I’m awaiting a bunch of blood tests to see why I’ve been feeling so nauseous/tired and getting headaches. I see my Ferritin is low at 4 (reference says 27-254).
I heard iron supplements can make people feel awful, so not enthusiastic about this. Anyone here take iron supplements and recommend anything? I hope they look into why I’m so low not just treat it alone.
I take iron supplements. Never made me feel bad. In fact, my dr took me off of them for a month to see if they were contributing to odd blood test results, and I could definitely feel the difference in energy.
If you are interested in a tasty and natural iron supplement and you eat meat, try buffalo tenderloin. It has more iron than beef liver and tastes amazing. We used to have a buffalo farm near us and it was amazing.
So I finally heard back from my doctor, and the reply was “you may want to add more red meat to your diet or supplement with iron supplements”. I was really surprised at that response. From what I’ve read online, people with higher levels than mine are instructed to get IV infusion. I feel dismissed, and yeah, maybe I’m being too sensitive, but with a level of 4 I’d think they’d be concerned, especially since it’s affecting me daily (ie fatigue, nausea, etc.). I did start an iron supplement that I got from a health food store that is supposed to be easy on the stomach. No issues as of yet (it’s been a few days of taking it now).
I’m sorry you’re feeling so awful! Did you get a readout on your hematocrit or hemoglobin? Those are also driven by iron intake.
I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years and take iron daily. I just take the regular 65mg pills and do also take 1000mg of vitamin C (which helps iron absorption, along with other benefits). My little daughter takes a “gentle” iron pill, which is around half of the 65mg dose and it’s formulated in a larger capsule. When my older daughter was severely anemic, her doctor did not recommend infusions, but instead had her take “vitron-C” and I think she took two tablets daily. Iron can be VERY tough on your stomach, so only take with food. It can also cause constipation, so make sure you are eating enough fiber or talk w your dr about taking a colace alongside the dose.
Hoping you feel much better soon!
Thanks, Jessica. My MCV and MCH were both low (79, ref range 82-98 and 25.5, ref range 27.5-33.5), but not as low as my Ferritin (4, ref range 15-247).
The iron pills I purchased are 26mg (with 15mg vit C), but I also take a multivitamin with 4.5mg (and 60mg vit C) so total: 30.5mg iron, 75mg vit C dosages per day. They haven’t upset my stomach yet. I’m also trying to eat some red meat 1-2 times a week instead of 1-2 times a month.
All my other tests came back normal, so I’m hoping it’s the low iron and that I’ll soon feel better.
That seems reasonable and honestly, I’ll bet that increasing your red meat intake will really help improve things. Keeping fingers crossed that this all helps. Let us know when you get your next round of bloodwork back?