Thinning hair, tired all the time, I want my life back!!

Blondieee · ‎12-14-2014

I've had low ferritin for a while now, about a year and a half. I'm tired and exhausted all the time. I sleep practically all day. I don't have much energy and I get shortness of breath a lot. My hair has been thin for a while. I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want to take iron supplements because of my severe anxiety. I can't handle the side effects of those considering those things (throwing up, diarrhea) are major fears of mine. And I REALLY can't handle a bad/metallic taste in the mouth afterwards. That will make me panic and likely throw up. In addition, I can't swallow pills and the liquid iron stains your teeth and gives the same horrible side effects. I've read lots of good reviews about a supplement called Solgar Gentle Iron but it is this massive capsule pill. I can't even swallow a small pill so there's no way I could swallow that. I emailed them and asked if it can be opened and sprinkled over food like applesauce but even if it can be...I just don't see myself being able to take it. My anxiety is too bad and I'm too panicky.

I just REALLY want to be able to get it through food instead. I've been trying so hard. I eat a double breakfast: 2 eggo waffles and an entire bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios (no milk) and a glass of orange juice and that's 75% iron. If I'm feeling nauseous (I wake up feeling nauseous sometimes cause of my horrible sleep schedule I'm guessing) it's about 62% because I have the same thing, except I eat 2 pieces of buttered toast instead of the eggos. For dinner, I usually have what appears to be 2 to 2 1/2 servings of pasta which is 20-25% iron so I've been trying. On a typical day (if I eat eggos for breakfast) I get about 107% iron from food. If I eat buttered toast for breakfast, I get 94% iron from food. I don't have heavy periods either. They last for about 4 days and are moderate. Not super light but definitely not heavy. I don't even have to change that often. I always take Advil too to help with cramps and slow down the flow (it really does work).

So that's why I was so incredibly discouraged and sad when I saw my ferritin actually went down.

On March 25, I had a ferritin of 7.7. My hgb was 14.1 (12.0-15.0) and my hct was 42.0% (35.0-49%).

And here are my results from a couple days ago:

Ferritin: 7.0
Hgb: 14.6 (12.0-15.0)
Hct: 42.2% (35.0-49.0%)

I consulted with a nutritionalist and even she said I'm getting over 100% iron in food. The problem is just because you eat over 100% iron doesn't mean your body absorbs all of it. She said everything I'm going through is going to take time...getting the ferritin up, getting my hair to thicken back up, getting my anxiety under control. It's a long story and I can't explain everything but I DON'T have time. It's so incredibly urgent!! I needed the ferritin back up yesterday. That's how urgent it is. I've already taken a semester off school and I'm about to have to take another semester off. I DON'T have time.

But I can't take a supplement or anything, I just can't. But my anxiety is so bad, I also have a fear of trying new foods. And a lot of iron rich foods like beef I don't eat. I'm already on medication for anxiety. The same dose I have taken for years and it has always worked. I've even taken half the dose while I was in school (getting socialization and exercise) and it worked better than it is now. So the problem is I'm not in school. I just lay around and sleep all day and get no socialization and exercise. I'm not going to increase the dose when this dose does in fact work. It's just everything else that's the problem. And I can't go back to school until this iron problem is fixed.

I know that Total cereal has 100% iron in a serving size and even if I ate my same breakfast and had that an hour after breakfast (even just half a serving size is 50%) it would help. But I'm just extremely scared to try it. I've heard it tastes like cardboard/straw. And I'm worried if I eat it despite not liking it, that I'll throw it up. Or does that not happen if you eat something you don't like? I've never eaten anything I don't like (other than tasting it) so I really don't know. Do you have any suggestions? I am EXTREMELY stressed and feel hopeless and sad.

MarenSeattle · ‎10-19-2013

If you think the Total might help, why don't you fix a little bowl and TRY that. If you don't like it you can toss it out -- you don't HAVE to eat it all. And certainly not if it upsets you.

