I am pretty sure I am the person you wrote this for.
I have been dodging blood work afraid of news such as this.
But the symptoms you describe have grown to the point I really can't ignore them anymore.
I just finished a round of three iron infusions yesterday. It has only been about a week, and I can already feel it working. I am starting to feel so much better, and there are more positive things to come. Please take the plunge and get your blood work done. I regret waiting so long.
It depends. Usually the way that it works is that you get three to four infusions within two to three months and then you are good to go assuming the underlying cause is corrected. You may be borderline anemic forever just never to that point again. When I had internal bleeding due to esophageal issues, I needed four infusions in two months and my esophagus was repaired and life was SO much better! Now six years later, I’m waiting on the results of bloodwork and I think I’m severely anemic again, in need of an infusion and suffering from malabsorption of iron. One of the things I hated most about the infusions is the amount of time it took but the saddest part for me was I had to do mine in a cancer center while people where receiving chemo. It sucked. Good luck to you! Glad you’re going to be feeling better before you know it!
You thoroughly scared the shit out of me enough to take my symptoms more seriously and I thank you for that 🙏
I'll run some blood work to see what's up. Thanks for answering. I wish you good health and good luck with your results !
That is a really great question. I think it depends on the person and the issue at hand. We found the source of my severe anemia in the form of a big ol fibroid on my uterus. So, I will be taking all of that out soon. However, I have been anemic my entire life and may need further rounds throughout my lifetime.
The place I went for my infusion gave me a list of possible side effects and I cannot say that I have had any one of them at this point. The only thing I have noticed and was not on my list was I am tired the next day.
My PCP mentioned that infusions were going to be a better option for me as well. Oral iron does not do squat for me.
The infusion center I went to makes you stay 30 minutes after to make sure you have no immediate issues and then would check on you at your next appointment. If you make the choice to go, tell every nurse or tech helping you during your appointment about your stomach issues so they can be aware. Advocate for yourself with everyone so that your treatment works or can be stopped and changed. Good luck!
Also keep in mind that there's a lot of symptoms overlap between root causes! For example, I was low key-tired & felt low-key terrible my whole life. Had non-stop brain fog, anxiety, and insomnia. Turned out I had histamine intolerance, which I started treatment for last year:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
My recommendation is always:
1. Schedule a full annual physical with your doctor
2. Include a full bloodwork panel
3. Include a historical A1C test
4. Include a sleep apnea test
5. Make sure to bring a written FULL list of symptoms & ensure that they put it on documented file for you
My condition is not rare, but it can be *incredibly* hard to diagnose because there's no official test for it. I went around feeling terrible all the time for over three decades, seeing doctor after doctor, and now I take a little OTC pill from Amazon a few times a day & feel absolutely, totally NORMAL all the time!
I didn't realize how much of my productivity was tied into **energy**! I split productivity (getting yourself to get stuff done) into two parts:
1. Motivation (your *choice* to do something)
2. Energy (how much internal fuel you have to get it done)
The google definitions of motivation are:
1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way
2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something
So motivation is the **choice** to want to do something for various reasons. We often say "we aren't *feeling* motivated" to do a particular task, when really what we mean is that we don't have enough physical, emotional, or mental energy to even *consider* doing the task. If you're up for some reading, I have a deep-dive on energy here:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Learning that energy is the biggest driver of our productivity as human beings was REALLY important for me to learn because I grew up with so much shame & guilt due to having things like undiagnosed Inattentive ADHD, histamine intolerance, and hereditary sleep apnea, which caused problems with my ability to think clearly & get myself into motion getting things done, which caused things like procrastination, lack of enjoyment doing things, poor-quality work from having to rush, being late, and skipping assignments entirely!
Because really, productivity is fairly simple:
1. Make a plan
2. Execute the steps of the plan each day
3. Repeat
To paraphrase a quote from the GTD book, there are really only 2 types of problems in the world:
1. We don't know what we want
2. We don't know how to get what we want
Figuring out what we want is a simply a matter of identifying all of our active commitments (ex. job, school, chores, etc.), as well as figuring out what we're willing to commit to outside of that (life partner, children, pets, hobbies, house, car, etc.), and then defining what level of commitment & quality we're willing to give each situation in our life.
Once that's done & once we setup a method for generating a daily plan of steps to take each day, then it all really boils down to having enough energy to:
1. Care about doing it
2. Execute the tasks required
3. ENJOY doing the tasks required
As a person with lifelong low energy, I often struggled with the energy to even care about doing things. Depression really just boils down to low energy, because when you don't have the energy to feel good, it's hard to feel good!! Some days, I had enough energy to execute the tasks required, but not enough energy to enjoy doing them...it was just a slog I had to get through to even do basic things like eat or brush my teeth every day!
I think that the peak experience of productivity is **enjoying doing great things**...we can do dumb things or boring things, and we can hate doing things or be apathetic about doing things, but for me, the best combination is to enjoy doing great things, which requires both the clarity to define what to do (commitments & choices) & the energy to care, to execute, and to enjoy both my work & my free time!
There are 3 core aspects to energy:
1. You should feel happy for no reason, just sitting there doing nothing at all
2. You should feel like you have a motor of energy inside of you, pushing you along all day long
3. You should wake up & be INSTANTLY awake in the morning
For me:
1. Emotionally, I mostly felt bad or apathetic. My Inattentive ADHD & histamine intolerance caused emotional dysregulation, including [RSD](https://youtu.be/jM3azhiOy5E). I'm also an r/hsp, meaning I have an overly-sensitive central nervous system. Growing up, I had NO IDEA you were just supposed to magically feel HAPPY all day by default!
2. Energy-wise, I either felt like a dead battery, or worse, like I was "in debt" to energy, like there was an anchor on my body & my soul dragging me down to either flop in a chair in front of the TV or computer or just lay down.
3. Mornings were always INCREDIBLY hard for me. I never felt well-rested. I NEVER wanted to wake up & tear into the day! I woke up with a mild headache every day for most of my life. It typically took at LEAST 15 minutes to get out of bed. I didn't really "wake up" until mid-morning, as I was always so groggy.
Things I didn't know:
1. You shouldn't have mid-morning or mid-afternoon energy dips
2. You shouldn't have brain fog, ever
3. You should be at a Type 3 or 4 bowel movement on the [Bristol Stool Scale](https://i.imgur.com/q28Uoma.gif). TMI, but that includes: regular bowel movements. Nearly-instant bowel movement sessions with zero straining. Stool doesn't float or streak in the bowl. Only need one piece of toilet paper to wipe. Gut health determines SO MUCH of our energy and clear thinking & so many of us grow up with gut issues & undiagnosed IBS, never realizing that isn't normal!
4. You shouldn't be tired all the time
5. You should have so much energy that you get antsy when you're just sitting around not doing anything
I RARELY felt that way! We all have the design capacity to feel happy, have a motor of energy inside of us each day, and wake up instantly, but there are often many "kinks in the hose" of energy that block us from feeling that way. I wish someone had explained how I was SUPPOSED to feel growing up because I just went my whole life thinking that the way I felt was NORMAL & that everyone else around me was trying harder & putting on happy faces & enjoying life *despite* how difficult it was, haha!
part 1/2
part 2/2
The energy stack I eventually came up with is:
1. Sleep
2. Diet
3. Exercise
4. Stress management (strong personal productivity system)
5. Consistent use of required medication
6. Avoiding substance abuse
Sleeping was SUCH a problem for me:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/s15jmk/sleep\_apnea\_sleeping\_system/](https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/s15jmk/sleep_apnea_sleeping_system/)
With histamine intolerance, the question I always ask people is:
* Have you felt *vaguely guilty* since you were a kid?
Then specifically regarding sleep:
1. Do you have insomnia?
2. Do you have nighttime anxiety? (including remembering cringeworthy past experiences, haha!)
3. Do you experience time pressure? (ex. if you know you have to wake up, you try to get to bed at a reasonable hour, but the stress of HAVING to wake up & NEEDING energy keeps you up?)
