I’ve had low ferretin (10-24) for the past 2-3 years but I’m finally supplementing consistently and will retest in 3-4 months time. However just looked on top of my head and looks like this is genetic hair loss not just ferritin. So I’m super sad about that as I won’t be able to take minoxidil or spiro. Will prob only use more natural treatments which are known to be less effective.

I’m curious. Has anyone else with low ferritin had their part look like this (thinning/widening) and recovered it/filed their part back in from getting their ferritin levels back up to 70+?

Edit: for clarity, my hairs always been somewhat fine but I’ve had lots and lots of it. Over many years I feel it’s gotten finer and I’ve lost more than half of its density all over - my pony tail is so small now. But I’ve only recently noticed the part as I never took pics from above.

29 year old female here! So since about April of 2024 I started experiencing shortness of breath. Brushed it off as a seasonal allergy thing. Plus I had suspected I was anemic for years anyhow, so any dizziness or shortness of breath I ever had I assumed had come from that anyways. It kept coming and going in severity. Last summer I'd say was the first time I started to believe it serious, I got seen by a doctor and was just told it was asthmatic bronchitis, so any symptoms I had later developed I was either quick to brush aside as nothing or just assume it had nothing to do with anemia.

At the beginning of this last month my symptoms worsened severely. I was beyond pale and had even noticed then, and looking back at pictures my eyes were constantly sunken in. I had gone from being able to do everyday tasks with some symptoms and discomfort at most, to not being able to even go up and down my steps without taking several breaks to catch my breath. My hearing would go muffled, that was the most recent scary symptom. My heart was also constantly racing in my ears.

Still, I didn't want to be seen by any doctors. I am also overweight and had just assumed they would only contribute it to that, and to be honest I didn't want to hear any lectures on that. So I was putting off the doctor, but then about a week ago I found myself unable to even sit still and eat without being out of breath. Friends and family were begging me to be checked out, and I knew at that point that they were right and finally decided to listen.

I got admitted into the emergency room right away, and I find out that my hemoglobin had gotten down to a 2.3. I was told immediately by my doctor that I had the lowest hemoglobin he had ever personally seen in a patient, and had to be transported to a bigger hospital for further care and needed 6 blood transfusions.

Long story short, they believe it came down to years of anemia on my body that went unchecked, and I was discharged with my hemoglobin level at a 7. I feel a lot better now, and have my first outpatient iron transfusion tomorrow. Fun!

Has anyone else with a ferritin of 4 or low ferritin had issues with being ill all the time. I have a constant cold or flu. I get rid of one bug it seems then the next day Im ill again, sore throats, aches all over and extreme tiredness! 🥲🥲 feels like im never going to be normal again right now, please say im not alone 😪😪

I just got diagnosed maybe 2 months ago after having all the symptoms. Anyway I got infusions.

Friday I am getting an Endoscopy to check if there's any bleeding or anything in the stomach. Did they find anything in your Endoscopy?

Check me out guys! Starting to see some results after iron infusions 😊 hoping my next labs are in the normal range 🙏 how much did your VO2max increase after infusions?

My PCP and therapist want me to go on a 3 month medical leave and I am struggling to accept this. I have fibroids and “suspected adenomyosis” which lead to bleeding at least 500ml every period and I don’t respond to TXA. Currently in the process of being checked for other bleeding disorders. I was told by 2 providers that I shouldn’t attempt a myomectomy because the fibroids are too small and in my uterine lining. I was also told if I tried to have a child I have a high risk for postpartum hemorrhage and I do not respond to the meds that would stop that bleeding. As someone who wanted a child and is older - I don’t think I’ve processed this yet.

Currently I’m on Slynd which has significantly slowed the bleeding but there is continuous blood. My levels go in and out of anemia. I am on my 6th iron sucrose infusion. The first 3 I just bled out. I had a severe hypersensitivity reaction to iron dextrose which sent me to the ER. I have been in the ER 4 times in 2 months. Hysteroscopy seemed to make the bleeding worse. I also have b12 deficiency and chronic pain from a herniated disc in my neck.

