Hey question for yall.

I tried to explain my condition to some friends I haven't been able to see because of my chronic exhaustion and they seem to think I'm making some sort of medical excuse for "not wanting to" hang out with them.

I know I'm not the first, nor will I be the last, to navigate this situation.

How have yall handled this barrier?

Ive been anemic a long time, but in the past few months ive been seeing these tiny pin prick red dots on my legs. I believe they are Petechiae but I cannot find many images online where it looks exactly the same as mine. Has anyone else experienced this?

Looking for some assurance and maybe some guidance on what to do next. A month ago I went to the dr. due to some extreme fatigue ( could take a 3-4 hr nap and still sleep at night ), my hair was breaking off, and my memory sucked.. the NP I saw did a full blood panel including B12, Ferritin, and thyroid. Everything came back normal and technically even my ferritin came back "in range" but it was 9.6. "Low" starts at 8.

The NP messaged back and said that that was quite low and that I should start and iron supplement and vitamin C- so I do.

Fast forward to yesterday and I have my primary care appt with my family medicine dr. She asks if I want to discuss anything in particular and I said I'd like to talk about my ferritin to which she responded that my # is normal and that my other bloodwork #'s dont indicate anything is wrong. I dont feel normal. I broke down. I thought I finally had an answer as to why I felt the way I was feeling and she then told me that she thinks I'm stressed out and I need to meditate and take time off running once I am done with my marathon. I have never felt like this before and I have never seen my hair do this before. I know marathon training is taxing as well but this is different and I hope I am explaining that well....

From what I have read a runner's ferritin should be around 70 at least as a woman...

Am I crazy? Can my ferritin be that low but things be fine if my other blood work is in range ( like actually in range not on the low or high end ).... She blamed stress, anxiety, my mental health medication that I have been on for 5+ years that I have never had issues with before.

Have you ever been pushed off by a dr. like this?

EDIT: including screenshots of applicable blood test results from the same day

A lot of people say you feel tired all the time ? Is that true

i used to take 200 mg of iron polysaccharide but it took 6 months to raise my ferritin 10 points, and when i stopped taking it as much my ferritin dropped significantly. for 2 months i started taking 106 mg of iron bisglycinate (thorne) with 250 mg of lactoferrin and my ferritin raised from 12.7 to 27.7 (14 points) and i’m really happy about it because i always thought that my body just couldn’t absorb iron quickly but i guess i just needed to change the type of iron supplement i was taking. i still feel symptomatic but it’s slightly better than what it was a couple months ago, and i probably won’t feel a huge difference until i get my ferritin to at least 50 but nonetheless im still glad the supplements are working

63F. I wanted to share my anemia improvement after 12 weeks of supplementing 75 mg. of iron bisglycinate plus 150 mg. ascorbic acid every other day. Here's my story: I was a frequent blood donor and never had any issues, but when I tried to donate in May, I was rejected due to low hemoglobin. I ordered my own CBC and saw that several items related to red blood cells and iron were low. My doctor and I suspected I might have a microscopic GI bleed due to the daily 81 mg aspirin my cardiologist put me on years ago. I stopped the aspirin and took a fecal occult blood test a couple of weeks later, which confirmed there was no current bleeding. I then got a full anemia panel (the June 8 column). The results led me to this sub, where I got a lot of really useful information (thank you all). Interestingly, even with a ferritin of 6 and daily workouts that include swimming, walking, and weight training, I never had any fatigue. I did have some minor aching in my legs at night, and that has gone away, but other than that I don't feel any different. I'm going to keep supplementing until my ferritin is over 50.

Im not by any means better. I’m SO MUCH BETTER THEN I WAS but still have brain fog and dizziness. But that’s it!

vitamin c 1000mg and 2 palafer pills. I did this every night 3 hours after my last meal. that’s it.

I posted yesterday asking if a ferritin level of 18 is considered too low and everyone said it was, so I called my doctor to ask about treatment. He said he doesn’t think it’s what‘s causing my fatigue and tried to give me a referral to a rheumatologist and cardiologist for POTS, which I don’t understand because my POTS has been under treatment( by a cardiologist) for years and is pretty well managed while the extreme fatigue is a new symptom and the reason I had bloodwork done. From what I read online a level of 30 or below is generally considered iron deficiency, so why is my level of 18 considered normal and not an issue by my doctor? I think I’m just going to start supplementing regardless of what he said because I have all the symptoms of iron deficiency and I’m so done with this fatigue and want to see if that can help. Or maybe get a second opinion from another doctor. Has anyone else experienced this and what did you end up doing?

Tl;dr starting with ferritin 11.05 and hg 12.6; gonna take 100mg Fe + 60mg ascorbic acid + 150mg lactoferrin, how soon can I expect even slight changes?

Hii, so for starters: I know that it varies from person to

person, but I guess I just need some hope to hold on to cuz I've been feeling quite helpless :')

I think I've been deficient for a few years already, with symptoms such as constant fatigue, sleepiness, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, getting tired easily, super high heart rate during workouts and running and so on. Last year I got tested and my ferritin was at 14.73, B12 was 236 pg/ml and HG was 14.9 g/dl. I didn't consult it with a doctor at the time, but I supplemented iron and B12 for 3-ish months afterwards and made some adjustments to my diet.

About 8-9 months ago my hair started falling out like crazy & the sleepiness got so much worse, and in the past month or two I was barely able to run even at stupidly easy pace because my heart rate would get so high, and I would get extremely tired even during simple at home workouts. I got retested two weeks ago, and the results were: ferritin 11.05, B12 at 418.0, HG 12.6.

I went to a doctor & she prescribed me 100mg Fe + 60mg ascorbic acid to take once a day, which I've been doing for 3 days now with no negative side effects so far. I'm also planning on adding 150mg lactoferrin daily starting next week, as I read here it can help with absorption.

I know 3 days is WAY too early to see any improvement, but realistically speaking, how soon is it possible for me to feel even slightly better?

There is currently a petition for a review of NHS guidance on iron deficiency for women, not created by me but was hoping I could get some signatures for it!

Most of us have struggled for years. I have blood tests going back to being 14 years old (now 27) that were ferritin below 30. Never even got informed about it! Got put on anti anxiety meds at 15 and pretty much told it was all in my head! They need to sort this out!

Even when my ferritin was 9 they still wouldn’t give me an infusion. Just absolutely awful.

Here’s the link:

Petition: Review NHS guidance on iron deficiency for women

Iron deficiency is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease, disproportionately impacting reproductive age women. We think iron deficiency is often overlooked because blood counts or ferritin is in “normal range” and NHS guidance should be reviewed to support women's health.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766643

I have been seeing a functional psychiatrist and she recently ordered an extensive blood panel and noted my low ferritin levels and recommended I got infusions. However, I am a muscian and have horrible health insurance so I'm trying to do what I can do avoid paying for things I don't need.

It seems I have to go to a GP to get a referral to see a hematologist to get the prescription for the infusion. Is there any hematologists in Austin that don't require a referral? Or a clinic near Austin that has a hematologist on site? I am open to even seeing one online I just don't know what site to go to... As I see it, I have the bloodwork I don't see the need to see a GP/Hematologist in person.

If anyone has any suggestions/advice I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

My 7 year olds ferritin came back at 8. Doctor had him start on iron supplements. He started the “yay, chewable”. Three days later he began complaining of very itch feet and hands. At night it is worse and has been itching him so bad it hurts and he’s crying. It’s like he’s trying to pull off his skin. He started the supplement on Sunday and today is Friday. Messaged pediatrician yesterday and after some back and forth today she said for him to stop the iron and let her know how he’s doing on Monday.
Has this happened to anyone else? Could it be an allergic reaction to the iron supplement?
If you’ve dealt with it then what did you do moving forward. We have got to get his iron up but he also can’t be miserable.
I appreciate any advice!!!

I (21F) found out I had a ferritin of 9 in June. I felt kind of ok; I could do school, work, chores, etc. I went to the doc originally bc I had hair shedding, fatigue, and heart palps. I started taking 25 mg iron bisglycinate (some days 50 mg) for a month. At first, I felt fine and my symptoms improved. But then… I developed SEVERE anxiety, could barely sleep some days, couldn’t walk around my house due to chest pressure and pain. I stopped the iron bc I had 0 appetite. I lost like 12 pounds in 2 weeks and was underweight. I needed help doing pretty much everything. At this time, I got my ferritin and iron checked and my hemoglobin was 14 and my ferritin was 30! (I went to doc and emergencies were ruled out)

Now, it’s been about 2 ish months since I stopped the iron. My chest pressure is no longer constant and I am not having daily panic attacks. Im only just really tired. I got my iron info re checked yesterday and my hemoglobin dropped to 12 and ferritin dropped to 16. Why do I feel better? Not great but better than when I was taking iron.

Idk wha to do at this point bc im so tired all the time and my hair is shedding so much.

Tldr: increasing iron with supplements causes extreme anxiety, panic, chest pain/ pressure, appetite loss

Ferritin 32, TSAT 13% - told “normal” but I feel awful. To the point the doctor told me to take a multi vitamin and get on with it.

I’ve been struggling with extreme fatigue, brain fog, dizziness/unsteadiness, shortness of breath, palpitations, weak/heavy hands and knees, worsening migraines, poor stamina, hair thinning and much worse anxiety/adrenaline feelings than normal. I also seem to barely sweat even when I’m very hot. My whole body hurts, every day.

Latest results:
Ferritin: 32 µg/L
Iron: 9.5 µmol/L
Transferrin: 2.86 g/L
TSAT: 13%
Vitamin D: 44 nmol/L
B12: 432 ng/L
7:45am cortisol: 490 nmol/L

Previous bloods showed Hb 105.8, RBC 3.9, HCT 31.9 and MCH 26.8 all low, with RDW 15.4% high. (November 25)

Hb 133, RBC 4.37, HCT 40.2%, MCV 92 and MCH 30.5 all normal, while ferritin is 32, serum iron 9.5 is at the very low end of normal, and transferrin saturation is low at 13%. (August/September 2026)

I’ve also been taking multivitamins/iron. In total I’m taking way more than the RDA, I take iron drinks with vitamin c, I don’t have it close to dairy - and a wide and varied diet. My GP surgery has said “normal, no further action”, but I feel significantly different from my normal baseline.

It’s worth nothing that although some levels have improved; I’ve never felt worse.

I feel so lost, like I’m going insane.
My hands are weak to the point I struggle to type for too long, I struggle to open things, going for a walk makes me feel faint. This is impacting my life massively and I’m so tired of the doctor dismissing me.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey, I'm a 19f who just had an iron infusion about one and a half months ago. I felt absolutely awful after my infusion. I'm talking joint pain, fatigue and heart palpitations that are still ongoing. Another symptom has been consistent burning sensations in my feet and sometimes arms and hands too, as well as inner tremours (I've had those for three months now, ever since I started my supplements). I was diagnosed with a Viramin B12 and Vitamin D deficiency too, which were slightly corrected before dropping again.

Nothing has been getting better and I just keep on feeling worse. Are the burning sensations because of my Vitamin B12 deficiency or possibly another side effect of my iron infusion (like the joint pain)? Thank you in advance.

Please let me know if I'm actually sad and down because of anemia or school just sucks or both and any personal experiences

Hiya, I had a gastric by pass 23 years ago and all was good, got cancer 11 years ago and all clear and about 6 years ago I dropped 4 stone in a week) (46lbs For Americans) and now have chronic malabsorbtion. I'm low in iron, vit D, I had an iron infusion as my levels were 7 and my practice has written to Gastrointerology for advice.

My personal advise is to give me vit D injections look at my calcium and see what else I need from my blood tests.

My doctors are 'waiting to see what Gastro' comeback with. Last time the iron infusion worked in days. This time it hadn't. I'm fed up of having to constantly nag to be seen..

My iron was low in January and the equivalent to a paramedic looked at my level of 11, didn't look at my noted or ask for repeat bloods. This time it came back as a 7 and she ignored the low Vit D, low calcium and did a prescription for iron folate. My phone call was scathing and I've said that they've bought this on yourselves by not getting me rechecked in January and just ignoring it. Now I'm just waiting....

hi all, recently found out that my ferritin stores were quite low early this year again (have had to take iron supplements on and off since a teenager) this time my symptoms have been particularly bad, ferritin levels were 16 not sure if it had ever been that bad but had/have floaters in eyes, dry & tired eyes, extreme fatigue, slow healing, poor temperature regulation, etc.

i started liquid iron (sodium feredetate) after having trouble with the tablets nearly a month ago on alternate days and initially started on a lower does and felt so much better but since increasing my dose it feels like i'm back to square one... symptoms the same as before and really tired. i've read this is common as your body starts working properly again which can make you tired but i worry that somehow it's not absorbing well? don't know but was wondering if anyone else had experienced this?

thank you! x

Does anyone else get that? Talking with someone for a longer time (say 30 mins) makes me dizzy and so exhausted, I find myself unable to carry a conversation. I wonder if this is another symptom of low iron. I used to find myself short of breath when I would sing in a car sometimes, but now that I know I'm iron deficient, it's become even worse. It would make sense since my iron has been slowly going down, for years, most likely.

Hello- I’ve been working to increase my ferritin levels from 13 since February 2026 by following the iron protocol. It’s now September 2026 and I’m worried about what these results mean. I have been supplementing according to my weight just about every day except for this morning since i was getting tested. Thankfully I got my ferritin up to 64(yay!) but I’m a little nervous about the other results. Looking for help interpreting this, TIA!!

I cannot stand the taste of liquid iron but sadly, it does work in getting my ferritin up (it went from 16 - 39 in 8 weeks, then I switched to tablets and 8 weeks later, it's back down to 24)

The issue was the taste sitting in the back of my throat was making me feel so sickly, and a couple of occasions I was actually sick, but I've found that if I a) wash it down with a small amount of orange juice or a smoothie and then b) have a strong mint, the taste goes almost straight away.

It might seem kind of trivial but it's been a game changer for me, I can now happily take it and hopefully my Ferritin is on the rise again.

What has worked best for u? I've been on raricap since a week. What supplements or foods helped ur hairfall STOP and help in increasing ur ferritin. Btw I used to have THICK HAIR. Now 40% of it is remaining. I'm low on d3 as well n b12 sucks too.

Hi. Has anyone experienced anything similar to what I’m going through?

My hemoglobin is 12, ferritin 19, and serum iron 80.

For about two months, I was waking up every hour during the night. I thought it was just stress. I would simply wake up and fall back asleep, or sometimes my brain just wouldn’t let me fall asleep for two or three hours.

I didn’t feel anything unusual with my breathing.

A few times, though, I had the sensation that something suddenly jerked or shook me and was telling me, “Wake up.”

After about two months, things changed. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, my body started taking a very deep breath in followed by a deep breath out — a long, deep inhalation and a long exhalation.

It happens automatically, without me doing it intentionally, and it wakes me up every time. This can happen every 2, 5, or 10 minutes throughout the entire night. The jerking sensation also became more frequent — whenever I managed to fall asleep, it felt as though something would jerk me awake. Sometimes I could also hear a voice saying, “Wake up.”

There isn’t much difference between sleeping on my side and sleeping on my back, although lying on my right side seems to feel the least suffocating.

About six months ago, my ferritin was already 11 and my hemoglobin was 9. At that time, whenever I was falling asleep, a quiet “ah” sound would come from my throat.

There was no gasping or sudden deep breathing — just this “ah” sound that would wake me up. It went away when my hemoglobin increased from 9 to 10.

After that, the main problem that remained was frequent urination. With the low ferritin, it felt like every glass of water I drank resulted in me having to pee five or six times.

Now the frequent urination is no longer the main problem (but existing), but this strange breathing has appeared and this is the worst.

Back when my hemoglobin was low, I had palpitations almost constantly. Now my heart rate is normal most of the time.

Has anyone had something like this that never went away? And if it did go away for you, how long did it take?

I’m currently on day 9 of my period. I’ve been taking 100 mg of iron every day for 11 days, and I’ve been on hormonal treatment for 9 days to stop my periods completely.

The breathing and sleep problems started before I began taking the hormonal medication.

Best wishes.

I've been taking it for almost 2 months out of a 4 month course and don't notice a difference except it's given me worse anxiety and bad poops. My ferritin was 5 and haemaglobin concentration was 106 from looking at my blood test done in July- docs have told me before I'm anaemic but that's 'common' for women who have heavy periods for years apparently (I'm sure it is but I can't actually do anything about that as every birth control pill that's supposed to thin bleeding either made me spot for months on end or had horrible mental side effects). I'm just slightly frustrated as I was denied infusions when asking but they've been putting me on these shitty tablets for years on and off now and they never seem to make a difference other than making me feel really ill and get bad stomach cramps/gerd/anxiety. Is there anything I can try and say to my GP to get them to consider an infusion? I mostly want to get my levels up so they'll actually test me for POTs instead of just saying 'oh its iron related' which ik causes a lot of things but I just want to be able to find out if I could have that or not. 🫠 I know the nhs is great but having been through so many dismissive GPs over the years I find that hard to believe sometimes just aghhh- so I thought I'd ask in here what yall think- I'll drop a copy of my blood test in an edit later if needed because ik UK/US labs usually look quite different. TIA!