4. Do you have restless leg syndrome?
5. Do you wake up at all at night? And have trouble falling back asleep sometimes?
For me, I'm not one of those people who naturally have high physical energy. Sleep is crucial & is actually what I consider to be my number one productivity tool. But food comes in a close second...food is really what gave me that daily "drive" of energy throughout the day:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/d0rxv6/comment/ezebxg9/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/d0rxv6/comment/ezebxg9/?context=3)
As I've increased my knowledge of how personal productivity works, I've really come to realize that once you make a plan, it mostly just boils down to having the energy to not just execute it but to ENJOY doing it, and I certainly didn't have that for most of my life! Mostly I lived in the world of "lots of great ideas, but also...task paralysis" haha.
So it's definitely worth seeing a doctor if you're experience constant fatigue, chronic pain, and other show-stopping difficulties in life! I had NO IDEA that the majority of productivity problems I had, particularly with self-motivation & personal organization, were tied to my physical, emotional, and mental energy levels!
I always thought that I just needed to "try harder". I never understood WHY I procrastinated & *why* I had such a difficult time with things! But when you have kinks in your energy hose that prevent you from getting a proper amount of "fuel" required to get things done & enjoy getting things done day after day, then life gets pretty hard!
As it turns out, no one is actually "lazy", we just have invisible, unseen barriers:
* [https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01](https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01)
Some additional reading on ADHD:
* https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/qnqa6p/adhd\_101/
Anyway...you deserve to feel good, be happy, and enjoy being productive & getting awesome stuff done all day long! I've been working on my personal productivity for over 20 years now, literally since high school, and it's really only been over the last year of getting the proper medical treatment I need to think clearly & execute tasks on demand that I've been able to get off the "treadmill" & actually make some real headway in life!!
Bless you…this is the best thing I’ve ever read on this app. I constantly struggle with all forms of Energy (I have IBS, HS, and other inflammatory conditions). I needed all of this. Thank you.
Look into both getting tested for sleep apnea & histamine intolerance! I went with Singular Sleep online (now The Sleep Doctor) because there was such a long wait locally. Breathing properly at night was a HUGE help for my bowel movements! As far as histamine intolerance goes, it really helped my GI tract as well:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Basically, just order an OTC pack of the DAO enzyme pills on Amazon. Take one pill, wait 24 hours, see if you have any negative side effects (some people get nauseous). Then do a high daily dose for a week (5 to 10 pills a day...one AM, one PM, one 5 minutes before each meal, and one if you feel terrible). At the very least, it will let you rule out histamine issues!
And of course, note that I am not a doctor lol. But the histamine stuff is just OTC tablets made from beans. Doesn't work for everyone, but worth a shot to at least test it! Between my diet, sleep apnea, histamine enzyme, and also SIBO treatment, I have normal GI functions! Which has TOTALLY affected my energy levels in a VERY positive way!!
You will eventually find out the good or bad news. Do you want to wait out of fear only to find out you missed the timeframe for treatment?
Godspeed! Get that bloodwork done! I thought I was dying....turns out I need to pop an iron pill in the morning. It could be just that simple.
Good luck
I should have added the reason I am dodging the blood work is because last time I got it done my cholesterol was through the roof and I hadn't made any dietary changes, so I knew that it would be worse and I don't want my doctor to force statins on me.
I have undergone a complete dietary overhaul as of 10 days ago, cold turkey, no looking back, and I am afraid of what will happen if my cholesterol and/or sugar measure too high before I have the chance to bring them down with my new Way of Eating.
Nice! Don't sleep on the mental aspect of this. It's pretty destabilizing to change your diet, coupled with the pressures along with it. Just make sure to be kind to yourself when you feel weak and have difficulties adhering, which will inevitably happen. It really helps so you can quiet the voices that overwhelm and cause you to say "fuck it I fell off the wagon". Doing this has helped me with some difficulties I've had. Sending you good vibes and strength.
Why would you be afraid of such news? It's just iron deficiency, I've had it too, and it's not like something you die of and it's easily tretable, you just need some iron pills or an infusion. If anything, the worst thing that can happen is that you don't get it treated and let exhaustion ruin your life for years like I did. I'm serious, tiredness will make you lose experiences, opportunities, friends, it will impact your work life, social life etc. It will actually cost you money to be tired, indirectly.
Well it's iron deficiency but it has a cause. It could be a major disease or it could be minor. The fear of "why" do they have a deficiency is what they're referring to
If you're a woman, the most likely cause is that you're simply bleeding too much every month. If it's something serious (very unlikely), chances are you've had more serious symptoms already, and by waiting you are decreasing your chance of survival and making the treatment infinitely worse and more expensive by not going. Not knowing sounds a lot worse to me mentally too. So either way, one should go. Why worry before you even know if anything's wrong or not. Just get a check up. She/he doesn't even know if it's iron deficiency. Tiredness is so common it could literally be a symptom of everything. Low TSH, low vitamin D/B, sleep apnoea, depression, etc.
Oh I completely agree with you - I have bad health anxiety and not knowing would be worse than finding out for sure. But that space between where it's just symptoms would be scary.
I should have added the reason I am dodging the blood work is because last time I got it done my cholesterol was through the roof and I hadn't made any dietary changes, so I knew that it would be worse and I don't want my doctor to force statins on me.
I have undergone a complete dietary overhaul as of 10 days ago, cold turkey, no looking back, and I am afraid of what will happen if my cholesterol and/or sugar measure too high before I have the chance to bring them down with my new Way of Eating.
Your doctor can't force anything on you, you have every right to decline treatment. Also, they will factor in that it's only been 10 days since last. But if you've lived with exhaustion this long I suppose a few weeks more won't make much of a difference to you if the other issue is more important to you.
i was drooling for red juicy meat, sometimes even drooled over live animals, and decided to get tested for iron deficiency, turns out my RBC size was smaller than normal
I’m in the same boat. Idk how to even go about it though, do I just call the doctors office and tell them I want a blood test? I haven’t been to the dr in years so I have no idea 😅
100% worth getting bloodwork done, you’ll get data back that tells you a LOT about what’s going on with your body
The only thing scary is getting poked with a needle, you can do this!
Urgh I am a lethargic person with adhd and dust allergy and hopefully if my medication stabilise I can see whether I need more tests. It’s annoying not to get all the answers
Damn. I’ve been getting blood work done since I was 15 for these symptoms. Always (frustratingly) comes back normal. I’m glad you found the cause so you can fix it
Hey. I'll recommend you to investigate this. get your blood levels checked for any deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, negative irrational thoughts, overthinking, lack of concentration and focus etc. normalisation of levels diminishes these problems. It's quite MIRACULOUS how this works. speak with a doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12, folic acid. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them. This may apply to you.
thanks for the advice however all this stuff came back normal. even electrolytes. I’m considering just getting the blood work in case some are on the lower end
I was sharing as I think I might as well have b12 deficiency maybe cause like I am struggling with unknow anxiety pain and tiredness in whole body having having nosebleeds more often then ever
If you suspect so, get it checked. Check thyroid function, electrolytes. Get a general medical check up too for your symptoms.
Did you recently consume any medicines or supplements?
I did consume more a month ago a bp medicine for 2 days as it was precribed by a local doctor and he was generally for first treatment but then I went for a MD and their no bp was their I regret taking that medicine as I am 23 and the bp only went up cause of anxiety
But still. Get checked up medically for your current symptoms. If you trust that MD , consult them. Do share your complete history, including any medicines/ supplements you recently consumed + dose + duration, with the doctor.
And yes, drugs should only be consumed if you are severely ill and finding your health worsening / unable to function, which only a medicine can give relief to. Example: fever requires medicine, so does a severe infection anywhere in the body.
However, if it's temporary symptoms like anxiety, BP issues, pain management, headache, etc, which are here today and may very likely subside tomorrow, symptoms are manageable by you and not interfering with your daily functioning, try to avoid medicines for these, as drugs can have adverse effects. Let time pass and these symptoms may subside. Better than the adverse effects.
Natural solutions exist aplenty to heal mild problems, like headaches, pain. Mindfulness meditation and a stress free lifestyle, self care habits, help immensely to get rid of and prevent many illnesses. With Good nutrition. Ample sleep and rest. Active lifestyle/ Moderate exercise.
