I Was In A Bad Place With Pain And Headaches! Doing Better With Iron? But I Have A Question.

[Maiysa]

Hi! Just wanted to tell you what happened. For weeks I was so sick. The headaches were the worst along with neck pain that my largest dose of what I can take didn't even touch. I had to stay off of the computer for awhile, it was painful to type and even laying on my pillow felt like I was sleeping on a cement curb. I was passing out just about everywhere we went. Then the numbness came in my feet and hands and the pain in my legs was a throbbing ache and it kept me up for several nights. Walking became a challenge. If I didn't eat every few hours I would start feeling flushed and nauseous. And the fatigue was more than I've ever experienced. I have not been able to drive, only now and then and I don't go very far because I'm so dizzy. Recently I have developed an intense burning all over my body. Actually, I have all of these symptoms on any given day, but somedays I can function because they are not as intense, but my husband noticed that I had not had a good day in months. But at the end of September, it got to be where there wasn't even a few good hours. I really wanted to give up. Then every muscle became very very stiff and the pain was at an 11. Walking to the bathroom was a challenge. I was so scared, so I called my local doc and didn't get any help, they just told me to go to the hospital, where they usually just scratch their heads at me, so I didn't go. Instead I called Mayo and Dr. Goodman knew what the problem was right away. Anemia. I assumed I had been fine since I was on a children's vitamin with iron and liver, but I guess after having 3 menstrual cycles in 40 days...it wasn't enough. Anyhow, I was not able to get the iron test for a week, so in the mean time I started an even stronger iron intake of 83 mg. of ferrous sulfate/iron along with a large spinach/mango smoothie and buffalo burgers everyday. I can't eat one more burger.Ugh! Anyhow, the first few days I got so sick from the iron, but within 2-3 days the stiffness and numbness lifted and the bad headache is mostly gone. Thank God and thanks to Dr. Goodman! It's been over a week and I can tell I'm getting stronger and stronger. But I just got my iron blood test back and my levels are all exactly borderline low. My ferritin is always low, but not as low as I thought. Would the iron I was taking show up in my blood that fast? I've been more anemic and never got that sick before. Can a person with autonomic neuropathy/autoimmune and orthostatic intolerance become more sensitive to low iron?

Thank you for listening. Sorry this is so long.

Good Health to You!

[RockiesGirl]

Thanks 4 posting!! I have been noticing that more & more of us are coming up with low Iron/ferritin. Several posts in the last few months and it seems that the doctors don't really 'check' it. I just started going to a Psychiatrist/Naturopath who is treating me as basically a Primary Care Doc. I had all my records transferred..... anyway, she noticed right away that my Iron/Ferritin was low. Now why the heck haven't the other Docs mentioned it in the 78 prior doctor visits? Sometimes I am so tired it is ridiculous!! But I am doing much better since starting supplements.

I think you (we) are on to something here ;o) I hope you are now feeling better!! Keep us posted!!

[derekliz]

It's amaxing what low ferritin can do. my ferritin levels are in the mid to low 20's and dropping....supposed to have more labs drawn in a couple of weeks....iron levels normal but saturation and iron binding capacity abnormal. Hemoglobin and hematocrit normal too!

http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/ferritin1.pdf

Read this article....especially the symptoms

Good Luck......hope you are on the road to improvement

[Maiysa]

Thank you for the support RockiesGirl and thank you for the article derekliz. That was very informative. Oh my gosh, my ferritin is normally at 10 and can linger between 1 and 3. They tried to give me a blood transfusion 2 years ago, but I just took the ferrous sulfate and red meat and it helped, but no one told me to take the pills for three months. Within 6 weeks my red blood cell numbers became normal and they told me to stop taking the iron. But they only check my RBC. I get so upset and tell them that the low iron shows up in my saturation and ferritin. My family doctor told me that 10 is fine for ferritin-even though my blood count test says normal is 10-220-it's still borderline, but she isn't concerned. I'm so confused. Ahhhhh... I'm like you derekliz, my saturation & ferritin can be low and my hemoglobin and hemotocrit can be normal. Hmmm. Yes, it's strange that we all have iron issues. What is it? I've had this even without heavy cycles as a young girl. Also, that article said spinach can block iron from absorbing. Wow. That's crazy. I eat tons of spinach each day-I will eat it still, but not with the iron pill so it can absorb. So glad to know that now. Also, I don't take the iron with thyroid pill. I was told, don't take it within 4 hours of each other. I had thyroid schmanser in 2009, so I have to take a lot of thyroid. Thanks again!

[lieze]

I was told the same thing by my regular doctor-oh this is no big deal you probably just need a little iron your hemoglobin is just a little low.

To answer your question I was down to a hemoglobin of 8 and 6 months pregnant and I didn't feel great but felt better then than now when they tested and got a hemoglobin of 10.8.

I do not know how long the low iron has been an issue because 2-3yrs ago my ferritin was only 15 and yes I've taken iron perhaps I've maintained or yo yo'd in the meanwhile I have no clue.

After my first IV iron treatment most of my chest pain went away. I asked and with the IV iron the absorption is immediate because it is right in the bloodstream so the cells start absorbing it.

But I can tell you I still have that weak needing to eat every couple of hours feeling and my body can't hardly take the nightly fast I wake up often at 4 am feeling like I am on the verge of passing out until I get some food in my system.

I am literally hand to mouth with no reserve it seems.

I hope you continue to feel better.

I am so thankful that I requested the hematologist I saw and it all happened in a time frame before things got any worse.

[Maiysa]

Thanks Lieze,

Sorry you have to deal with this too. When Dr. Goodman's nurse called the other day, she said that she talked to the doctor and to tell me that low iron is a trigger for my condition. Boy, she wasn't kidding. So true. Hang in there! The difference in me today compared to last week is really a miracle!