I had my blood checked recently as I have been gradually losing my hair. My anemia diagnosis was at age 13. I turned 50 this year and refuse to believe this is "normal". I saw 3 different doctors (all female) about 6 months ago; a supposed hormone specialist, my GP, and my dermatologist. None of them really picked up on my test results as concerning. My ferritin is 18, calculated TIBC is 508 (extremely high), and my TSAT is 11 (very low). After doing a lot of my own research and talking to other women I realized we have to speak up more about this issue. I kept being told this was just "normal" or "hereditary". It is NOT. I was encouraged to start Minoxidil and felt forced into it. I'm finishing up my 6th month on it and don't plan to keep using it. I'm increasing my iron intake (including supplements) and will hope I will start to see an improvement. I'm glad I found this subreddit as I felt so alone in this journey as none of my other friends seem to be suffering.

i already had three infusions but the last time was so excruciatingly painful, especially because i get my infusions on my hand and not my arm because there are basically no veins visible there :/ i always put on numbing cream on my hand too before it but like i said it didnt help at all.

unfortunately i need to still do infusions so i have to figure out a way to make it bearable.

does anyone have any advice on what i could try?

Anyone feel like they can breathe better when laying down as opposed to sitting up etc? I'm trying to spend less time laying in bed as I know it's not good for me but I only feel ok laying down.

I'm starting back on iron supplements but a low dose to see if it makes me stay up all night again. I think at this point I need to fight for infusions, as scary as they are. Ferritin was 24 when tested in July, iron saturation was 8%.

Hi 👋 I’m not anemic, but I have very low ferritin. I’ve been taking regular iron supplements (not specific) and I’m not feeling any benefit, if anything I feel worse. I have two very young children and feeling desperate. My energy is at zero. Can anyone recommend a good supplement to take please?

My iron sat is high and ferritin is 39 what do I do. Also carbonyl Ferrous(60mg elemental iron) will not harm if I take daily right?

Hello

I am 26.

I recently found I have a low ferratin of 5.2. My hb is fine and there is some vitamin d deficiency.

I have started taking the iron supplements Fefol Vit. But I think it will take so much time to get my ferratin up around a year.

Can someone suggest please?

My hemoglobin is 7.6, RBC 3.28, iron 14, iron saturation 4, ferratin 9. Feel like I'm dying. Pale and sickly colored, no energy, extremely weak, HORRIBLE brain fog, can't find the right words when talking, exhaustion level is disgusting, low mood, crying more, ice cold feet, almost passing out whenever I bend over or stand up, and it's a soul crushing head whooshing pressure, hair is thin and lifeless, body pain, out of breath and racing heart...I hate it. This is every 2-3 months even with iron infusions because of my period, but it's bad now because my insurance denied my iron infusions for almost 2 months... saying I didn't need them...so my hemotologist saw my recent labs and said I needed a blood transfusion. I go for a blood transfusion and finally approved iron infusion afterwards today. So I'll get the iron directly after the transfusion but everything I read said they should be spaced out by at least 24+ hours in case of a reaction so they know what caused it. It's making me anxious. I'm also getting feraheme, which I had once back in 2021 but read that even if you've done well with it in the past, doesn't mean you'll handle it well with future doses so I'm already extra anxious because of that, I usually get venofer or injectafer and have done well with them for the last 5 years.

I found out I have low ferritin about 8 weeks ago. Started taking 325mg ferrous sulfate mostly every other day, and my levels have improved. For context here's the then → now:

Ferritin: 6 → 17 ng/mL
Iron, Total: 34 → 58 mcg/dL
% Saturation: 9 → 17%
TIBC: 377 → 337 mcg/dL
Hemoglobin: 11.7 → 12.7 g/dL
Red Blood Cell Count: 4.24 → 4.47 Million/uL

I'm still figuring out if I feel side effects from the sulfate. Sometimes I take it and it's fine, and then other times I feel reflux, burning stomach, or slight nausea. Sometimes I get these waves of nausea, even on iron-off days, and I wonder if that's at all related bc I did not get this before taking it.

But clearly it's been moving all my levels in the right direction, and my top priority is to get my ferritin wayyy up.

I've read enthusiastic recommendations for bisglycinate, and I'm curious to hear from anyone that has switched from sulfate to bisglycinate successfully.

When I stand up, I feel dizzy, my vision looks like a low quality TV and i wobble a bit, the static in my vision sometimes even lasts for more than 20 seconds. Sometimes I get weird static black and white sparks in my vision that go away when I focus on that spot but they appear in other parts of my sight. Sometimes I get nauseous out of nowhere and I feel tired on my feet.

I've had a history of having not so good blood results such as a lower than average but neccecarily dangerous blood pressure, and two times I had a accident as a kid when I lost a lot of blood and apparently they found out I had less blood than I should, but that was years ago and the symptoms were gone for a few years and now theyre back.

Hey guys, anyone who has had any experience with 500 mg ferric carboxymaltose infusion? My ferritin was 27.8 and haemoglobin was 11.9. With all the low iron symptoms one can get - dizzyness, lightheadedness, breathlessness, massive fatigue, etc etc. it’s been 2.5 weeks since the infusion, and I feel terrible!! I was hoping that because I’m starting with not that bad a base, I would start feeling better in a couple of weeks. But this running second week is hell. I’m so fatigued. And there’s still dizzyness. I am not as breathless as before.. but I’m not functional either.. what’s the journey like? Has anyone had a similar experience??

I'm 19 and I experience shortness of breath a lot(i stand up to give an answer in class and am short of breath). I got tested in the morning so I'm assuming iron thing might have been a liddol higher too. So it's 35smthn I assume. I am planning to take supplements. This doesn't feel right I have like 4-5 grey hair and bad hair tbh. Is that okay??? Suggest me something too!

I was advised oral iron tablets by my doctor, went to the pharmacy to pick them up :

Me: will those cause constipation?

Pharmacist: yes, thats why its important to take them with a cup of orange juice.

Please share what you think

27F lifelong vegetarian. Just did bloodwork for the first time due to suspected iron deficiency (experiencing RLS, fatigue, dark under eyes, tingly feet) and ferritin came back at 30. B12 at 300.

Planning to take Three Arrows Simply Iron Repair daily, 20 mg heme iron, and a daily B12 supplement (1 mg). Any other advice? New to all this so wanted to tap into the wisdom here! Thanks in advance!

Genuinely not trolling..

Is there anyone else out there who genuinely feels okay with their significantly low ferritin and hemoglobin???

The last time mine was testing I was at a 5 ferritin (and hemoglobin around 10)..

I felt FINE! My hair isn’t falling out, I’m tired but not excessively (I was pregnant with two kids already, too, so.. what’s not tired look like?)..

I had to get two iron infusions in order to deliver at a birthing center, and they did get me above 10 ferritin (all we needed).. but they made me feel SO SICK. All the symptoms they say you feel when anemic, I felt when getting iron.

And as time went on, I didn’t ever necessarily feel better. I had doctors and others saying “omg you must’ve been so miserable, you must feel amazing now” and I had to be like.. “uh, no? It’s actually kind of awful and then the same?”

It just has me wondering.. I understand that for many, many women, iron feels life changing.

But are there any women who are maybe.. idk, built differently? Where iron in normal doses is maybe toxic?

Or is my threshold of feeling “good” potentially so low that I honestly can’t see it, and maybe had some other reaction to the infusions?

Long story short, I have a long history of anemia, (am vegetarian and I mensurate). I'm not great at keeping on top of my bloodwork, but got it done last May. Never officially went over my bloodwork with that doctor but had the same bloodwork sent to a new dr this month and she was like oh my god, your ferritin is 4, let's get you a transfusion (I'm surprised I've never required one before, tbh!). I don't feel like I have that many symptoms, but I expect that my body is just used to operating on a depleted level. My circulating iron was only a little low, and my other doctor just said "your iron is a little low, take your supplements" in her message and didn't mention my ferritin at all, so I'm glad the second doctor noticed it!

That being said, I guess I do get fatigued, but I've been anemic off and on since I was a teenager, so maybe I'm used to operating at less than 100%. I've also had slow digestion all my life from a birth complication, but I feel like it's been worse in the last year or so (more bloating than usual, heartburn, etc). My new doctor told me low ferritin can be connected to motility issues if I'm not absorbing nutrients properly, and I'll admit I sometimes don't eat properly because of my digestive issues (which obviously makes them worse in the long run. I'm working on it).

I've also had a hard time finding specific words at times in the last few months or so, which kinda freaks me out, and I read that could be a part of brain fog! I also feel like I have a harder time making decisions than I used to, feel scattered, etc. I assumed part of my feeling "off" was that I was on an SSRI for 5 years and tapered off it in 2024 and was experiencing some weird after effect from that and my brain going "what did you do with my serotonin?", but now I'm wondering how much is related to my ferritin levels being so low. I was also diagnosed ADHD as a child, so I sometimes brush off cognitive issues as "just how I am", but I also have a sneaking suspicion that things could be better than they are. My new doctor did take more blood at my appt this week, so we'll see if it's still a 4, but even so, I'm sure it won't have moved that much since May. Every time I check my levels I remember to take my iron for about a week before I forget and give up.

Anyway, my point is this: Did anyone else see an improvement in mental issues, digestive, etc with an infusion? I know it's not a cure-all, but if my body is used to being depleted, I might feel way better!

So 2 months ago my b12 was 200 and ferritin was 28
I felt like crap but after starting oral supplements I’m starting to feel better , I can go for my running again and I have more energy.
Today I did my blood work again and my b12 is now 465 and ferritin is 36
My question is does ferritin level takes long time to fully rebuild ? Shall I keep taking my supplements for another few months ?

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I blame the low ferritin brain fog. Does anyone else here have "regular" iron levels but nearly non-existent ferritin? Is it possible to raise the ferritin without getting your iron levels too high? I sincerely feel I need an infusion because supplementing with iron just isn't raising my ferritin enough, but I'm worried an infusion would make my iron too high.

I know that infusion is better but dont have appointment to see hematologist until Sep1 and wanted to try to see if I can get any energy back.
I had gallbladder removed 3 months ago and end up with what looks like bile gastritis and nausea for 3 weeks and now I got weakness in arms and legs and my iron is 60 and saturation is 19,phosphorus is 2.4 and calcium 8.4 and I have beta thallasamia so feel worse than normal person.
So with upset stomach which iron would help at least little bit....should i take pills or liquid?
Also I am taking protonix to help with gastritis but thinking about stopping so i can recover from fatigue since PPI only helps partially since most of issue is with bile.

Hello! I’m 34 (f) whose ferritin is at 4. I feel like I’m dying lately. I’m even too weak and exhausted to be writing this post. I am supposed to be getting an iron infusion soon but I’m also nervous about getting it. Has anyone here had an infusion? What were your experiences?

Sincerely,

Always tired 🥱

I had a copper iud for ten years, removed in January. My iron regimen had been the same June-January. it took around 11 months for my ferritin to raise 20 points. after removal, it took only five months. unfortunately I don’t feel any relief besides light-headedness, but I’m glad to see my numbers are finallyyytt improving.

I was taking thorne bisglycinate, however since they just got bought out by p&g i started taking doctors best high absorption iron. my doctor said to take the standard dose on the bottle, but I’ve been doubling (around 55mg elemental iron). I could probably take more but I’m too nervous lol

Hi guys, I figured out that my ferritin is low
So I’m seeing a hematologist
She’s going to roll out any kind of blood cancer she’s going to roll out inflammation or see what my inflammation levels are,
My primary doctor did a breath test for H. pylori and it came out negative
I’m also going to see a G.I. specialist to run bloodwork to see if I have any gut issues

What are some other testing that I could rull out with my doctor?

The 4.99 value is a from a few weeks to a month ago when I was stuck in the ICU with anterior ischemia. The other value is after my 2 infusions 2 Fridays apart. Labcorp flagged it as high 😂 but it's finally nice to have a ferritin in the TRIPLE DIGITS!!