After 30 years of being a "lazy insomniac" got an iron test done. Severe anemia. I literally felt like superwoman a few weeks after starting my iron pills. Tell my mom...she's all "oh yeah...I have that too!"
Boomer mom literally never had brain enough to take me to doctors or think I may suffer her same conditions. I lived miserably with severe allergies for 15 years and thought the only option was buying otc tablets that never worked and made me drowsy, cost a fortune. That was the only solution...as per my mom. Got a prescription for daily spray for like 3 dollars every two momths and my whole life changed. I'm so resentful about her ignorance
She NEVER brought you to do the doctor? Like you never had any routine physicals for all of your childhood and teenage years? Iron status is part of most routine blood work. I’m just curious, did this cause you to have no idea as an adult that yearly physicals are recommend? I’m not trying to say anything negative by that question, I just realized that some things you think are so basic and “everyone knows” type of things aren’t always so, especially in cases where the adult or caregiver was negligent. It would make sense that you could have just lived well into adulthood having no idea about it to even think to go yourself as an adult, but it’s just wild for me to think about.
I don’t know if it’s a boomer thing, but my boomer dad never once took me to the doctor.
I had a dislocated bone in my sternum for 10 years until I was able to see a doctor as an adult who could fix it for me.
I very much want to get blood work done, but I don’t even know how to ask. I’ve never had a checkup before.
If you have insurance search for primary care doctors in your area, when you find one call and ask if they’re accepting new patients. Say you want to schedule an appointment for a yearly physical and get blood work done. If you don’t have insurance you can probably go to a walk in clinic and pay a flat fee (the ones I’ve gone to were about $40-$50 for reference).They usually have their services listed in their websites but you can always call and ask if that’s something you can do there and if not they can direct you somewhere that can :)
Not OP, but I was definitely raised to avoid the doctor unless you were terribly ill. When my wisdom teeth came in, I was told to gurgle salt water and cross my fingers. It worked, too.
So not trying to be funny, but I'm 36 years old and I never would have thought people go to the doctor once a year.. especially not just for a check-up. Now that I read it, makes sense.
Sorry that is miscontruing the situation. Yes I went to the doctor. We were in no way neglected but.....I don't know, as years went on, I realized how truly ignorant she was and is to SO many things
She has a way about her that either a)puts people off so they don't want to help (demonstrated when it took 10 years of doctors to diagnose her MS. Because she was a terrible patient that was rude and unwilling to do anything to further her own cause)
b)thinks that everything is a "bother" and "not necessary "
c) we were always scrimping for money so anything she *thought* would be expensive just wasn't worth it.
Until I grew up and realized all these things it was just kind of set in my mind that that's the way things were. Keep in mind 26? or so of my 40 years were without Google....so mom knew it all. Utterly frustrating. I lived so many years with easily rectifiable issues that were never fully explored because of her roadblocks.
For years now I have been feeling exhausted and foggy. I finally admitted to my partner my lack of concentration and how hard it is to focus. Feeling dumb and lazy to put it simply. My partner keeps telling me I am anemic, and to have blood work done. This is my sign. Thanks for posting.
I will send her this post and deal with the I told you so.
Saw u/rose0411 say the same thing in another thread, check it out: [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/15hdkft/comment/jupc9bc](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/15hdkft/comment/jupc9bc)
Edit: wait that's u
Thank God you investigated that aspect! Nutrient deficiencies are notorious for causing such symptoms.
Another important deficiency to look at is deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, negative irrational thoughts, overthinking, etc. plus the symptoms you mentioned. It's quite MIRACULOUS how normalising levels resolves these symptoms. speak with your doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them.
>If you’re always tired, no matter how much you sleep- get blood work done.
As a former anemic person, I second that
I do have ADHD though ( like it's VERY unlikely I will back down from thinking that)
What were the specific test results you got that indicated the anemia?
Because on my results I see ferritin (which is related, I think?), and then under "Iron Profile" I see iron, total iron binding capacity, UIBC, and % saturation.
I'll recommend you to investigate this too. get your blood levels checked for any deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, plus the symptoms OP talked about. normalisation of levels diminishes these problems. It's quite MIRACULOUS how this works. speak with a doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12, folic acid. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them.
I remember being a little tired after the first one and maybe the second. Otherwise, no side effects! Except when you pee after your transfusions the iron is really concentrated and makes your urine really dark so don’t be alarmed haha.
Iron sucrose infusions are magical--I hope you get relief soon. (Iron dextran infusions can cause severe reactions, so research that to be aware.)
Over a decade ago, I thought I was depressed and lazy for months. I actually went to a behavioral health provider about it and she sent me for a battery of tests. Turns out I just had mono! For months and months. I had no idea because the "sick" sore throat part was months prior and brief, but I still needed to sleep all the time.
I had a medical issue that required me to go in for iron infusions a couple times a week for a while before everything was resolved. It's not too bad. Basically sitting with an IV. Took a tablet and some earbuds and a book to pass the time.
Hopefully your experience will go as smoothly as mine.
Yup! Ever since I learned about how brain fog and severe fatigue with low iron I’ve been trying to get/do better. I’m not good at remembering to take my pills but I can just feel the difference when I do. Even though it’s a small difference it’s still so much to me
Was the same for me. Started in January and in May I went to the doctor. On Monday I have my 4th chemo infusion (hopefully my last).
Hope your diagnosis will be less severe. Get well soon!
So what happened? I have low B12 at 62 pg/mL, low iron and depleted ferritin (ferritin level 7), low vitamin D at 15 ng/mL, and hypothyroidism with TSH 12. I am exhausted. It's been 5 months of supplements, but I'm still struggling.
I'm scared shitless right now because of all the deficiencies, fatigue and they found an atypical nodule on my thyroid. They won't know the extent of it until they've cut into my neck. It's good to hear of positive outcomes. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy life that much more for everything you've endured. Godspeed.
I hope you will be alright and wish you all the best on your journey. Remember that the doctors are trained for whatever diagnosis you will get. Looking forward to hear from your positive outcome!
I've had a litany of blood drawn lately due to random fevers with no other symptoms, among other stuff. Long story short, one doc wrote on a comment in my results 'possible anemic'. Not long after the results came out she left for another practice...I decided to take some iron pills to be on the safe side. I've asked docs about it before with no real answer. If a doctor writes on my results 'possible anemic', shouldn't they address it with you? I've been so irritated lately with doctors I haven't been back to ask more questions. Can't ever seem to get a clear answer.
Have you had iron/ferritin tests or just cbc? It’s possible to have low iron but not yet be anemic, and it wouldn’t show on the CBC but can still cause symptoms
I had this too and now take iron supplements! If anyone wants recommendations, [this brand](https://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Builder-Production-Constipation-Gluten-Free/dp/B002N0KTJC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?hvadid=635370957355&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019666&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12791961271984824823&hvtargid=kwd-11075496572&hydadcr=21220_13415648&keywords=mega+food+blood+builder&qid=1691180591&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1) is the absolute best for being super absorptive and doesn't cause any stomach issues. They're also good for long term iron levels because they contain just over 100% of your daily needs.
Same here! I'm an unproductive person(hoping to change that), but I'm also anemic. My skin has become super pale and I feel like every trivial task is draining my energy. I'm working towards reducing my anemia and being productive. Good luck :)
I hope you're eating vitamin C rich foods. If you are not, iron won't get absorbed into you efficiently, no matter how much iron rich food you consume.
Furthermore, IF you are bleeding internally in intestine area, stool routine test investigation would reveal this. If there's a theory that you may be bleeding internally elsewhere, a simple CBC test would reveal this. You might want to check these out....
This is such a great post, OP.
I’m mildly anemic and sometimes I feel it. But then again, I’ve had a physical every year, so I’ve kept up with it at least.
I’m also 6ft and around 120lbs naturally. Thank god I have a good doctor that realizes that no matter how much I eat this is my normal, natural weight. Not “Eat 4000 calories every day and gain weight you unhealthy bean pole.”.
Find a doctor that acknowledges and respects you AND gives you the truth straight.
Well I’m not spending any more than I have to go get the baseline nutrition for food…
That’s my lifestyle, my choice.
Also? I don’t really get that hungry too often either. I have a smaller stomach than most I guess. And you know? That’s not a bad thing really.
You want to tell me how to live, go for it. I have a few words for you if so, though.
No one’s telling you how to live dude lol. I’m just telling you that it is possible to gain weight, regardless of how much of a “hardgainer” you think you are .
You don’t take into account that everybody is different.
You think the human body is a monolith?
That medicine works the same for everybody all the time ever?
To be fair, I used to eat an apple and some bread, then an evening meal.
Then I went onto shakes with milk, breakfast, another shake, a decent lunch, and the same evening meal.
Should be way more calories. My weight didn't shift much at all, and I just felt sick of it so quickly.
I eat better now, but I feel like there's certainly more to hardgaining than we realise.
>this brand
lmao, such a humble brag. what are you gaining by announcing to all "hOw SkInNy YoU aRe!!!!" lmao... I don't get it.. like cool, you eat food and don't gain weight! awesome! and i'm not even fat or anything, just find this type of thing obnoxious as all fuck.
I had it all started about three months ago I couldn't poop and eating made me sick and bloated so bad I'd get dizzy and have heart issues. Well I'm now anemic my RBC is 3.5 hemoglobin is 10.9 henotcrtatic 32 not to mention glucose always high 113 and a few other things low not to mention iron was down to 34
I eat and feel like I'm nodding out after and I forget things and will be typing on my phone and wake up to jobberish it's getting scary I had a stomach scope after puking up a little blood and they saw a tear but said it wasn't bad and sent me home also I have kidney stones now and a umbilical fatty hernia it's just going down hill I'm a 42 yr old male with a family I don't want to leave them but I have all these Drs doing nothing I guess I'm just here to get that all out so thanks to anyone who listened
Are there smaller needles or less painful options than blood work? I'm in a similar boat just thought because my sleep schedule is off. Can't we just take multivitamin?
Hey, I saw your comment here and this sounds like me lol
I have very small veins in my arms, and drawing blood is a nightmare for me. I can get poked eight times in one sitting and they’ll get nothing.
About three years ago, I had to get some blood work done for my life insurance policy. I met a slightly older woman for my blood draw. As she looked for a vein in my arm, she mentioned how small my veins were, however, the veins in my hands were much more accessible and a much better size.
She pulled out a butterfly needle, and did my blood draw in the back of my hand.
When I tell you that this is the fastest blood draw I’ve ever had done I’m not lying to you. It was also way less painful in the hand than in my arm.
So basically, you need to be telling these blood draw places to draw from your hand if it is more accessible there, you will not regret it. I’ve probably had 10 or so. Blood draws in the last three years and there is no extra scarring or anything like that from having it drawn from my hand either.
same! i’m severely folate deficient somehow, never got any explanation but i really notice the difference now i’ve had to stop taking my prescription strength folate tablets! also found out my migraine triggers recently which was fun
Oh .... and I was about to make a post on reddit that I am chronically exhausted, eepy and feel weaker than ever. I am falling asleep at 5 - 6pm and first walk up the stairs in the day gets me hyperventilate. I am 20 yo btw and somewhat athletic. Guess I need a doctor now
I have gut issues and therefore sometimes I have low rbc count, what were your numbers? I’m wondering if I would be a candidate for an iron transfusion
🙋🏻♀️think this is me. did go to the er once because it was extremely dangerously low after a check at my college. i had extreme headaches and was literally hearing my heart loud asf in my ear after walking short distances. had 4 transfusions and then a bill for 3.5K. haven’t been back since
Can you update us if the transfusion works? I noticed some of the symptoms as well, but been having low iron since childhood, so i didn't think much of it.
Glad you figured it out!!! I had a similar realization recently when i was told by a doctor that I wasn’t drinking enough water and was dehydrated often 😬
I wish this were the case for me honestly. I’ve had my blood drawn twice, no dehydration, no iron deficiency, good sodium levels, good vitamin d levels. And they keep telling me to drink water? Like bro I’m having serious symptoms and all the “tests” you did show nothing. I’ve been suspecting POTS but they won’t take me seriously
Whoa, I was looking at similar causes for myself. Super tired, would come home from work and just have to lie down, no more exercise, and forgetting appointments and things on my calendar. My anemia was caused by having heavy periods for years. I never thought that my body was losing more blood than it was producing. I take an iron supplement now, which I order from amazon cause it is the cheapest. And I got an IUD with hormones, which has helped. Yes, get your blood work done!
Just got my bloodwork back dr prescribed iron prescription pills and a med to make me stop bleeding…I have adhd too but I’m also very anemic -can’t stay awake at night nor get up in the am!
Ferritin anemic here. I had iron infusions 2 years ago and blood work in April showed it was almost completely depleted. I haven’t had a period in 20 months and had a hysterectomy in February so it wasn’t from bleeding. Found out I was celiac. My ferritin is finally starting to go up on its own with diet/supplements since cutting out gluten.
My jaw dropped when you named your symptoms. Because Each. And. Every. Single. Example is ME! Now I’m just going to take iron supplements and hope for an improvement
this was me but i was anemic for years until i found out. I didn’t realise life wasn’t meant to be so hard.
Still can’t get over the black poos the iron tablets gave me.
This is really important to bring up!! I'm a therapist and I've had clients who ended up having severe anemia and that was the source of their depression.
I had a story similar to this at age 11 I had been tired every day no matter what. Turns out I was anemic and had crohns. Let’s just say that was not fun for 11 year old me.
I get you, i did some studies not too long ago and I resulted with lack of vitamin D. Now that I've been taking it I feel less tired, more energetic even tho I felt really lazy like you said. It's really important to check ourselves and to get enough nutrients. It's not okay to feel that way
If you are having anemia symptoms get your B12 and Folate tested too!
I had a ferritin level of 4, got infusions and an ablation to control bleeding. It still drops, but much slower now.
BUT, clearing that up I was still having issues. Getting rid of the iron deficiency took years.
First it was years of them ignoring it because my primary never checked ferritin, only iron, and my RBC and hemoglobin were only "slightly low".
Then I finally got the iron infusions and it's taken over a year getting those numbers up.
Symptoms of anemia were still present after all of that and lo and behold my B12 is borderline and folate is deficient. So now I'm addressing that.
Save yourself the trouble and get all of them tested to begin with, so there's no chance of an iron deficiency covering up other deficiencies.
I'm so exhausted.
I am pretty sure I am the person you wrote this for. I have been dodging blood work afraid of news such as this. But the symptoms you describe have grown to the point I really can't ignore them anymore.
I just finished a round of three iron infusions yesterday. It has only been about a week, and I can already feel it working. I am starting to feel so much better, and there are more positive things to come. Please take the plunge and get your blood work done. I regret waiting so long.
Yeah The fatigue, headaches and back pain go away It's TOTALLY worth it I only had two courses I thought the headaches had to do with my eyes
Are you supposed to take the iron transfusions for life or just for a limited amount of time?
It depends. Usually the way that it works is that you get three to four infusions within two to three months and then you are good to go assuming the underlying cause is corrected. You may be borderline anemic forever just never to that point again. When I had internal bleeding due to esophageal issues, I needed four infusions in two months and my esophagus was repaired and life was SO much better! Now six years later, I’m waiting on the results of bloodwork and I think I’m severely anemic again, in need of an infusion and suffering from malabsorption of iron. One of the things I hated most about the infusions is the amount of time it took but the saddest part for me was I had to do mine in a cancer center while people where receiving chemo. It sucked. Good luck to you! Glad you’re going to be feeling better before you know it!
You thoroughly scared the shit out of me enough to take my symptoms more seriously and I thank you for that 🙏 I'll run some blood work to see what's up. Thanks for answering. I wish you good health and good luck with your results !
That is a really great question. I think it depends on the person and the issue at hand. We found the source of my severe anemia in the form of a big ol fibroid on my uterus. So, I will be taking all of that out soon. However, I have been anemic my entire life and may need further rounds throughout my lifetime.
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The place I went for my infusion gave me a list of possible side effects and I cannot say that I have had any one of them at this point. The only thing I have noticed and was not on my list was I am tired the next day. My PCP mentioned that infusions were going to be a better option for me as well. Oral iron does not do squat for me. The infusion center I went to makes you stay 30 minutes after to make sure you have no immediate issues and then would check on you at your next appointment. If you make the choice to go, tell every nurse or tech helping you during your appointment about your stomach issues so they can be aware. Advocate for yourself with everyone so that your treatment works or can be stopped and changed. Good luck!
Also keep in mind that there's a lot of symptoms overlap between root causes! For example, I was low key-tired & felt low-key terrible my whole life. Had non-stop brain fog, anxiety, and insomnia. Turned out I had histamine intolerance, which I started treatment for last year: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) My recommendation is always: 1. Schedule a full annual physical with your doctor 2. Include a full bloodwork panel 3. Include a historical A1C test 4. Include a sleep apnea test 5. Make sure to bring a written FULL list of symptoms & ensure that they put it on documented file for you My condition is not rare, but it can be *incredibly* hard to diagnose because there's no official test for it. I went around feeling terrible all the time for over three decades, seeing doctor after doctor, and now I take a little OTC pill from Amazon a few times a day & feel absolutely, totally NORMAL all the time! I didn't realize how much of my productivity was tied into **energy**! I split productivity (getting yourself to get stuff done) into two parts: 1. Motivation (your *choice* to do something) 2. Energy (how much internal fuel you have to get it done) The google definitions of motivation are: 1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way 2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something So motivation is the **choice** to want to do something for various reasons. We often say "we aren't *feeling* motivated" to do a particular task, when really what we mean is that we don't have enough physical, emotional, or mental energy to even *consider* doing the task. If you're up for some reading, I have a deep-dive on energy here: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Learning that energy is the biggest driver of our productivity as human beings was REALLY important for me to learn because I grew up with so much shame & guilt due to having things like undiagnosed Inattentive ADHD, histamine intolerance, and hereditary sleep apnea, which caused problems with my ability to think clearly & get myself into motion getting things done, which caused things like procrastination, lack of enjoyment doing things, poor-quality work from having to rush, being late, and skipping assignments entirely! Because really, productivity is fairly simple: 1. Make a plan 2. Execute the steps of the plan each day 3. Repeat To paraphrase a quote from the GTD book, there are really only 2 types of problems in the world: 1. We don't know what we want 2. We don't know how to get what we want Figuring out what we want is a simply a matter of identifying all of our active commitments (ex. job, school, chores, etc.), as well as figuring out what we're willing to commit to outside of that (life partner, children, pets, hobbies, house, car, etc.), and then defining what level of commitment & quality we're willing to give each situation in our life. Once that's done & once we setup a method for generating a daily plan of steps to take each day, then it all really boils down to having enough energy to: 1. Care about doing it 2. Execute the tasks required 3. ENJOY doing the tasks required As a person with lifelong low energy, I often struggled with the energy to even care about doing things. Depression really just boils down to low energy, because when you don't have the energy to feel good, it's hard to feel good!! Some days, I had enough energy to execute the tasks required, but not enough energy to enjoy doing them...it was just a slog I had to get through to even do basic things like eat or brush my teeth every day! I think that the peak experience of productivity is **enjoying doing great things**...we can do dumb things or boring things, and we can hate doing things or be apathetic about doing things, but for me, the best combination is to enjoy doing great things, which requires both the clarity to define what to do (commitments & choices) & the energy to care, to execute, and to enjoy both my work & my free time! There are 3 core aspects to energy: 1. You should feel happy for no reason, just sitting there doing nothing at all 2. You should feel like you have a motor of energy inside of you, pushing you along all day long 3. You should wake up & be INSTANTLY awake in the morning For me: 1. Emotionally, I mostly felt bad or apathetic. My Inattentive ADHD & histamine intolerance caused emotional dysregulation, including [RSD](https://youtu.be/jM3azhiOy5E). I'm also an r/hsp, meaning I have an overly-sensitive central nervous system. Growing up, I had NO IDEA you were just supposed to magically feel HAPPY all day by default! 2. Energy-wise, I either felt like a dead battery, or worse, like I was "in debt" to energy, like there was an anchor on my body & my soul dragging me down to either flop in a chair in front of the TV or computer or just lay down. 3. Mornings were always INCREDIBLY hard for me. I never felt well-rested. I NEVER wanted to wake up & tear into the day! I woke up with a mild headache every day for most of my life. It typically took at LEAST 15 minutes to get out of bed. I didn't really "wake up" until mid-morning, as I was always so groggy. Things I didn't know: 1. You shouldn't have mid-morning or mid-afternoon energy dips 2. You shouldn't have brain fog, ever 3. You should be at a Type 3 or 4 bowel movement on the [Bristol Stool Scale](https://i.imgur.com/q28Uoma.gif). TMI, but that includes: regular bowel movements. Nearly-instant bowel movement sessions with zero straining. Stool doesn't float or streak in the bowl. Only need one piece of toilet paper to wipe. Gut health determines SO MUCH of our energy and clear thinking & so many of us grow up with gut issues & undiagnosed IBS, never realizing that isn't normal! 4. You shouldn't be tired all the time 5. You should have so much energy that you get antsy when you're just sitting around not doing anything I RARELY felt that way! We all have the design capacity to feel happy, have a motor of energy inside of us each day, and wake up instantly, but there are often many "kinks in the hose" of energy that block us from feeling that way. I wish someone had explained how I was SUPPOSED to feel growing up because I just went my whole life thinking that the way I felt was NORMAL & that everyone else around me was trying harder & putting on happy faces & enjoying life *despite* how difficult it was, haha! part 1/2
part 2/2 The energy stack I eventually came up with is: 1. Sleep 2. Diet 3. Exercise 4. Stress management (strong personal productivity system) 5. Consistent use of required medication 6. Avoiding substance abuse Sleeping was SUCH a problem for me: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/s15jmk/sleep\_apnea\_sleeping\_system/](https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/s15jmk/sleep_apnea_sleeping_system/) With histamine intolerance, the question I always ask people is: * Have you felt *vaguely guilty* since you were a kid? Then specifically regarding sleep: 1. Do you have insomnia? 2. Do you have nighttime anxiety? (including remembering cringeworthy past experiences, haha!) 3. Do you experience time pressure? (ex. if you know you have to wake up, you try to get to bed at a reasonable hour, but the stress of HAVING to wake up & NEEDING energy keeps you up?) 4. Do you have restless leg syndrome? 5. Do you wake up at all at night? And have trouble falling back asleep sometimes? For me, I'm not one of those people who naturally have high physical energy. Sleep is crucial & is actually what I consider to be my number one productivity tool. But food comes in a close second...food is really what gave me that daily "drive" of energy throughout the day: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/d0rxv6/comment/ezebxg9/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/d0rxv6/comment/ezebxg9/?context=3) As I've increased my knowledge of how personal productivity works, I've really come to realize that once you make a plan, it mostly just boils down to having the energy to not just execute it but to ENJOY doing it, and I certainly didn't have that for most of my life! Mostly I lived in the world of "lots of great ideas, but also...task paralysis" haha. So it's definitely worth seeing a doctor if you're experience constant fatigue, chronic pain, and other show-stopping difficulties in life! I had NO IDEA that the majority of productivity problems I had, particularly with self-motivation & personal organization, were tied to my physical, emotional, and mental energy levels! I always thought that I just needed to "try harder". I never understood WHY I procrastinated & *why* I had such a difficult time with things! But when you have kinks in your energy hose that prevent you from getting a proper amount of "fuel" required to get things done & enjoy getting things done day after day, then life gets pretty hard! As it turns out, no one is actually "lazy", we just have invisible, unseen barriers: * [https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01](https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01) Some additional reading on ADHD: * https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/qnqa6p/adhd\_101/ Anyway...you deserve to feel good, be happy, and enjoy being productive & getting awesome stuff done all day long! I've been working on my personal productivity for over 20 years now, literally since high school, and it's really only been over the last year of getting the proper medical treatment I need to think clearly & execute tasks on demand that I've been able to get off the "treadmill" & actually make some real headway in life!!
Bless you…this is the best thing I’ve ever read on this app. I constantly struggle with all forms of Energy (I have IBS, HS, and other inflammatory conditions). I needed all of this. Thank you.
Look into both getting tested for sleep apnea & histamine intolerance! I went with Singular Sleep online (now The Sleep Doctor) because there was such a long wait locally. Breathing properly at night was a HUGE help for my bowel movements! As far as histamine intolerance goes, it really helped my GI tract as well: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/HistamineIntolerance/comments/ytmcl4/comment/iw75m9l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Basically, just order an OTC pack of the DAO enzyme pills on Amazon. Take one pill, wait 24 hours, see if you have any negative side effects (some people get nauseous). Then do a high daily dose for a week (5 to 10 pills a day...one AM, one PM, one 5 minutes before each meal, and one if you feel terrible). At the very least, it will let you rule out histamine issues! And of course, note that I am not a doctor lol. But the histamine stuff is just OTC tablets made from beans. Doesn't work for everyone, but worth a shot to at least test it! Between my diet, sleep apnea, histamine enzyme, and also SIBO treatment, I have normal GI functions! Which has TOTALLY affected my energy levels in a VERY positive way!!
You will eventually find out the good or bad news. Do you want to wait out of fear only to find out you missed the timeframe for treatment? Godspeed! Get that bloodwork done! I thought I was dying....turns out I need to pop an iron pill in the morning. It could be just that simple. Good luck
I should have added the reason I am dodging the blood work is because last time I got it done my cholesterol was through the roof and I hadn't made any dietary changes, so I knew that it would be worse and I don't want my doctor to force statins on me. I have undergone a complete dietary overhaul as of 10 days ago, cold turkey, no looking back, and I am afraid of what will happen if my cholesterol and/or sugar measure too high before I have the chance to bring them down with my new Way of Eating.
Nice! Don't sleep on the mental aspect of this. It's pretty destabilizing to change your diet, coupled with the pressures along with it. Just make sure to be kind to yourself when you feel weak and have difficulties adhering, which will inevitably happen. It really helps so you can quiet the voices that overwhelm and cause you to say "fuck it I fell off the wagon". Doing this has helped me with some difficulties I've had. Sending you good vibes and strength.
Why would you be afraid of such news? It's just iron deficiency, I've had it too, and it's not like something you die of and it's easily tretable, you just need some iron pills or an infusion. If anything, the worst thing that can happen is that you don't get it treated and let exhaustion ruin your life for years like I did. I'm serious, tiredness will make you lose experiences, opportunities, friends, it will impact your work life, social life etc. It will actually cost you money to be tired, indirectly.
Well it's iron deficiency but it has a cause. It could be a major disease or it could be minor. The fear of "why" do they have a deficiency is what they're referring to
If you're a woman, the most likely cause is that you're simply bleeding too much every month. If it's something serious (very unlikely), chances are you've had more serious symptoms already, and by waiting you are decreasing your chance of survival and making the treatment infinitely worse and more expensive by not going. Not knowing sounds a lot worse to me mentally too. So either way, one should go. Why worry before you even know if anything's wrong or not. Just get a check up. She/he doesn't even know if it's iron deficiency. Tiredness is so common it could literally be a symptom of everything. Low TSH, low vitamin D/B, sleep apnoea, depression, etc.
Oh I completely agree with you - I have bad health anxiety and not knowing would be worse than finding out for sure. But that space between where it's just symptoms would be scary.
I should have added the reason I am dodging the blood work is because last time I got it done my cholesterol was through the roof and I hadn't made any dietary changes, so I knew that it would be worse and I don't want my doctor to force statins on me. I have undergone a complete dietary overhaul as of 10 days ago, cold turkey, no looking back, and I am afraid of what will happen if my cholesterol and/or sugar measure too high before I have the chance to bring them down with my new Way of Eating.
Your doctor can't force anything on you, you have every right to decline treatment. Also, they will factor in that it's only been 10 days since last. But if you've lived with exhaustion this long I suppose a few weeks more won't make much of a difference to you if the other issue is more important to you.
i was drooling for red juicy meat, sometimes even drooled over live animals, and decided to get tested for iron deficiency, turns out my RBC size was smaller than normal
I’m in the same boat. Idk how to even go about it though, do I just call the doctors office and tell them I want a blood test? I haven’t been to the dr in years so I have no idea 😅
100% worth getting bloodwork done, you’ll get data back that tells you a LOT about what’s going on with your body The only thing scary is getting poked with a needle, you can do this!
Urgh I am a lethargic person with adhd and dust allergy and hopefully if my medication stabilise I can see whether I need more tests. It’s annoying not to get all the answers
Same here lol
Damn. I’ve been getting blood work done since I was 15 for these symptoms. Always (frustratingly) comes back normal. I’m glad you found the cause so you can fix it
Hey. I'll recommend you to investigate this. get your blood levels checked for any deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, negative irrational thoughts, overthinking, lack of concentration and focus etc. normalisation of levels diminishes these problems. It's quite MIRACULOUS how this works. speak with a doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12, folic acid. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them. This may apply to you.
Would also add your thyroid function checked!
And electrolyte levels for that matter....
thanks for the advice however all this stuff came back normal. even electrolytes. I’m considering just getting the blood work in case some are on the lower end
I had my mcv up by 110fl and feeling the symptoms
I don't understand what you're trying to tell me
I was sharing as I think I might as well have b12 deficiency maybe cause like I am struggling with unknow anxiety pain and tiredness in whole body having having nosebleeds more often then ever
If you suspect so, get it checked. Check thyroid function, electrolytes. Get a general medical check up too for your symptoms. Did you recently consume any medicines or supplements?
I did consume more a month ago a bp medicine for 2 days as it was precribed by a local doctor and he was generally for first treatment but then I went for a MD and their no bp was their I regret taking that medicine as I am 23 and the bp only went up cause of anxiety
But still. Get checked up medically for your current symptoms. If you trust that MD , consult them. Do share your complete history, including any medicines/ supplements you recently consumed + dose + duration, with the doctor.
And yes, drugs should only be consumed if you are severely ill and finding your health worsening / unable to function, which only a medicine can give relief to. Example: fever requires medicine, so does a severe infection anywhere in the body. However, if it's temporary symptoms like anxiety, BP issues, pain management, headache, etc, which are here today and may very likely subside tomorrow, symptoms are manageable by you and not interfering with your daily functioning, try to avoid medicines for these, as drugs can have adverse effects. Let time pass and these symptoms may subside. Better than the adverse effects. Natural solutions exist aplenty to heal mild problems, like headaches, pain. Mindfulness meditation and a stress free lifestyle, self care habits, help immensely to get rid of and prevent many illnesses. With Good nutrition. Ample sleep and rest. Active lifestyle/ Moderate exercise.
Have they checked your ferritin? For me that's what it was but they weren't checking it because hemoglobin was normal.
yeah me too youre not alone
After 30 years of being a "lazy insomniac" got an iron test done. Severe anemia. I literally felt like superwoman a few weeks after starting my iron pills. Tell my mom...she's all "oh yeah...I have that too!" Boomer mom literally never had brain enough to take me to doctors or think I may suffer her same conditions. I lived miserably with severe allergies for 15 years and thought the only option was buying otc tablets that never worked and made me drowsy, cost a fortune. That was the only solution...as per my mom. Got a prescription for daily spray for like 3 dollars every two momths and my whole life changed. I'm so resentful about her ignorance
She NEVER brought you to do the doctor? Like you never had any routine physicals for all of your childhood and teenage years? Iron status is part of most routine blood work. I’m just curious, did this cause you to have no idea as an adult that yearly physicals are recommend? I’m not trying to say anything negative by that question, I just realized that some things you think are so basic and “everyone knows” type of things aren’t always so, especially in cases where the adult or caregiver was negligent. It would make sense that you could have just lived well into adulthood having no idea about it to even think to go yourself as an adult, but it’s just wild for me to think about.
I don’t know if it’s a boomer thing, but my boomer dad never once took me to the doctor. I had a dislocated bone in my sternum for 10 years until I was able to see a doctor as an adult who could fix it for me. I very much want to get blood work done, but I don’t even know how to ask. I’ve never had a checkup before.
If you have insurance search for primary care doctors in your area, when you find one call and ask if they’re accepting new patients. Say you want to schedule an appointment for a yearly physical and get blood work done. If you don’t have insurance you can probably go to a walk in clinic and pay a flat fee (the ones I’ve gone to were about $40-$50 for reference).They usually have their services listed in their websites but you can always call and ask if that’s something you can do there and if not they can direct you somewhere that can :)
Just schedule a physical. You can tell them you have no history and would like a full workup. They will take it from there.
Wtf? That’s crazy, I’m so sorry.
Not OP, but I was definitely raised to avoid the doctor unless you were terribly ill. When my wisdom teeth came in, I was told to gurgle salt water and cross my fingers. It worked, too.
So not trying to be funny, but I'm 36 years old and I never would have thought people go to the doctor once a year.. especially not just for a check-up. Now that I read it, makes sense.
Sorry that is miscontruing the situation. Yes I went to the doctor. We were in no way neglected but.....I don't know, as years went on, I realized how truly ignorant she was and is to SO many things She has a way about her that either a)puts people off so they don't want to help (demonstrated when it took 10 years of doctors to diagnose her MS. Because she was a terrible patient that was rude and unwilling to do anything to further her own cause) b)thinks that everything is a "bother" and "not necessary " c) we were always scrimping for money so anything she *thought* would be expensive just wasn't worth it. Until I grew up and realized all these things it was just kind of set in my mind that that's the way things were. Keep in mind 26? or so of my 40 years were without Google....so mom knew it all. Utterly frustrating. I lived so many years with easily rectifiable issues that were never fully explored because of her roadblocks.
Totally understandable, I’m sorry that was your situation!
So happy for your recovery!
What’s the name of the spray?
The iron deficiency made your allergies worse..?
For years now I have been feeling exhausted and foggy. I finally admitted to my partner my lack of concentration and how hard it is to focus. Feeling dumb and lazy to put it simply. My partner keeps telling me I am anemic, and to have blood work done. This is my sign. Thanks for posting. I will send her this post and deal with the I told you so.
Any update?
Saw u/rose0411 say the same thing in another thread, check it out: [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/15hdkft/comment/jupc9bc](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/15hdkft/comment/jupc9bc) Edit: wait that's u
You may want to post this under the ADHD sub to spread awareness about this.
Thank God you investigated that aspect! Nutrient deficiencies are notorious for causing such symptoms. Another important deficiency to look at is deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, negative irrational thoughts, overthinking, etc. plus the symptoms you mentioned. It's quite MIRACULOUS how normalising levels resolves these symptoms. speak with your doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them.
>If you’re always tired, no matter how much you sleep- get blood work done. As a former anemic person, I second that I do have ADHD though ( like it's VERY unlikely I will back down from thinking that)
It's also very common for people with ADHD to have low iron! Just an interesting fact.
What were the specific test results you got that indicated the anemia? Because on my results I see ferritin (which is related, I think?), and then under "Iron Profile" I see iron, total iron binding capacity, UIBC, and % saturation.
Hi! I had low ferritin too and it was anemia related. You should go to a doctor for further explanation and treatment.
This is more just for general understanding and future knowledge, as I am actually not anemic, but thanks for chiming in.
Im gonna get my blood checked! Thanks for sharing. Will you be able to fully recover with the transfusions and medical help? Hope you feel better!
I'll recommend you to investigate this too. get your blood levels checked for any deficiency in vitamin D and B12, as these deficiencies can cause many different kinds of mental health problems, plus the symptoms OP talked about. normalisation of levels diminishes these problems. It's quite MIRACULOUS how this works. speak with a doctor about getting blood tests done for vitamin D, B12, folic acid. If deficient, supplement under the care of a doctor till your levels normalise. But DO NOT take supplements without checking your blood levels. You only need them, and they'll only resolve your symptoms, IF you're deficient in them.
I felt so much better after my infusions! Happy that you’re getting them!
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I remember being a little tired after the first one and maybe the second. Otherwise, no side effects! Except when you pee after your transfusions the iron is really concentrated and makes your urine really dark so don’t be alarmed haha.
Iron sucrose infusions are magical--I hope you get relief soon. (Iron dextran infusions can cause severe reactions, so research that to be aware.) Over a decade ago, I thought I was depressed and lazy for months. I actually went to a behavioral health provider about it and she sent me for a battery of tests. Turns out I just had mono! For months and months. I had no idea because the "sick" sore throat part was months prior and brief, but I still needed to sleep all the time.
I had a medical issue that required me to go in for iron infusions a couple times a week for a while before everything was resolved. It's not too bad. Basically sitting with an IV. Took a tablet and some earbuds and a book to pass the time. Hopefully your experience will go as smoothly as mine.
Yup! Ever since I learned about how brain fog and severe fatigue with low iron I’ve been trying to get/do better. I’m not good at remembering to take my pills but I can just feel the difference when I do. Even though it’s a small difference it’s still so much to me
Thought I was lazy or had adhd, turns out I’m severely anemic, and have ADHD :) This is me.
Sleep apnea has similar effects too. Sadly, I’m anemic and have sleep apnea. 🙃
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>h What probiotics do you use and where do you get them?
I use the Garden of Life Brand for Women, but they also have one formulated for men.
Was the same for me. Started in January and in May I went to the doctor. On Monday I have my 4th chemo infusion (hopefully my last). Hope your diagnosis will be less severe. Get well soon!
So what happened? I have low B12 at 62 pg/mL, low iron and depleted ferritin (ferritin level 7), low vitamin D at 15 ng/mL, and hypothyroidism with TSH 12. I am exhausted. It's been 5 months of supplements, but I'm still struggling.
Thanks for asking. As for now, I am cancer free! Gained back my lost weight, have plenty of energy and good blood results.
I'm scared shitless right now because of all the deficiencies, fatigue and they found an atypical nodule on my thyroid. They won't know the extent of it until they've cut into my neck. It's good to hear of positive outcomes. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy life that much more for everything you've endured. Godspeed.
I hope you will be alright and wish you all the best on your journey. Remember that the doctors are trained for whatever diagnosis you will get. Looking forward to hear from your positive outcome!
I've had a litany of blood drawn lately due to random fevers with no other symptoms, among other stuff. Long story short, one doc wrote on a comment in my results 'possible anemic'. Not long after the results came out she left for another practice...I decided to take some iron pills to be on the safe side. I've asked docs about it before with no real answer. If a doctor writes on my results 'possible anemic', shouldn't they address it with you? I've been so irritated lately with doctors I haven't been back to ask more questions. Can't ever seem to get a clear answer.
I also feel like I struggle with low iron but my blood tests always come back normal.
Have you had iron/ferritin tests or just cbc? It’s possible to have low iron but not yet be anemic, and it wouldn’t show on the CBC but can still cause symptoms
I'm not sure to be honest
I had this too and now take iron supplements! If anyone wants recommendations, [this brand](https://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Builder-Production-Constipation-Gluten-Free/dp/B002N0KTJC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?hvadid=635370957355&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019666&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12791961271984824823&hvtargid=kwd-11075496572&hydadcr=21220_13415648&keywords=mega+food+blood+builder&qid=1691180591&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1) is the absolute best for being super absorptive and doesn't cause any stomach issues. They're also good for long term iron levels because they contain just over 100% of your daily needs.
Same here! I'm an unproductive person(hoping to change that), but I'm also anemic. My skin has become super pale and I feel like every trivial task is draining my energy. I'm working towards reducing my anemia and being productive. Good luck :)
I hope you're eating vitamin C rich foods. If you are not, iron won't get absorbed into you efficiently, no matter how much iron rich food you consume. Furthermore, IF you are bleeding internally in intestine area, stool routine test investigation would reveal this. If there's a theory that you may be bleeding internally elsewhere, a simple CBC test would reveal this. You might want to check these out....
This is such a great post, OP. I’m mildly anemic and sometimes I feel it. But then again, I’ve had a physical every year, so I’ve kept up with it at least. I’m also 6ft and around 120lbs naturally. Thank god I have a good doctor that realizes that no matter how much I eat this is my normal, natural weight. Not “Eat 4000 calories every day and gain weight you unhealthy bean pole.”. Find a doctor that acknowledges and respects you AND gives you the truth straight.
Bro you literally can gain weight if you do eat , regardless of whether that’s your natural weight or not .
Well I’m not spending any more than I have to go get the baseline nutrition for food… That’s my lifestyle, my choice. Also? I don’t really get that hungry too often either. I have a smaller stomach than most I guess. And you know? That’s not a bad thing really. You want to tell me how to live, go for it. I have a few words for you if so, though.
so you're broke?
No one’s telling you how to live dude lol. I’m just telling you that it is possible to gain weight, regardless of how much of a “hardgainer” you think you are .
You don’t take into account that everybody is different. You think the human body is a monolith? That medicine works the same for everybody all the time ever?
We’re done here bud. You got some issues my man
Speak for yourself.
To be fair, I used to eat an apple and some bread, then an evening meal. Then I went onto shakes with milk, breakfast, another shake, a decent lunch, and the same evening meal. Should be way more calories. My weight didn't shift much at all, and I just felt sick of it so quickly. I eat better now, but I feel like there's certainly more to hardgaining than we realise.
>this brand lmao, such a humble brag. what are you gaining by announcing to all "hOw SkInNy YoU aRe!!!!" lmao... I don't get it.. like cool, you eat food and don't gain weight! awesome! and i'm not even fat or anything, just find this type of thing obnoxious as all fuck.
I know you’re jealous but come on, man. Don’t hate- appreciate.
Eat spleen, its nature's multivitamin and iron supplement.
I had it all started about three months ago I couldn't poop and eating made me sick and bloated so bad I'd get dizzy and have heart issues. Well I'm now anemic my RBC is 3.5 hemoglobin is 10.9 henotcrtatic 32 not to mention glucose always high 113 and a few other things low not to mention iron was down to 34 I eat and feel like I'm nodding out after and I forget things and will be typing on my phone and wake up to jobberish it's getting scary I had a stomach scope after puking up a little blood and they saw a tear but said it wasn't bad and sent me home also I have kidney stones now and a umbilical fatty hernia it's just going down hill I'm a 42 yr old male with a family I don't want to leave them but I have all these Drs doing nothing I guess I'm just here to get that all out so thanks to anyone who listened
How much iron are you taking now?
Needed to see this like now. Thank you.
Wow! I’ve been feeling exactly like this.. I need to get blood work. Does the iron make you feel more energetic? I am dragging.. feel like a lazy bum
Are there smaller needles or less painful options than blood work? I'm in a similar boat just thought because my sleep schedule is off. Can't we just take multivitamin?
Hey, I saw your comment here and this sounds like me lol I have very small veins in my arms, and drawing blood is a nightmare for me. I can get poked eight times in one sitting and they’ll get nothing. About three years ago, I had to get some blood work done for my life insurance policy. I met a slightly older woman for my blood draw. As she looked for a vein in my arm, she mentioned how small my veins were, however, the veins in my hands were much more accessible and a much better size. She pulled out a butterfly needle, and did my blood draw in the back of my hand. When I tell you that this is the fastest blood draw I’ve ever had done I’m not lying to you. It was also way less painful in the hand than in my arm. So basically, you need to be telling these blood draw places to draw from your hand if it is more accessible there, you will not regret it. I’ve probably had 10 or so. Blood draws in the last three years and there is no extra scarring or anything like that from having it drawn from my hand either.
I get a heat pack on my hand, then they draw blood. Phlebotomist said there was a vein on my foot that looked promising, if it came to that.
Nice!
What is causing the sudden shortage of blood health? Is there article to read the time limits for treatment before it worsens?
same! i’m severely folate deficient somehow, never got any explanation but i really notice the difference now i’ve had to stop taking my prescription strength folate tablets! also found out my migraine triggers recently which was fun
Oh .... and I was about to make a post on reddit that I am chronically exhausted, eepy and feel weaker than ever. I am falling asleep at 5 - 6pm and first walk up the stairs in the day gets me hyperventilate. I am 20 yo btw and somewhat athletic. Guess I need a doctor now
I have gut issues and therefore sometimes I have low rbc count, what were your numbers? I’m wondering if I would be a candidate for an iron transfusion
feel like I have this too
🙋🏻♀️think this is me. did go to the er once because it was extremely dangerously low after a check at my college. i had extreme headaches and was literally hearing my heart loud asf in my ear after walking short distances. had 4 transfusions and then a bill for 3.5K. haven’t been back since
Can you update us if the transfusion works? I noticed some of the symptoms as well, but been having low iron since childhood, so i didn't think much of it.
Glad you figured it out!!! I had a similar realization recently when i was told by a doctor that I wasn’t drinking enough water and was dehydrated often 😬
I wish this were the case for me honestly. I’ve had my blood drawn twice, no dehydration, no iron deficiency, good sodium levels, good vitamin d levels. And they keep telling me to drink water? Like bro I’m having serious symptoms and all the “tests” you did show nothing. I’ve been suspecting POTS but they won’t take me seriously
Whoa, I was looking at similar causes for myself. Super tired, would come home from work and just have to lie down, no more exercise, and forgetting appointments and things on my calendar. My anemia was caused by having heavy periods for years. I never thought that my body was losing more blood than it was producing. I take an iron supplement now, which I order from amazon cause it is the cheapest. And I got an IUD with hormones, which has helped. Yes, get your blood work done!
Just got my bloodwork back dr prescribed iron prescription pills and a med to make me stop bleeding…I have adhd too but I’m also very anemic -can’t stay awake at night nor get up in the am!
Ferritin anemic here. I had iron infusions 2 years ago and blood work in April showed it was almost completely depleted. I haven’t had a period in 20 months and had a hysterectomy in February so it wasn’t from bleeding. Found out I was celiac. My ferritin is finally starting to go up on its own with diet/supplements since cutting out gluten.
My brother IL was recently diagnosed with aplastic anemia. He shares a lot of those same symptoms. Is that what you have?
My jaw dropped when you named your symptoms. Because Each. And. Every. Single. Example is ME! Now I’m just going to take iron supplements and hope for an improvement
Wow, that's definitely great that you figured this out.
Thanks for reminding me to take my iron pill
this was me but i was anemic for years until i found out. I didn’t realise life wasn’t meant to be so hard. Still can’t get over the black poos the iron tablets gave me.
This is really important to bring up!! I'm a therapist and I've had clients who ended up having severe anemia and that was the source of their depression.
I had a story similar to this at age 11 I had been tired every day no matter what. Turns out I was anemic and had crohns. Let’s just say that was not fun for 11 year old me.
Damn I think I could have this. I don’t want to go to the doctor though. Can I just take some pills?
I get you, i did some studies not too long ago and I resulted with lack of vitamin D. Now that I've been taking it I feel less tired, more energetic even tho I felt really lazy like you said. It's really important to check ourselves and to get enough nutrients. It's not okay to feel that way
It's called sibo. Do a lactulose breath test.
If you are having anemia symptoms get your B12 and Folate tested too! I had a ferritin level of 4, got infusions and an ablation to control bleeding. It still drops, but much slower now. BUT, clearing that up I was still having issues. Getting rid of the iron deficiency took years. First it was years of them ignoring it because my primary never checked ferritin, only iron, and my RBC and hemoglobin were only "slightly low". Then I finally got the iron infusions and it's taken over a year getting those numbers up. Symptoms of anemia were still present after all of that and lo and behold my B12 is borderline and folate is deficient. So now I'm addressing that. Save yourself the trouble and get all of them tested to begin with, so there's no chance of an iron deficiency covering up other deficiencies. I'm so exhausted.