Do they know WHY your ferritin might be so low? If you're getting adequate amounts from your food, can they offer suggestions of what else it could be? Do they think youmight do better with iron from the beef, etc? (I just base this on my mother who, when she was young, was VERY low in Iron and they fed her -- well, don't want to gross you out, but suffice it to say it was an organ meat VERY lightly cooked. It worked.)

I grew up in a medical family so I was raised believing that the cures came from pharmaceutical manufacturers. But I've come to realize that our way has been to treat the symptoms rather than focusing on alleviating the cause, which is why I'm asking if they know WHY.

I'm so sorry you're going through this -- and I wish I could help, but I honestly haven't had any experience with this. Maybe someone will come along who has or knows someone who has.

I'm rooting for you!

Suebdoo · ‎08-31-2013

N/M. I think you need more help or a different doctor

islandgrrl · ‎06-20-2010

I am very sorry that you are feeling so much anxiety. Sometimes our problems have a way of compounding themselves when we live with a lot of fear. It is hard to see our full range of options in that place.

Is it possible for you to find someone to talk to and work with on the anxiety? You may find that the iron issues are easier to solve if you can find a little peace. Sending you strength and confidence.

Marienkaefer2 · ‎03-09-2010

Ok, I take ferrous sulfate 325 mg. It was prescribed by my doc, but you don't need a prescription. I buy the Walgreen' s brand. It's a small round pill that I can swallow easily...about the size of a small.round aspirin. I eat a healthy diet, but I wasn't absorbing enough iron. I take this every other day. My last bloodwork was good. I don't remember the numbers right now, but I'm not anemic now. I don't have any side effects, and I was afraid of that,because my GI system is sensitive. But I have no constipation, no diarrhea, nothing. Have you been to your medical doctor? They can run tests to weed out causes for low iron. But you may end up having to take the supplement. It's not that bad at all!

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.--Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marienkaefer2 · ‎03-09-2010

Remember when you say you're getting 75% iron, that's the recommended daily allowance,but you may need MORE than that. The ferrous sulfate 325 mg that I take is 60 mg iron which is WAY more than the RDA. That's why, you really should see a medical doc about this.

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.--Marcus Tullius Cicero

Ceci · ‎03-11-2010

You didn't state your age and weight. Personally, I would give up the Eggo's. You are eating a lot of Carbs and I don't know that is the best. Eggs would be healthier and not as filling. Have some scrambled eggs or however you like eggs with a piece of toast.

I think a lot of processed foods mess up our body. I would focus on healthier eating. Lots of salad with dark green leaves. I don't believe (and studies have shown) that taking vitamins to supplement nutritional deficiencies are not as affective as eating foods to get the vitamins. Food works as a 'whole' and different properties in the food work together. When you remove a single vitamin it is often ignored by the body. Better to get you Vit C from fresh fruits and vegetables.

I would look for cereals which are organic and do not contain GMO corn. No matter what the label says on cereals, those are added vitamins rather than coming from the food itself.

If you do not like eating meat, research foods which contain iron (even in small amounts) and eat those. But make sure those foods are not containing 'added iron.'

Your anxiety and possible depression (sleeping) can be treated by a good professional Psychiatrist. I would try to schedule an appointment to meet with one and have him decide if another medication might be more helpful. There are many medications which treat depression and anxiety together.

You might have gluten intolerance which interferes with absorption of nutrients. There are many causes for poor absorption of iron. You need to find the right professionals. Excessive sleeping and hair loss could be a sign of of Thyroid disorder.

Try to develop a healthy approach to eating. Give up the highly processed foods such as Eggo's and Cheerios. Look for foods which provide nutrients directly, not through what the manufacturer is stating on the label. Cut back on the Carbs.

Good luck, you can turn things around. But you will need help from professionals. Please seek help with your depression and anxiety.

feline groovy · ‎07-29-2014

We chicks have that wacky hormone, estrogen.

And it's something that waxes and wanes throughout our lives.

So there's that.

gabstoomuch · ‎03-16-2010

Sounds like thyroid symptoms to me. All that iron will just make thyroid symptoms worse.

If you have a Facebook page, start reading HYPOTYHROID MOM page.

Or go to About.c om and start reading about thyroid. Mary Shomon is a thyroid advocate and has a bazillion articles on About.

Once you start reading up on thyroid problems, I bet a light bulb will go off for you.

Hyper or Hypo thyroid symptoms can overlap, sometimes you can have symptoms of being both.

Look up Hashimoto's Disease too.

Blondieee · ‎12-14-2014

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your advice and support. You guys have been more helpful here than any other forum.

I'm 21, 5'3, and 116-117 pounds. Although I understand the need for a healthier diet, I'm quite content with my current diet at the moment. I'm okay with adding foods to it but I really don't want to take away from anything I'm eating. I struggled with my weight for the longest because of my anxiety (I was 104 and looked anorexic even though I wasn't) and these foods helped get me back up and are helping me maintain my weight. Plus I really enjoy Cheerios. I don't eat any foods that naturally contain iron so I have to get it through iron fortified foods. If I wasn't getting that, my iron would be way lower.

I was referred to a psychologist for my anxiety so I need to call and make an appointment so hopefully she will be able to help.

A couple of you mentioned it sounds like a thyroid problem. Here's what's going on with my thyroid. In June 2013, I went to my doctor cause I was sleeping all the time. She ran some tests and here's what came back out of range:

Iron: 45 (50-212)
% Saturation: 12 (15-55%)
TSH: 5.022 (0.400-4.200)

I told my doctor I just had my period before the test and asked if that caused my iron to be low. She said that would explain the iron but not the % saturation and that I am iron deficient. She suggested iron supplements. She also wanted to put me on thyroid medication saying I was hypothyroid but I asked if we could wait and see and she agreed.

I did a lot of research and I thought the Zoloft might be affecting my thyroid. My mom knows a few people at work who are on Zoloft and thyroid medication. Also, I read a study about rats and how their thyroid was affected at only 40mg of Zoloft. I was on 50mg. So I reduced the dose to 25mg and we retested a month later. Here were the results:

TSH: 3.124 (0.400-4.200)
T3: 4.1 (1.5-3.5)
T4: 0.9 (0.6-1.5)
Anti-TPO: 663.5 (0.0-9.0)

The last result really scared me. My doctor said I have Hashimoto's.

In March, a year after being on the 25mg Zoloft dose, I got retested and the thyroid was completely normal.

TSH: 2.132 (0.400-4.200)
T3: 2.8 (1.5-3.5)
T4: 0.8 (0.6-1.5)
Ferritin: 7.7

My doctor said no medication was needed at this point since my thyroid is in range, despite having the antibodies. In July, I went back up to the 50mg dose and I learned I NEED it to function.

Here are the thyroid results from a couple days ago. Still normal but the TSH has significantly went up (which I can't help but wonder if it's related to the Zoloft).

TSH: 3.629 (0.400-4.200)
T3: 2.9 (1.5-3.5)
T4: 0.8 (0.6-1.5)
This is when I got the ferritin result of 7.0.

So.....what are your thoughts on this? I know I have a thyroid problem since my antibodies are WAY too high. But my doctor acts like you don't treat it unless the TSH is out of range which it's not. Can having the elevated antibodies but a normal TSH, T3, and T4 still cause the symptoms I'm having or not? It's just really hard to tell since thyroid symptoms and low iron symptoms are very similar.

Also, I'm losing hair on my right eyebrow but it's not on the outer edge that's typical with a thyroid condition. Although I've always had thin hair on the outer part of my eyebrow so it's hard to tell if I'm losing hair there. But what's bothering me is I have 2 patches right in the middle of my eyebrow!!! I didn't pay much attention to it before but when you guys mentioned thyroid, it got me thinking.

Do I need to see an endocrinologist and not just my normal doctor for this?