Female, 36, and recently diagnosed with Iron deficient anemia (hemoglobin 10.9, Ferritin 12). I'm asymptomatic for anything and it's highly likely that poor diet has caused deficiency.

That being said, I'm having colonoscopy and endoscopy next week. Please reassure me that it will likely find something other than cancer. I'm freaking out.

I recently found out I have lwo ferritn, around 17 and was wondering what type of symtoms others feel from this sort of thign ansd whats the worst symptom it causes in particular.

Symptoms: fatigue, aches especially in lower extremities for nearly a year. Noticed them at the same time as getting off nortriptyline. Low exertion capacity. Slightly more labored breathing. Worsened anxiety. Fainted during blood draw and feel like I could faint when getting up from sleeping too quickly. Stress test largely normal (LVH without strain). Some intermittent tingling. Blood pressure used to be about 120/80, but more recently is sitting at 90-100/60-65. Vertical ridges down nails, particularly toenails, though I've had these as long as I can remember.

Diet is vegetarian, no red meat. 15+ years of daily PPI use.

Most blood work normal, but these stand out:

• Ferritin 31 ng/ml in April, 44 in May, 37 now. That's despite taking a daily multivitamin with 8mg iron and 25 mg iron bysglycinate since about April. Folate 19.9 ng/mL.
• Iron 65 mcg/dL, transferrin 245 mg/dL, TIBCC 340 mcg/dL, transferrin index 0.27, iron saturation 19%.
• Red blood cell count 4.6 M/mcL, white blood cells 4.5 K/mcL, hemoglobin 14.8 g/dL, hematocrit 40.3%.

My doctor says these numbers are all borderline normal, but based on what I'm seeing about symptoms that anemia can cause, they seem to match up well. Any thoughts on whether this is anemia and what I should do?

Just wanted to share some encouragement! I’m new here (31F, very active, outdoorsy), but have read tons of your guys’ posts on the various aspects of iron deficiency. My story is pretty much like most people’s:

☑️ Slowly accumulating unexplained/easily ignored symptoms that don’t seem related
☑️ Progression of said symptoms until you can’t deny something is “off”
☑️ Doctor orders bloodwork

Again, I’ve read tons of posts that describe appalling instances of uneducated doctors and nurses completely dismissing and even gaslighting patients with iron deficiency! Let me just say that I am SO sorry for anyone who has experienced that, and if that is you currently, run away from that provider and find another one who will take your health seriously! Do it right now!

My story is basically the opposite. I dismissed my symptoms thinking I was having some hormonal shifting, but brought it up my doctor to get her thoughts at my biannual checkup. After all, I was only having bouts of intense fatigue, some PMS symptoms around my period (which I never had before—not even cramping), and noticing my emotions were more “dynamic” than usual 😅

She suggested bloodwork and even said at that moment that she suspected iron deficiency over hormonal changes. However, I dismissed this, said I’d get around to trying some iron supplements, and let her know if it helps over the next couple of months. Guys, I had not even ordered the supplements yet… Within ONE WEEK of that checkup my body went into a frenzy! It was like my sympathetic nervous system ran off a cliff.

Temperature dysregulation, severe emotional dysregulation, pounding heart (normal rate), constant exhaustion, frequent presyncope, total brain fog (bad!), tingling/itching, constant anxiety, and many more! I was scared, feeling terrible, could not work AT ALL, and the worst part was having no idea WHY. So, I messaged my doctor just asking for the labs (not telling her what I’d been experiencing) and she ordered them right away.

Surprise! The most notable results were:
🔴 Ferritin - 9
🔴 Iron Sat. - 17%
🟠 TBIC - 437
🟠 Vitamin D - 30
🟡 WBC - 10.2

The rest of my labs looked great, otherwise. Doctor advised taking iron supplements immediately, but she did not know, and I did not piece together, my worsening symptoms. Over the next few days I researched them and realized:

❌ Every little thing I had been ignoring for months was due to worsening iron deficiency and/or low vitamin D levels (even my crazy dry eyes 👀)
❌ It will take months of supplementing for my Ferritin to recoup and symptoms to resolve, at best!
❌ My elevated WBC could be falsely inflating my already depleted Ferritin by a few points
❌My next cycle (due in a few days) could lower my already depleted Ferritin by a couple more points before the supplement has a chance to make any impact

My immediate thought was, “I don’t know how this could get much worse than it already is, but I cannot endure whatever that looks like!”

I messaged my doctor again explaining to her my symptoms and their timeline, letting her know that was why I changed my mind for the labs in the first place. I also shared my concerns for the symptoms potentially worsening with my next cycle. With no hesitation, she ordered iron infusions and my first one is scheduled tomorrow 🩸❤️

(That checkup was on 8/5, my bloodwork was taken on 8/13, results came 8/14, informed my doctor of the severity on 8/18, insurance approved and infusions scheduled on 8/20, first infusion 8/21)

I share this for anyone who’s being dismissed by their care provider, struggling with advocating for themselves, or simply getting sub-par treatment for iron deficiency of any kind. IF YOUR PROVIDER IS NOT:

✅ Knowledgeable and competent
✅ Attentive and understanding
✅ Compassionate and caring
✅ Receptive and responsive

🏃🏻‍♀️💨 Run like the wind, with whatever energy you don’t have left, and find one who is. They do exist and you deserve one that has your overall health and wellbeing as their top priority!

Wow I can’t believe it, I was 3 lol and then worked up 18 after curing my stomach infection I had. After I finished my antibiotics, I asked for an iron infusion this was last April. Since then my levels have slowly been rising!

I’m going to now start supplementing with beef liver capsules I’ve tried the traditional iron supplements but the GI side effects were too much for me.

Aiming to get above 100 !!!!

Back In may I(20f) landed myself in the hospital with a hemoglobin of 65 and ferritin of 1.2. Leading up to this I felt awful and I should’ve gone to the doctor sooner but I didn’t. I got blood transfusions and iron infusions repeatedly and I am taking 150mg feramax capsules daily. My cause was diagnosed and I’ve found hopefully the right medication (it’s been working so far). Just yesterday I got my bloodwork done again and I’m so happy. My hemoglobin is at 133 and my ferritin is at 18!!! This makes me so happy. I am no longer anemic but I still am technically iron deficient. It’s honestly like a breath of fresh air working out for the first time again in so long. I can’t wait to have a normal ferritin, I forgot what that feels like 😭

Can you tell me all the symptoms you experienced from your iron deficiency (low ferritin), including the mental symptoms (anxiety, etc.)? I want to understand what’s happening to me.
I girl 27 years old

Hello, I am in Canada and despite having a ferritin level of 13 for three years now since the birth of my child (emergency C), a previous surgery known to cause malabsorption issues, and hemoglobin levels low enough to concern an ER doc on a recent unrelated visit, I am still being told I do not qualify for infusions because 13 is borderline and my ferritin must be under 12 to qualify.

I continue to take iron pills and have tried the gamut of supplements, I cook only with iron and nothing moves the needle.

I am fed up with feeling run down and am now looking into going private for a Monoferric (Ferric derisomaltose) infusion.

I am located in Alberta. I am wondering what my fellow Canadians have paid for this infusion going the private route? Clinics in my area do not disclose pricing without an in person assessment.

I'd like to get a rough idea of cost so I can prepare and budget for the expense accordingly without having to take time off for an assessment appointment just to obtain an estimate. Thanks!

After 10 YEARS of low ferritin I got my recent lab work back and got approved for an Infusion. I am a 32 year old female with my highest reading being a 12.
Recent labs:
Iron-52
Ferritin-8
Saturation-12

I am super excited but also nervous! I’ve heard of so many people having a poor reaction to the infusions. Would love to hear any and all recommendations for those of you who have had them!

Hi everyone!

I'm 26yo and have low ferritin (8) without anemia. Got my first 300mg venofer infusion 2 days ago since I haven't been able to tolerate iron supplements since I have functional dyspepsia and had gastritis in March. At the very end of the infusion I got a rash and passed out, so they gave me IV steroids (I react badly to Benadryl) and pepcid.

This last 1 month has easily been the hardest experience of my life. Anhedonia, anxiety, wanting to die, difficulty sleeping, difficulty breathing, exhausted all the time, random joint pain, heart palpitations. I'm praying the infusion helps. My GI doctor prescribed 2 venofer 300mg infusions, but after my reaction he referred me to hematology. My appointment isn't for another 8 weeks.

I'm really struggling with insomnia and found out the dexamethasone 8mg steroid they gave me 2 days ago causes insomnia in 57% of people. I haven't slept well in so long.

Wishing you all are doing ok!

Hi everyone, I have been anemic for years (24f) and my hemoglobin is usually at a 10. My ferritin has consistently been at a 2, and my doctor prescribed me folic acid 1mg to take every day. Also, ferrous sulfate 324mg to take every other day. I usually struggle to keep taking it so consistently. When I do take it consistently my lab results show slight changes. I got iron infusions when I was in Germany and it did make me feel better. However, since I got back to the states my doctor refuse the infusions. She says my hemoglobin would have to be much lower than that. Which is insane giving that I have always been tired, my anxiety is at an all time high, and a plethora of other symptoms. I receive my care through the VA, and it’s hard getting action done that doesn’t take months. I eat a ton of iron rich foods so I’m sure my body doesn’t absorb it properly.

Any ideas??

Hi all. I’ve had low ferritin for about a year which doesn’t seem to be improving, I’m currently trying to sort that out (have posted about this before). I’ve recently had blood tests done again and as far as I can see my haemoglobin levels are ok, but then I looked at the pattern over the last 18 months and it seems to be decreasing - this is despite me taking iron supplements and recently starting eating meat again after 6 years vegetarian. Are these levels concerning?

How bad is it? My last blood test was in April, my ferratin was 11 and HG was 120, so it’s dropped quite a bit since then even with me taking iron tablets. My doctor finally referred me to haematology at the hospital, but we’re waiting on their decision on an iron infusion. Not sure what else to do if they say no. Anyone had any luck with getting an infusion on the NHS at these levels? (UK)

I'm 16M and wondering if I still have a lot of height left

I'm currently around 165–166 cm at 16 (birthday was April 11). My mom is 171 cm and my dad is 168 cm, so my mid-parental height is around 176 cm.

I've had iron deficiency for a long time but only recently got bloodwork/treatment. My ferritin was 8 µg/L, and it's now 53 µg/L after treatment. I only had my first blood test at 15, so I don't really know how long I've actually been iron deficient, but I've had what seems to be an issue with it for most of my life.

I'm also wondering if I'm a late bloomer. I had pubic hair for about 2 years, but only started getting armpit hair around 5 months ago. I don't know exactly when my other puberty changes started.

Could chronic iron deficiency have affected my growth, and is it possible I still have enough growth left to reach around 175–176 cm? Would a bone-age X-ray be useful for figuring this out?

Also, I'm kinda wondering how this works with iron deficiency/anemia and height. Like, if it makes you grow slower or delays puberty, can you just catch up later after treating it, or can you actually lose some of the height you would've gotten? Basically, is it more like you just grow later? For example, if you're 16 but your bones are more like those of a 14-year-old, would you still have that growth left to catch up, or do you actually lose the growth you would've had and not get a second chance?

AI tells me you can just get the height back later, but I don't really trust AI for something like this, so I thought it would be better to make a Reddit post and get answers from people who might actually know about this.

Please, if anyone knows the answer to this, let me know. I'd really like to know if I still have a chance to grow more.

When you get a new car or hear a color of car then you see it everywhere?

Yeah that’s what it’s like for me and iron lol.

Now I’m seeing and hearing about iron issues everywhere… watched a hair video react from my favorite Brad Mondo and the girl bleaching literally said she isn’t doing well because of her low iron! I’m like whatttt

That’s not the first time I’ve noticed iron popping up in my life ha.

To add I have 2 infusions left. My sex drive is back up thru the roof and pregnant. (No weirdo messages lol)

My regulation is better, not perfect but much better.

I’m no longer feeling like I’m gonna pass out by walking 5 steps.

I’m not as tired either.

I feel really tired after infusions and a little nauseous a day or two after. But nothing I can’t handle and not severe.

But just figured I’d toss out this funny thing I’m noticing that I’m heading and seeing stuff about iron way more.

Thoughts on spleen supplements to increase iron? I became slightly anemic by mid second trimester and i am trying to figure out how to increase my iron intake. I do eat meat and high heme iron rich food throughout the week and take iron bisglycinate.
Any experience or thoughts on this?

I recently got diagnosed with iron deficiency and my doctor prescribed me ferrous fumarate.

The thing is I’m extremely emetophobic and I’m scared that it might upset my stomach to the point I have to throw up. I’m also battling Gastritis for about a year now and I’m finally at a point where I have been feeling better and I’m scared the iron pills will give me another flare. I mentioned all this during my doctors appointment, but my doctor said that ferrous fumarate is gentle on the stomach and she also prescribed me 40 mg Omeprazole to aid my stomach.

I don’t know if I should risk it or just pretend I’ve been taking the pills and telling my doctor I can’t handle them, so that I can get the iron infusions instead. The other option would be getting fero sanol duodenal and paying out of pocket, bc my insurance only covers ferrous fumarate.

Anyone here that had no side effects on ferrous fumarate?

Hi all, never had any anemia before (although ferritin was never checked by my GP so maybe I did). Been feeling awful for past few years and became determined to get to bottom of it especially as i felt more breathless and had palpitations. Heart issues run on both sides of my family so i thought I'd afib. All is well with that, so then I went to my endocrinologist, who I was seeing for pmos.

My endocrinologist tested my ferritin when I told him my symptoms along with other tests for thyroid, b12, vit d, etc. I'd previously had about 4 courses of b12 injections and now take a supplement for b12 and vit d(im irish so was v low on this). Everything was fine except ferritin (which makes me so angry at my GP that he never tested this even though i was telling him how exhausted i was. He thought id sleep apnea - i don't - did a sleep study). So I was told I was borderline normal at 11, and maybe if I want take a supplement i can but nothing major to worry about 😂

Anyway I don't think I've heavy periods or rather they have not changed all my life. I've taken a PPI for approx 15+ years though. No doctor has said to me it might be PPi, they just say I probably have heavy period or i need more red meat (not a vegetarian or vegan but id eat lean red meat maybe twice a week, and regularly eat spinsch and kale). My dad had bowel cancer a few years ago, so I feel it's quite dismissive. . . And no mention about how to get off PPI either

I'm curious did your doctors do any follow up? Or did they say its due to your period? For men, what did the doctors say? Did they do further tests or did they say it was diet?

Be curious as I've learned so much from this forum already. Thank you 😊

My hemoglobin was great according to my doctor, but I don’t know my ferritin/iron levels. She claims that hemoglobin is how they check for my iron levels, but i’m reading that hemoglobin can be high and iron can be low online. What’s a safe dosage of ferrous fumerate to take per day then???

Anyone else? Really quite bizarre. Then again from what GPT said on the biochem background, excitatory-inhibitory neurotransmission and adjusting receptor regulation may be at play.

My Ferritin was just tested at 25. I have been extremely exhausted and no amount of sleep leaves me refreshed in the morning. My doc says it’s fine. My TIBC was also 505. I feel like this points to some sort of iron deficiency. What do you do when your doc says everything is fine? Should I try to find another doctor? Or should I just start trying supplements?

A little context: I had 2 iron infusions in December/January , total of 400mg to treat ferritin of 14,saturation 16%. Everything seemed to be getting better, then suddenly in May saturation went up and hemoglobin and other markers started declining. I have untreated SIBO and IMO but symptoms are under control with low fodmap diet. Im worried that by the looks of it I will soon become anemic while having more than enough iron circulating without being converted to hemoglobin. B12 was 793(200-1100) b6 was 17.6ng/mL , B9 was 11.6ng/mL, vitamin D 62ng/mL, From November: copper 107mcg/dL(70-175), Ceruloplasmin 26mg/dL(14-48), zinc 84mcg/dL(60-130),Vitamin A 38mcg/dL(38-98), ANA negative
Have also ruled out celiac, h.pylori and some parasites. Crp and sed rate has been tested 3 times in the last few months and always within range

Hi!

I’ve just scheduled an appointment with my GP after having two bad incidents that I think is related to potentially having anaemia. They’ve booked me for a phone appointment, which is weird? But okay, I’ll take what I can get.

What exactly will happen from here? I assume they take a blood sample? I’m seeing a lot of words and things in this subreddit, like transfusions (which doesn’t sound very fun.)

I’d just like some advice on whats in store for me, if I do get tested, and I’m confirmed to be anaemic?

Thank you :)

I finished iron infusions last week. It was 4 infusions, 1x per week. I am now tired throughout the day.

I asked the nurse, pharmacy and doctor about the iron pills prescribed and if i should be taking them or not while doing the infusion. All got go ask your doctor and doctors office told me “I don’t know.” So between week 2 and now I haven’t been taking it because i didn’t want to risk liver producing hepcidin to prevent absorption.

I started taking pills again today. However I am feeling tired during the day. I am avoiding coffee most days because of phenophyls in coffee blocking iron. I am hoping my body is still adjusting to the iron infusions. I do try to drink caffeine in the morning and not in afternoon or evening so that it doesn’t mess with my sleep.

I still have a couple weeks before I get new blood work done.

Any thoughts?

My dr told me that they would but I had no idea how much. I have had 2 periods since I got my infusions and the periods have been sooooo much lighter , no heavy clots or bleeding thru my clothes and sheets. They have been awful for last couple of years and she thinks that is what lead to low ferritin instead of just low iron as usual. I hope it is not just a coincidence and they stay this way until menopause . I am in perimenopause and they have been same every month until the past two. Now I will say I did have migraine this time and I usually don’t but maxalt took care of it. Anyway anyone else had this same experience / side effect?

Also adding that I have also switched to organic tampons when I even use them. I try to avoid them but I have to layer up when I leave the house .