Help me with a health overhaul please

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Have felt rotten for ages, and think one of the things that might help is a change in diet. I'm vegetarian but need a big boost in iron and vitamin B12, I think.

I also think I probably need to eat little and often, to avoid dips in blood sugar - and also to drink much more water.

Any tips for iron and B vitamin rich foods, please? Ideas for healthy snacks to keep in my bag for a quick boost? Ways of remembering to drink lots of water (when I don't like it much) etc?

Anything else? Supplements?

I want to take more exercise but currently feel so weak that I just haven't been up to it - have passed out a couple of times, and feel on the verge of it a lot. I do try to walk as much as possible.

Thank you.

I am anaemic - was 8 at last count. The doc keeps prescribing iron tablets and it goes up, and then he tells me to stop taking them, and it goes down. Will see what this batch of tests comes out at.

Have been taking Floradix since the doc told me to stop the iron, but it hasn't helped much, if at all.

Will certainly look into magnesium and am already trying to eat more eggs. I'd only try meat as an absolute last resort. I would be willing to try to eat fish, but I don't like it much.

Crossed posts - thanks, Pig.

To get my iron levels up I had to take floradix and spatone and eat red meat three times a week.

Honestly? I have accepted, sadly, I need red meat to function and I am full of energy again. Probably not what you want to hear!

If you can face it, lamb or calf liver once a week, fried in butter, is like an energy shot!

Tbh, flaxseed not that useful as it is not the best omega-3 oil to take. It is ALA which the human body struggles to convert to the better ones found in fish oil (DHA and EPA), so most of it is 'lost'.

Remus, do you eat fish? If you do, then an Omega-3/cod liver oil could be beneficial. If you don't eat fish, there are algae-based Omega-3 supps, which are utterly veggie/vegan.

Re iron, I found Ferroglobin better than Floradix/Spatone. Although tbh if you are medically anaemic and have already been taking prescribed meds, you'd be better off following drs advice.

If you are loathe to eat meat, could you give yourself eg 1 month for a diet overhaul where you do your utmost to eat iron rich meals and snacks, taken with vit c things? Then if that does not work, consider other options?

The other biggie is - are you getting enough sleep?

I don't generally eat fish, but I did have some last week, in an attempt to train myself - I managed to eat three bites!

I'd really struggle with meat, I think.

Yeah, and if you'd struggle with meat, prob liver is not that appealing!

Other thing is - do you have any blood losses, eg heavy periods, fibroids that need to get sorted?

Both of those, Zebra.

Oh no, but thought as much. Are you getting that sorted?

Do you like soya things? Tofu etc quite high in soya and that's relatively easy to work into other things - eg a smoothie with frozen berries blended with silken tofu and a bit of honey - is honestly really nice!

Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE soya beans - again, I buy frozen and eat them defrosted in salads, or heated up as a side veg etc.

Like both tofu and soya beans, and have them regularly.

Doc seems to be keeping working on the, 'Let's see how things go' line but I am going to go back next week and stamp my feet! it's ridiculous - I'm a professional, middle-aged woman, perfectly assertive generally - and yet I turn into a mouse at the doctor's.

Oh no!

Can you channel someone else and 'play' them as all assertive etc? Or just remember that you pay your taxes, so you're entitled to good care.

Don't suppose you have private medical so that you can get investigations more quickly?

No to private. Thanks, Zebra - I will try that.

Update, if anybody is interested.

Iron is 11, so right at the bottom end of normal. Doctor has prescribed iron tablets for three months. That's it - he didn't seem fussed in the slightest about the fact that I've been feeling so ill, that I've been passing on the verge of passing out frequently, and have passed out once; that my fingers and toes are permanently frozen; nothing about what to try next re the heavy periods. I just felt as if he wanted to rush me out with a prescription as soon as possible.

He said B12 was fine, but I'm going to try taking the stuff Noddy linked to anyway.

Arghhh. Any more tips, please?

Oh, Remus - that is rubbish.
Were you able to tell doc how you felt, do you think you were assertive and were heard?

Either way, is there another doc at practice you could see, or could you change docs? To have something as basic as too-heavy periods and passing out, ignored - is NOT ok.

Thanks, Zebra. He seems to think the iron will sort me out, but it didn't last time I took it. I'm on tranexamic acid for the periods, but obviously that isn't 'fixing' them, just masking them a bit. I'm going to go back and ask to be referred to gynae next.

I agree it's time for a new GP.

Have you had your thyroid checked and what was your TSH level?

Do you get any sun - could vit D be low?

It's impossible to say - but I would insist on comprehensive blood tests. Thyroid (and the NHS "normal" isn't necessarily what you will feel good at).

I do have recommendations but it involves meat. Sorry....

Thank you. Thyroid fine, apparently. They've run masses of blood tests and am apparently low for iron and 'fine' for B12 (but I've bought that under the tongue stuff anyway), thyroid and cholesterol - still waiting on the tests for kidney function and diabetes.

Yesterday I started on the prescribed iron tablets, the B12 stuff and I bought some evening primrose oil too. Felt okay yesterday, other than period pain (only two and a bit weeks between periods this time too - grrr) but today I'm tired and weak and light headed again, so aim to have a day of lounging around in the garden and drinking shedloads of water.

What is TSH level btw?

Just had the letter - kidneys fine and no risk of diabetes.

Thyroid stimulating hormone. The NHS will say anything under 4 is "normal".

But evidence suggests you want it under 2 or can make you feel rotten.

If you phone the GP receptionist they will tell you your TSH over the phone.

I should point out I'm no "expert" - I had poor health a few years ago and the NHS couldn't help me do I did a lot of reading.... Ultimately you have to make your own mind up...

Thanks, Pig. I don't know what the number was. I'm going to see how I get on with the vits, and make them send me to see a gynae.

My b12 was low for years but my hospital consultants didn't think it was low enough to treat it was my GP who spotted it In other countries they treat it way before we do. Definitely worth a try. I didn't think 11 was too bad for RBC so the tablets should sort that pretty fast.