Have You Noticed Yourself Getting Low Iron?

[grapes]

I am curious about this. I had a lot of difficulties this year with excess catecholamines due to being in a higher altitude....and suddenly, I'm anemic. There simply MUST be an association.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I was found to be anemic, but it was due to heavy periods. Some people with dysautonomia actually have low blood volume. So it can appear that they are not anemic when they actually are (from what I understand).

[blueskies]

Some years ago I was found to have severe enough levels of anaemia that I qualified to have the camera test free -- the one where you swallow a camera in a pill and it travels from mouth to toilet and they get to see what's going on. Not long before I was scheduled to have the test I asked the gastroenterologist could he test me again for anaemia. All I can say is that I intuited that something had changed. And my levels came back in the low but normal range. These tests were about a month apart. I changed nothing in that time in my diet nor did I take iron supplements etc. Unfortunately I was no longer eligible for the free camera test because of the improved levels,and had to decline having it done as I would have had to pay about 2 thousand dollars out of pocket for it back then.

The reason I asked for the second test was that I had suspected that sometimes my readings seemed to change for no reason at all. It certainly confirmed they can change within a month, quite dramatically, for me. It was never explained to me how this could happen. The gastroenterologist just shrugged. He didn't even want to speculate. I mentioned it to some of my other docs at the time and neither did they want to offer an suggestions as to why. Very frustrating.

blue

[micheller]

I have low iron. The first test I had, my levels were nonexistent. I ended up getting an infusion that lasted about 6 months. I get tested every 3 months.

[lejones1]

I have hereditary hemochromatosis - which means my body stores too much iron. So prior to getting POTS my iron was borderline high, even when I was vegetarian. Now it's low normal...which might be like a version of low iron for me?? One of my doctors was pleased with my lower iron level and I was like uh...I've done nothing at all except get a chronic illness so I'm not sure how this is a good accomplishment!

How is iron related to catecholamines?

[imapumpkin]

I'm constantly low on iron. I've been taking iron supplements for a year and a half and still sometimes test boarderline anemic. Current theory is it's a candida overgrowth in my gut, beacuse apparently they often present together.

[Psalm 23]

I have just recently been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. I have never had that problem before. We don't yet know why. I consume iron rich foods and I am not losing blood so I have been referred to a hematologist for evaluation. I guess absorption issues will need to be explored at some point. I have developed more of a problem with keeping my weight up as time has gone by. I do have very high catacholamine levels but I don't know if that is in any way related to my anemia issue.

Janet

[MightyMouse]

I have the exact opposite problem... my sisters and I carry genes for a variant of hemochromocytosis which leads to higher than normal serum iron. Thankfully, this hasn't caused any problems for any of us yet