Crushing fatigue, anaemia or something else?

[BognorBeach]

For the past month or so I've felt so fatigued, not just tiredness but an all consuming exhaustion with no apparent cause.

The last time I had bloods done was 2 years ago before an operation and these were my results.

Haematocrit - 0.369
Haemoglobin - 117

I can't see anything about foliate or ferritin but after googling I think the above refers to iron?

The doctor wanted me to take a course of iron at the time but I didn't complete it as I have chronic gastritis and couldn't tolerate the stomach pain it caused me. I don't remember feeling especially tired then.

It just occurred to me that this extreme fatigue/exhaustion may be linked to iron.

Without treating - are levels like mine were 2 years ago likely to improve significantly on their own or would menstruation mean they'd have continued getting lower?

I've made an appointment with my GP but it isn't for another fortnight.

Any advice welcome. Tia

that's a normal haemaglobin so no anaemia x

Have you had b12 checked?

I haven't had my b12 checked no, that's one of the things I'm going to ask about when I see my GP

I've never felt so exhausted 😩

I felt similar last year was told after blood test, low b12, low iron take supplements. Ended up in hospital this year, turns out I have a heart condition. If they give you supplements and things don't improve please don't let them fob you off.

I would try and get your ferritin checked. I had normal haemoglobin but v low ferritin and an iron infusion transformed me!

Thank you for the helpful suggestions!

I will make sure I'm not fobbed off, I have young children and need to be able to function better than this.

I agree with checking your ferritin levels it can make you feel exhausted when low.
Are these the only results you can see?

Do you have any other symptoms, even weird, random ones, other than the exhaustion?

If you have an upset stomach, try iron with molasses which they sell at Holland and barrister or get the slow release iron by vitabiotics. All gentle on tummy

Ask for a test for coeliac disease.

Your chronic gastritis might actually be coeliac symptoms from eating gluten

Low iron and fatigue are classic coeliac symptoms.

Whatever you do don't stop eating gluten until you have had the blood test for it

Deffo get B12 checked - I think all women should be told that laughing gas we have during labour depletes B12 and should be checked for stores post-partum. Sadly seems to often be overlooked and often you'll need injections as it's not an easy one to get from food alone, plus many have absorption issues so deffo worth getting checked for that.

If you've suddenly lost or put on a lot of weight I'd get thyroid checked too - another one frequently overlooked by mainly male GPs.

I had gastritis confirmed via endoscopy and the cause was long term NSAID use (for another condition I have)

Regarding weight loss - that's pause for thought as I have lost 5 stones (with the help of mounjaro).

That said, I reached my goal weight last year and havent lost any more weight since. I'm pretty sure that the mounjaro isn't the cause as I only take a tiny maintenance dose once per fortnight. I was fortunate not to have many side effects even on the higher doses when actively losing.

Thyroid - gosh yes I didn't think of that. I've made a note and will mention that to the GP when I go along too.

Any other weird symptoms - none that I've noticed.

If i really think about it my mood has been a little up and down but I have ADHD so that isn't out of the norm for me.

I just remembered - I've had two other occasions of being perscribed iron tablets, in those cases after I'd given birth and they took bloods, so I seem to have a tendency towards low iron.

Thank you this is all very helpful!