Any Anaemia sufferers....can I have some moral support?

[AtillaTheHoney]

I was diagnosed with anaemia 6 weeks ago, it bottomed out at 8 and I am on 600mg of iron a day.

I have peaks and troughs of energy but overall, would have to say I feel worse most of the time.

I also suffer with depression which I am finding difficult, I am naturally quite sporty and need to be on the go. I like tha buzz of life, and trying to 'take it easy' is a nightmare.

I often feel sick and have periods when I am living in a sort of fog, and don't seem to remember stuff. Like whole mornings.

If I sit down, and relax, even to have a cup of tea. I fall asleep. I am constantly trying to catch up with myself. Having suffered years of insomnia, I could now sleep for 14 hrs, and still be chronically exhausted.

Rightly or wrongly, I am still exercising because it makes me feel good, but I have cut it down quite considerably.

I don't think I am feeling particularly sorry for myself, but it is getting me down a litttle as I thought I would be starteing to feel a little better by now.

I have some other health issues, for which I have a hospital appointment next week.

I am trying to make sure I eat natural sources of iron and plenty of vitamin C, but, please tell me it gets easier soon.

Thanks if you read this.
I will probably be asleep by the time anybody replies!!

When my iron was really low (7?) I managed to bring it up a lot quicker than expected by eating a lot of carob. You can get bars in various health/wholefood shops - but I found the best option was to get carob flour (its just carob, nothing added) which looks a bit like cocoa but is naturally sweet and add a teaspoon full to various things - up to about 2 or 3 teaspoons a day - breakfast cereal (turns the milk caroby!), yoghurt, even milky drink. Its a really good way to absorb iron naturally. Hope you feel better soon.

It gets easier. It does.

When I was discharged after a cs, my iron was the same as yours and I was in a fog. I couldn't remember things, fainted a lot, I was tired all the time and felt teary. I didn't take the tablets as the side effects were horrid but I used spatone and ate lots and lots of iron rich foods with vitamin c to wash it down.

My iron levels are still low, below normal, because of heavy periods and bfing but it's manageable through diet.

I too exercise a lot as it makes me feel better. I couldn't give it up.

really hope you feel better soon.
The fog you mentioned sounds like quite a serious symptom of depression. I hope you are getting treatment for this.
Being proactive with other health issues should make you feel like things are improving. I would also say that if excersise makes you feel good, go for it!

Good luck.

I think you might have advised that before Mistlethrush....but I forgot .
Have written it down now.

Thank-you..

I know what you mean about the anaemia, but fortunately not the depression. My Hb was yo-yoing between 8 and 10 despite eating high iron diet, then I found out that it was my ferritin levels that were rock bottom (that's the iron store that tops up the haemoglobin levels), on an acceptable scale of 12 to 200 (or something like that) i was a 6, so not good. I had to go on mega doses of ferrous sulphate and I didn't start feeling better until after 3 months, when my Hb was up but not my ferritin, and then after 6 months my ferritin had finally gone up too. I'm staying on low doses of FS and having blood tests every 6 months now to see how it goes.

It is amazing how bad the anaemia can make you feel, and how damn cold. It wasn't until well after 3 months that I realised how much better I felt and how much warmer too.

So stick with it and believe me you will feel better - hopefully before too long.

Take care of yourself [hug]

The depression isn't my major worry at the moment, although I do like to keep my exercise up to keep it at bay.

The fog thing is new and so I don't think it is related to depression.

I am having my bloods done again this week so will see what progress there is.

And yes....cold....I am wrapped up in a blanket, and also enjoy exercising because it gets me warm.

Keep warm - and busy - exercising

Have they checked your B12?
Low B12 will give you anaemia and the fog

I think they are checking that next. Will ask about ferritin also...but will write it all down as will forget by the time I have slept!!

Thanks for all the replies,

I now have carob and a version of spatone as they didn't have it in.

((((()))))xx

Can I ask if you have had your thyroid levels checked? An underactive thyroid could also be adding to your problems and causing some of your symptoms.

My iron levels were down at 6 and I felt like I was dying on my feet. Everything was such a struggle. Once the supplements kicked in I felt amazing! Reborn! A recent blood test revealed that my levels are still low but are improving so I can only guess that I will be swinging from the chandeliers once they are back where they should be

Oh brilliant TimeForMe.....that is more like me....I'll get some chandaliers fitted for when things kick in!

I have had my thyroid checked over and over again, but do have a condition called fibromyalgia, (similar to chronic fatigue syndrome) that complicates things, but I had that under control.

Just impatient to take life by the horns I guess.....

So glad you are starting to feel better....6 is SO low. All the best.

Thank you I hope you start to feel better soon.

Just one more thing, ensure your GP continues to check your thyroid as it can be borderline, giving you symptoms but not low enough to show up in a blood test but, that can change! My dd has just been diagnosed after having symptoms for 2 years and every thyroid test until this latest one coming back negative.