clearly!!
Obviously a man!!.. get off

You think I'm a man because someone said I haven't read the full thread (I have btw), are you quite ok? Why on earth would not reading the thread, if that were the case, make me a man?

Original poster
Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 11:44

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 11:19

@Soitis83

Then you clearly haven't read the whole thread

I commented on it within 5 mins of you posting it, o have read all of it. I still don't understand why someone with anxiety would willingly take too many tablets. And that's ok, for me to not understand it, all it means is I have not experienced what you are.

Okay then perhaps you missed the part when I explained I thought they were making me feel better. NOT taking the iron tablets was when I felt worse. Was in all int head? High possibility. But that's why I took more than the recommended amount.

OP posts:
Anonym00se · 02/03/2025 11:58

OP, don’t know if it’s been mentioned already but shallow breathing is often the cause of dizziness. Deep breathing exercises really do help. Meditation was life changing for me. I learned to notice when I was feeling anxious or tense and adjust my body and breathing long before it built up to an anxiety attack.

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 12:00

Okay then perhaps you missed the part when I explained I thought they were making me feel better. NOT taking the iron tablets was when I felt worse. Was in all int head? High possibility. But that's why I took more than the recommended amount.

I didn't miss it at all, it's just nonsensical to deliberately overdose. Like I said though, I don't relate because I have never been in that situation.

Original poster
Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 12:33

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 12:00

Okay then perhaps you missed the part when I explained I thought they were making me feel better. NOT taking the iron tablets was when I felt worse. Was in all int head? High possibility. But that's why I took more than the recommended amount.

I didn't miss it at all, it's just nonsensical to deliberately overdose. Like I said though, I don't relate because I have never been in that situation.

Edited

I can absolutely see how ridiculous I look. And believe me, it's very out of character. But I did it thinking it helped. I made a mistake

OP posts:
Original poster
Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 12:34

Anonym00se · 02/03/2025 11:58

OP, don’t know if it’s been mentioned already but shallow breathing is often the cause of dizziness. Deep breathing exercises really do help. Meditation was life changing for me. I learned to notice when I was feeling anxious or tense and adjust my body and breathing long before it built up to an anxiety attack.

That's very helpful. Now some posters have made me realise it's mostly anxiety I'll be using this tip, thank you

OP posts:
GardensBooksTea · 02/03/2025 15:45

Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 10:16

Honestly, your post helped me a lot just now. I realised that the moment I stop and give 'it' attention, the symptoms are there. When I'm just playing with my children, doing the housework ect, it's almost non existent. I think so much of it is in my head. You saying 'once I was worried about it, the symptom would stay' has just clicked. I think that's what's happening here. I'm almost positive I'm low iron and b12 which wouldn't be helping, but I think my main issue here is I had one panic attack and haven't yet shaken it off. My brain sounds very much the same as yours, super sensitive to normal sensations ! I cannot begin to tell you the difficulties I had in my early 20s with MH problems. Psychiatrists, doctors, medication, CBT, counselling, hospital trips, extreme weight loss and even attempts. I thought I was out of all of that but perhaps I was just stable, and now it's unstable again (gratefully not to that extent).
Thank you so much for your post, I'm sorry I can relate to you as I wish no one had to go through any of this, but it does help me a lot knowing I'm not the only one.

Show quote history

I'm glad it was helpful - I hope today's been better for you. DM if you ever need to.

Audiprettier · 02/03/2025 18:00

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 11:20

@Audiprettier

Clearly!!
Obviously a man!!.. get off

You think I'm a man because someone said I haven't read the full thread (I have btw), are you quite ok? Why on earth would not reading the thread, if that were the case, make me a man?

OMG! Some people are just so ignorant AND bigoted!
Yawn!

Original poster
Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 19:02

GardensBooksTea · 02/03/2025 15:45

I'm glad it was helpful - I hope today's been better for you. DM if you ever need to.

Show quote history

Thank you

It started off really well, then got to about 3 and I started feeling out of sorts again. I'm in bed already now the kids are absolutely exhausted. Calling the doctors first thing tomorrow morning x

OP posts:
richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 19:12

@Audiprettier

OMG! Some people are just so ignorant AND bigoted!
Yawn!