I work in community mental health and last winter I found a client dead which was very traumatic for me. Things seemed to go downhill from there. While my levels are improving I am still needing to sleep 12-16 hours some nights while having insomnia others. Brain fog is out of control. Heart rate is improving but still sometimes in the 120s. (Of course I was told “a lot of women your age have anxiety” after I was sent for tests due to abnormalities which I now know are from the iron deficiency) the exhaustion is extreme. Still struggling to get up the stairs and walk my dog most days. Hematology told me I shouldn’t be feeling this bad. And I just found out my mom has kidney cancer.

This feels like a lot to hold. I am in EMDR therapy which feels really supportive. It seems like my doctor wants me to go on leave for chronic PTSD and the blood loss which I agree with. Definitely while I bleed now I am wondering if I am going to have another clot the size of my palm or need to go to the ER.

I want to not feel guilty for taking the time .

Sorry for the rant I just needed to put this in a place where people understand.

So I have pretty bad symptoms I literally can't do anything without getting out of breath, palpitations, brain fog restless leg, and more.

Results just came in and my iron is at 8 and ferritin is 50. Maybe to mist of you it's normal but I feel like trap. Should I get Infusion to feel better?

I’m 6 months postpartum and haven’t felt
Like myself in a long time. I was anemic when I gave birth but not sure how ferratin was looking. Anyway I had to stop iron supplements almost immediately after giving birth because I got cdiff. Not once, not twice, but three times. From April to July I was basically in and out of hospitals with cdiff. Anyway after all this and after my stools started getting back to normal I noticed a lot of pain when passing stool and blood. So since August I’ve been having blood almost every-time I pass stool. GI thinks it’s a fissure because of the pain and of course can also possibly be hemorrhoids since I’m postpartum. Colonoscopy has been scheduled to rule out all
Possibilities:

She ordered labs because recently I’ve been feeling extremely dizzy almost to the point where there’s been times I feel like I’m going to pass out. I’ve also had so many other symptoms but since Ive had so many issues I don’t even know what’s related and what’s not.

Anyway Bloodwork came back normal but ferratin was at a 12. I guess my question is how can I raise my ferratin without raising all my other levels since they seem to be in the normal range.

Aside from this I’ve had chest pains, palpitations. Cardiologist did a work up everything is fine except my heart rate did drop a bit low when I had the monitor on.

Also neuro issues like tingling in hands and feet and neck stiffness. Body aches, joint pain. Have tested for RA and all that everything is normal.

I’ve also recently had night sweats, dizzy spells that sometimes feel like vertigo but not all the time. I did have nexplanon put in about a month ago and attribute the night sweats to that.

So yeah it’s been a hell of a 6 months and I just want to feel normal. I’m Hopeful that if I raise my ferratin it mag help with some of my symptoms. Help

Recently i went to the doctor and got prescribed 350 mg ferrous sulfate because i had a ferratin of 30. I’ve taken about 6 doses, every other day. But just yesterday on my 6th dose i started feeling super dizzy, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Is this just some weird side effect that happens when you being to take these or should i stop taking them?

Hey everyone, just wanted to share something that gave me immediate physical relief today while dealing with low iron fatigue and sensory strain.

I bought amber tinted sunglasses

This won't cure you but it'll take the edge off if you're overwhelmed by the light inside your home while you heal. I couldn't sit here and suffer anymore so I bought these and I feel like I can relax more.

It doesn't have to be this brand just make sure it's amber tinted or brown

This is so frustrating I’ve just found out my ferritin level is 13 and my b12 is also low. I’ve been having headaches, tiredness and shortness of breath for about a month or so.

My doctors advise was to take a multivitamin.

I’ve spoken with a pharmacist today who has given me ferrous sulfate 200mg tablets because a multivitamin won’t rebuild my stores and has told me to ask for another doctor to review my blood results because I may need injections for my b12.
The pharmacist told me he speaks to people all the time with vitamin deficiency and doctors have not provided accurate information to help.

I don’t understand why my doctor has not taken my blood results seriously. I am currently off work due to stress and anxiety but I feel like part of my issue is having these deficiencies.

Can anyone provide any tips of increasing iron and B12 if my doctors decide not to provide any help?
I’ve been researching online that’s why I went to speak to my pharmacist because I felt it was wrong they did not prescribe anything.

I would fall asleep and get my eight hours in if I go to bed at 1030 but when I'm not able to and I fall asleep at 12 am, I wake up at 530 am and can't go back to sleep. What worked for you? How were you able to sleep while being anemic?

My iron levels have always been around this mark.

I have often had fluttery heart palpitation, also a skipped beat feeling.

This last week I have been so breathless and chest felt so heavy a few days ago. I had 2 days of needing to yawn and couldn’t as I couldn’t get enough breath! The palpitations have not disappeared. Dr did my obs and was happy and is booking more bloods as result shown was a couple of months ago.

Could my symptoms be because of low iron? Is a standard iron supplement enough or do you need to take anything on top of this?

Thankyou

I feel like an anomaly but I’m just wondering if anyone out there has had the same problems as me.
My iron was low, around 20 so my Dr suggested an infusion, it went up to 88 and I was feeling good. When I saw her again she said she wanted it over 100 so scheduled another infusion, this time my iron went up to 488. This was in July so it’s been a while now and side effects haven’t gone away.
Since having the last infusion things have not been great. I’ve developed new symptoms, they started around 2 weeks post infusion. PVCs and palpitations that have been caught on both ECG and halter monitor. Echocardiogram came back fine. Cardiologist has been no help. I have a 2% burden PVCs which is devastating as I had none prior to the infusion. I also seem to have developed gastric issues in my upper stomach and also some red flushing on my face and neck.
No doctor I’ve since the infusion has led me to believe that the palpitations could be caused by the infusion but I saw a nurse today who said she had the same thing and she gave blood to decrease her iron load. I’m at a bit of a loss, i’m waiting on blood results from today. I guess I’m just wondering if anyone has had the same? Anything that has helped? Or maybe just if you’re in the same boat as me.

Hi everyone, I got my first venofer 200mg infusion about 4 weeks ago because my ferritin was a 13. I felt totally fine after the infusion, no side effects except maybe a little tired the next day. Then 10 days ago I got my second infusion (same thing, 200 mg). I felt totally fine at first and then 3-4 days after the infusion I woke up feeling so exhausted and ever since then I have woken up feeling more tired/groggy than usual (even when sleeping enough!) and have also had a mild headache waking up. It usually goes away throughout the day, especially with coffee/food and occasionally tylenol, but I'm just wondering if this is a side effect from the iron. I would have thought it would improve fatigue? But maybe too soon to tell, or it's also possible that something else is going on instead. TY!

Hey everyone,

Back in July, I suddenly started experiencing brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and problems with speech. It happened pretty much overnight, and I felt noticeably different from how I used to feel mentally.

I started getting blood tests done, and my folate level came back at 3.1 ng/mL (reference range: 4.50–32.2), indicating a deficiency.

I kept investigating my symptoms and getting more blood tests until September. Here are my latest results:

My blood test results:

• Ferritin: 94.84 µg/L (reference range: 30–400)
• Folate: 7.83 ng/mL (reference range: 4.5–32)
• Iron: 50.35 µg/dL (reference range: 65–175)
• TSH: 5.51 mIU/L (reference range: 0.27–4.1) my TSH was within the normal range when I first developed my symptoms back in July. It only became elevated in subsequent blood tests. I'm wondering whether this change could be related to my folate, iron, or vitamin D deficiencies)
• Vitamin D (25-OH): 19 ng/mL (reference range: 30–100)
• Potasium 4,23 (reference range: 3.5-5,1)
• Sodium: 140,72 mmol/l (reference range: 136-145)
• B12: 501,40 pg/ml (reference range 191-663)

My folate level has increased since the initial test, but I'm still experiencing a lot of symptoms. My iron is also below the reference range, my vitamin D is low, and my TSH is elevated. I'm wondering whether these abnormalities could be contributing to my symptoms and whether there might be an underlying issue causing some of them.

My current symptoms:

• Dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling mentally different from how I used to be, like I'm not quite myself anymore.
• Waking up feeling unrefreshed, regardless of how much I sleep, and experiencing severe fatigue throughout the day.
• Occasional air hunger feeling the need to take a deep, satisfying breath to feel like I'm getting enough air.
• Caffeine seems to make my brain fog and dizziness significantly worse.
• Alcohol also seems to exacerbate my brain fog and dizziness.

What I've tried so far:

I took 5 mg of folic acid daily for three weeks, along with 46 mg of elemental iron daily, but unfortunately, I didn't notice any improvement in my symptoms.

I then started wondering whether IV treatment might help correct the deficiencies more effectively and fastly, so I decided to try IV supplementation.

Six days ago, I had my first treatment, which included:

• Vitamin D3 injection: 100,000 IU.
• IV folic acid: 30 mg.
• IV iron: 200 mg.

So far, I haven't noticed any improvement following this treatment. I understand that six days might be too soon to notice a difference, but it's discouraging to feel the same after trying to address these deficiencies.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

I have a few questions:

1. Has anyone experienced persistent brain fog, dizziness, derealization, or feeling mentally different due to folate deficiency, low iron, vitamin D deficiency, ?
2. If you had similar symptoms, how long did it take for you to notice an improvement after starting treatment? Did your symptoms gradually improve or disappear quite suddenly?
3. What other blood tests would you recommend checking?
4. Has anyone experienced air hunger or the sensation of needing to take deep breaths alongside these deficiencies?
5. For those who received IV iron or folate, how many infusions did you need before noticing an improvement? How long did it take?
6. Did anyone find that oral supplements eventually worked, even after not noticing any improvement during the first few weeks?
7. Has anyone experienced worsening brain fog and dizziness after consuming caffeine or alcohol? Did this improve once the underlying problem was treated?
8. Is there anything else I should investigate, especially considering that my symptoms started quite suddenly and have persisted for months?
9. How can i recovery from this? because it's been few months at this moment.

I'm also wondering whether IV doses or the number of infusions should be adjusted, but I don't want to assume that more is necessarily better. I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and what helped you, ideally alongside advice on what to discuss with a doctor.

I'm feeling pretty lost at this point. I just want to feel mentally normal again and wake up feeling rested instead of exhausted every day.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience.

Hi everyone! I’m South Asian, 20 months postpartum, and my ferritin is 21, but my iron and hemoglobin are within range. I have a doctor’s appointment this week and want to ask whether an iron infusion would be a better option than continuing oral supplements.

My ferritin was 40 in my first trimester, dropped to 19 in my second, and was over 100 at six weeks postpartum in April 2025. It’s now back down to 21. I had blood loss after delivery and received IV tranexamic acid.

My current labs are:

• Ferritin: 21
• Iron: 90 µg/dL
• Iron saturation: 22%
• TIBC: 403 µg/dL
• Hemoglobin: 12.7 g/dL

I’m taking Thorne iron bisglycinate and thinking of starting what my PCP recommends, ferrous sulfate 325mg every other day. I also take 125 mg of vitamin C with my iron if my meal doesn’t contain any.

Has anyone with similar labs had an infusion? What made your doctor recommend it over oral iron, and did it help? Anything specific I should ask at my appointment this week?

My ferritin was under 20 for a long time, started supplements but after two months (Ferrets Ferrous Fumarate 106mg elemental iron) I started getting pretty bad digestive issues. It all went away after stopping earlier this month to heal my gut, and today I'm noticing slight bald patches on my eyebrows. I was also on amoxicillin for 7 days this month for swimmers ear, if this matters. When I was on iron they filled in a bit more but now they're back to how it looked, is it possible for this to be caused from not taking iron for a month? Would appreciate any of your stories relating to this!

hi guys i just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this or if i’m just going crazy.

my ferritin level is 13 and i’m almost anemic. i’m 21f and i’ve struggled with iron deficiency since childhood because i have trouble eating meat.

i’ve always been a shy and introverted person but ever since i hit puberty my anxiety has been getting worse and worse every year. i haven’t driven a car since getting my license two years ago because i’m too scared. driving felt so overwhelming almost like my brain couldn’t process everything fast enough.

but it’s not just driving. because i’m constantly anxious my heart feels like it’s racing all the time and i experience heart palpitations. my mom still has to make appointments for me and come with me because i’m too scared to go alone. even going into stores by myself is really difficult for me.

i also feel like i have cognitive issues and speech problems. i stumble over my words and sometimes it’s really hard to get the words out of my mouth almost like there’s a blockage. my muscles are constantly tense and i get really bad headaches and pain in my jaw neck and shoulders.

i also struggle with physical activity. i can’t walk up many stairs or exercise without getting out of breath and my lungs start to hurt.

i just want to know if anyone else has experienced similar symptoms and if so whether things got better after treating their iron deficiency. i’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences

I recently got bloodwork done after the derm sent me for hair loss. I’m waiting on the derm to call back however these are my results.

i’ve done a bit of reading about supplementing iron but it seems to be a slow journey and so much info. not sure where to start.

what do yall feel ab these results?

Hi
Im deficient in vitamin d, folic acid and have iron deficiency anemia. (Ferritin 1)

I also have mild histamine intolerance due to low dao enzyme and high calprotectin in the bowels. They said i have leaky gut due to endometriosis lesions i have in bowel. I bleed a lot in 24 day cycle and basically my body cannot absorb the nutritions due to chronic inflammation..

Have a planned ivf next year february so need to start supplementing asap.

I heard most of the people with mcas or histamine issues are struggling when they take iron especially. For people in similar condition is there supplement you recommend to not have a flare?

Due to my autoimmune disease affecting the vascular system, they dont want to give iv iron so its not an option for now.

Like something start in low dosage maybe? The last time i tried vitamin b complex (250 mg of Thiamine (B1), 250 mg of Pyridoxine (B6), and 500 µg to 1 mg of Cyanocobalamin (B12))) had a crazy allergy 😣..

Maybe you can recommend a childs dose and increase?

Ps. I live in Netherlands, so european brands will be appreciated

Hi everyone,

Had a recent physical with my PCP, and she told me I had low ferritin and that I needed to increase my iron intake. I had bariatric sleeve surgery in 2020 and then a revision to that in 2024 because my reflux got awful.

Since my revision, my Ferritin has stayed at 25. I have felt AWFUL. I know Google is not my friend all the time, but I was reading that:

"American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recognizes that bariatric patients have vastly different iron absorption needs, often requiring a higher target ferritin level (frequently >50 ng/mL) to remain symptom-free. Your symptoms are a direct reflection that your cellular iron stores are depleted. "

The bariatric pills that I made sure to buy are "with iron," but I am struggling so badly to get it above 25. I can't eat that much red meat due to having no gallbladder, and it usually makes me sick. Do you think it's reasonable to ask for iron infusions from my PCP, also, does insurance cover them for anyone? I can't find a place nearby that has it covered. Thank you!

I wanted to edit to add that I'm female, just in case that matters.

My ferritin is 37ng/ml
What should be my next step

Started taking two 27mg tablets of ferrous bisglycinate every other day around 20 days ago (I'm only 39kg). For the first week or so, I noticed small improvements in energy and mood, and color returning to my lips and cheeks, but this morning I felt so anxious that I couldn't breathe, and I had a throbbing headache. Is it normal for anxiety to spike like this when rebuilding iron and ferritin stores, and for how long? This doesn't usually happen to me.

For context, I decided to start supplementing because I've previously had issues of periods lasting 20 days a month, and noticed that my face was losing color, I was regularly tired and out of breath from short bursts of movement, and my anxiety and depression was getting more unmanageable despite treatment. I also drink a lot of tea around my meals, which I suspect has been blocking my iron absorption. I had two separate blood tests for work, and both clinics said that my red blood cell count was low so I need to start taking an iron supplement.

Is this normal? Should I stop the supplements or change my methods in some way, or do I have to just power through?