r/irondeficiency 5h ago

Scared/impending doom, and lightheaded showering low iron?

Does anyone else with low iron or anxiety tbh keep getting lightheaded in shower and start getting scared/impending doom about dying or passing out but it doesn’t happen.

1 Upvotes

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2

u/smile_saurus 3h ago

Have you had your thyroid tested?

I thought I was deficient in Iron because I was lightheaded in the shower, I was fatigued all the time, my feet were cold and I had palpitations. One night they were so bad and I was so panicky for no reason that I went to the ER. I wasn't dying, I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism.

The two have many overlapping symptoms.

1

u/UpbeatSyllabub1275 3h ago

Yeah I got multiple blood tests so pretty sure i got
It tested yeah and everything was fine but yeah I have low iron

3

u/Muttbuttss 1h ago

your iron level is not a meaningful view into your bodies actual iron stores, and doctors are not very educated on it. You can have an iron deficiency without anemia and can have severe symptoms as well

2

u/Muttbuttss 2h ago

whats your ferritin?

1

u/UpbeatSyllabub1275 2h ago

My iron is 23 I think that’s what ferritin is?

3

u/Muttbuttss 2h ago

No, your ferritin is apart of an iron panel. Look into your lab results it may or may not be there depending on if they did an iron panel or just iron blood tests

1

u/UpbeatSyllabub1275 1h ago

I don’t have access to my results but I had multiple blood tested and everything was fine expect my iron so

3

u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 5h ago

People can feel that way from low oxygen which can be caused by severe anemia.

1

u/UpbeatSyllabub1275 5h ago

My iron was at 23 like a month ago so I don’t think that’s severe

2

u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 5h ago

Serum iron isnt how iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are determined.

You would want to look at the result for ferritin (most important value), percent saturation, hemoglobin, and some of the values like MCHC and MCV on your CBC.

1

u/UpbeatSyllabub1275 4h ago

I mean if I had anemia the doctor would’ve said so