Care to explain?

Audiprettier · 02/03/2025 20:25

Soitis83 · 02/03/2025 19:02

Thank you

It started off really well, then got to about 3 and I started feeling out of sorts again. I'm in bed already now the kids are absolutely exhausted. Calling the doctors first thing tomorrow morning x

Show quote history

Hi again Soitis83,
Definitely sounds as if you're in need of a little support.
Good luck with Dr's appt asap. Even if you do feel a little better atm
Usually having anxiety/stress will get you a quicker appt.🤞
It will help. 💐

FloydWasACat · 02/03/2025 22:07

Feroglobin is your friend here, you have to buy it is better than the iron tablets you get prescribed. Please trust me on this xx

Original poster
Soitis83 · 03/03/2025 07:26

Audiprettier · 02/03/2025 20:25

Hi again Soitis83,
Definitely sounds as if you're in need of a little support.
Good luck with Dr's appt asap. Even if you do feel a little better atm
Usually having anxiety/stress will get you a quicker appt.🤞
It will help. 💐

Show quote history

Thank you so much. Counting down the minutes till 8am ! X

OP posts:
Original poster
Soitis83 · 03/03/2025 07:26

FloydWasACat · 02/03/2025 22:07

Feroglobin is your friend here, you have to buy it is better than the iron tablets you get prescribed. Please trust me on this xx

That's what I've been taking. But I think I need something much higher in iron ?

OP posts:
BobnLen · 03/03/2025 07:43

Feroglobin is just the recommended daily amount, I take it because I have always been a bit borderline anaemic and don't eat red meat, so more of a maintenance thing so fine for OP once her levels are up, hope this will be sorted at the GP as she will probably need a higher amount which the GP will prescribe if it's anaemia.

Original poster
Soitis83 · 03/03/2025 09:19

BobnLen · 03/03/2025 07:43

Feroglobin is just the recommended daily amount, I take it because I have always been a bit borderline anaemic and don't eat red meat, so more of a maintenance thing so fine for OP once her levels are up, hope this will be sorted at the GP as she will probably need a higher amount which the GP will prescribe if it's anaemia.

That's what I was thinking.
Got through to the GP this morning and asked for a blood test to check my iron, b12 and thyroid levels, all things people have suggested on here. She was so lovely and understanding on the phone and said a doctor will call me back this morning. So phones on loud and just patiently waiting now

OP posts:
Fascinate · 03/03/2025 21:40

Soitis83 · 01/03/2025 21:22

I stupidly got onto google that told me an iron overdose can be fatal. Anything over 60mg was dangerous is what I read..

Show quote history

60mg/kg

I.e. 60mg per kg of your weight

If you're going to self-diagnose via google at least learn to read properly

daleylama · 03/03/2025 22:48

tellmesomethingtrue · 01/03/2025 21:37

Let's hope there's no one having a heart attack, stroke, artirial bleed, anyphalctic shock or any other actual emergency at this moment. Apologies for spelling!!

Be kind. Sounds much more like she is having a massive anxiety attack and thats why they are sending help

Lyraloo · 03/03/2025 23:07

Soitis83 · 01/03/2025 21:12

I was quite surprised myself. I can't get there myself as I have three young children here

Show quote history

What are you going to do with the children while you go to hospital?

PanicStations123 · 03/03/2025 23:14

My ex rang 111 with a toothache one time and an ambulance appeared.

Original poster
Soitis83 · 04/03/2025 11:30

Fascinate · 03/03/2025 21:40

60mg/kg

I.e. 60mg per kg of your weight

If you're going to self-diagnose via google at least learn to read properly

Show quote history

Well you're a ray of sunshine

OP posts:
Original poster
Soitis83 · 04/03/2025 11:32

daleylama · 03/03/2025 22:48

Be kind. Sounds much more like she is having a massive anxiety attack and thats why they are sending help

Show quote history

You're right. That's exactly what it was. The last two days have been a lot better though. I still have to actively fight off anxiety but now I've recognised it, it's easier to manage

OP posts: