Iron supplements

Hey there.

I had some bloodwork done the other day and my iron came back at 7 (normal range is 8-30) and my TIBC is at 41 (normal is 49-75). My iron levels have always been solid before. During both of my pregnancies, I was around 15, and then 4 months postpartum (back in July 2007), I was at 20, so this sudden drop in iron really has me worried. My CBC—red blood cells, hemoglobin, all that stuff—is totally fine.
Ever since the 9th month of my pregnancy in 2007, I haven't been feeling great (dizziness, and lately just general weakness, plus I've been dealing with insomnia for a month now even with meds). I've gone through a mountain of tests, but everything else seems mostly okay.
What should I do? Are there any other tests I should be asking for?
Chloe Garcia10 is online now Report offensive post Edit/Delete Message

I honestly have no clue what TIBC actually is—all I know is that my iron levels were low once before 3. My doctor mentioned that higher numbers are usually seen in people who aren't exactly breathing anymore... so your results don't sound nearly as scary to me 😉. I stuck with that Ferum Lek for about a year and everything turned out fine—it’s really not that big of a deal

I dealt with iron issues myself, and honestly, mine were even worse than yours... my reserves were practically non-existent, even though every other test came back perfectly fine.
I eventually started taking some vitamins—specifically the 'iron complex' from Nature Made—and now I feel like a completely different person. 🙂

As for further testing, you could always go in for a gastroscopy, but I decided against it... I’m just not particularly thrilled about the idea of having a tube shoved down my throat. 😁

So, were your hemoglobin, MCV, MCVc, and all that other stuff actually normal, or was everything coming back low too?
Did you feel like absolute crap because of the iron deficiency?

I was extremely pale, but nothing else really stood out. Even though I’m feeling better now, generally speaking 🤷

Dizziness, weakness, feeling totally wiped out... that’s just what "normal" feels like when you're low on iron. Honestly, I've been dealing with this constant struggle for years now. I'll take Feosol for a few months and feel fine, but as soon as I stop, I crash immediately. I'm constantly forcing myself to eat dried fruit, spinach, chard, beet greens—you name it—and I'm always sipping on nettle juice. I really should probably go get a gastroscopy done, but...😢What are your periods like? Are they heavier than they used to be? That might be why you're anemic. Also, try to stay away from coffee and tea—especially right after eating—since they can really mess with how much iron your body actually absorbs.

ruggedseal82 said:Dizziness, weakness, feeling totally wiped out... yeah, that’s "normal" when you're iron deficient. I've been dealing with this constant struggle for years. I'll take Feosol for months and feel fine, but the second I stop, I crash immediately. I'm constantly stuffing my face with dried fruit, spinach, chard, beet greens, and drinking nettle juice. I really ought to get a gastroscopy done, but...😢 How heavy are your periods? Are they heavier than they used to be? That might be why you're anemic. Also, stay away from coffee and tea—especially right after eating—because they totally block iron absorption.

Thanks for the advice. Since I got the Mirena, my flow isn't even an issue anymore.

Chloe Garcia10 said:Were your hemoglobin, MCV, MCVC, etc., actually okay, or were they all low too?
Did you feel terrible because of the iron deficiency?

I don't remember my full lab report—too much noise there—but I know my blood sugar was still running low. And honestly? I felt like I’d been hit by a freight train every time I woke up. Just completely wiped out all day long... basically lived on kale and spinach to try and get some iron back in my system.👍

Yeah, and I slept like a total idiot

And I’ve been dealing with insomnia for a month straight now, yet I’m still exhausted. Just great!

This could actually be an early warning sign of gastrointestinal issues, like an ulcer or even a bleeding polyp. Are you dealing with any digestive changes lately? Anything involving shifts in intensity, hardness, or pain? If you are, combined with low iron levels, you really shouldn't ignore it—it could be serious. Of course, it doesn't have to be anything bad, but it is definitely worth getting checked out!

Hey everyone 👋:

I gave birth about a month ago. I’ve never had issues with anemia before, and my iron levels stayed totally normal throughout my pregnancy right up until the end.

When I left the hospital, they put me on Feosol because my iron tanked after delivery, but I only lasted two days on it—the baby was getting such bad cramps from it...

For the last five days, I've been dealing with this:
No appetite, zero strength in my arms and legs (sometimes I can barely even pick up the baby because my hands go numb), nauseous, and everything is just blurry... it's not like I'm dizzy, it's more like my vision is failing me. Sometimes I can't even handle talking to anyone unless it's my husband or my mom. Honestly, getting some fresh air is the only thing that helps; it’s like a reset button for all this crap...

Do you think this is just the low iron hitting me, or is it something else??

Heading in for blood work tomorrow...

It’s most likely just a combination of sheer exhaustion...
My doctor actually put me on Formula IV because my iron levels were catastrophically low; I remember her looking at my blood work and deadpan telling me, "You shouldn't even be able to walk right now." Within three months, my levels had stabilized back to normal, which was honestly a relief. It’s a genuinely effective option, and since it's all natural, there weren't any side effects for me or the baby. Feel free to shoot me a private message if you want more details, as I’d rather not risk getting flagged for posting links here... (I'm such an angel, really 😉 )

My iron levels were once so incredibly low that my doctor actually warned me I might lose feeling in my hands and feet if I didn't get it under control immediately. After that scare, I met a woman who had seen her levels drop all the way down to 2.
Anyway, I'm taking supplements for it now.
And honestly? I learned my lesson the hard way. The first time around, I didn't listen when the doctor insisted that taking iron requires a sidekick of Vitamin C to actually work—I skipped it, and I ended up getting sick.

So, my diagnosis from December 2007 is officially chronic anemia... :-(
I’ve been taking tablets... I started out with two a day, but my stomach just couldn't handle them, so I scaled back to just one per day. If my levels don't start looking better soon, I'm likely going to have to switch to IV iron infusions... basically, direct injections.
It’s pretty depressing, especially since I'm only 21. I can't help but wonder what's going to happen when I eventually get pregnant... how am I supposed to manage the iron requirements then? It's honestly something I don't even want to think about right now.

I mean, I’ve gotta ask—why on earth would anyone bother getting a gastroscopy if the main issue is just low iron levels? It feels totally unnecessary, right?
🤷

Well, my iron levels hit 2 as well... though fortunately, they haven't stayed there quite as long as mine did. 🙂
@ swiftmason8: If you can't stomach those pills, I don't understand why your doctors won't just prescribe an alternative.
You really have to take vitamin C alongside your iron supplements because it's essential for boosting absorption; essentially, it's what allows the body to actually process it properly.

mellowmason53 said:Well, my iron levels hit 2 as well... but thankfully they aren't there anymore.🙂
@ swiftmason8: if you can't stomach those pills, why don't your doctors just switch you to something else?
you really need to take vitamin C alongside iron because it boosts absorption—basically, it makes sure your body actually uses what you're taking.

I can manage one a day... but two is absolutely out of the question.
I honestly can't tell if I feel worse with them or without them.
Without them, I'm miserable; I lose my appetite, I get dizzy, and the fatigue is constant. But when I take them, it’s like being stuck inside a literal snail shell, 😢, nausea after every single meal, and feeling drowsy 24 hours a day. On top of all that, I have my doubts about whether they'll even work. I'll see how things look in a month, but right now, I'm just struggling.😢

swiftmason8 said:I take one a day... but there's just no way I could manage two...
I honestly can't tell if things are worse with them or without them...
Without them, it's a struggle—I can't eat, I'm dizzy, and I'm constantly exhausted... yet when I take them, I spend my entire day feeling like a literal shell of a person, 😢, nauseous after every single meal, and sleeping twenty-four hours a day... and on top of all that, I have my doubts they'll even work. I suppose I'll see how things look by the end of the month, but I truly feel quite miserable...😢

Which specific tablets are you taking?

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