18 replies to this topic

[MissKBuff]

So I have been having some symptoms lately (past couple months) of nails being brittle, chest pain, heart palpatations, head aches, lethargy and fatigue, and now, above all else, weakenss. I left the gym a couple weeks ago extremely defeated and frustrated, thinking I'd hit a major plateau or something, could barely lift half of what I had been, and I was fresh out of a cycle so I was like WTF...then cardio was starting to get really hard, I thought I was over training or something, but then...I had blood work done, and BINGO, I'm anemic. Everything I'd been experiencing was a symptom of Anemia.

I went and bought "Slow-Fe", an iron supplement, the box only has 30 days worth in it, and as I've never had this problem, and don't know anyone that does, I was wondering if the 30 days does it, or do I have to continuously take them?

Thanks

[ruffneck]

I would continue to take them until I had my level checked again. You need to increase your red meat and green leafy vegetables. The Slow Fe takes a while before you see any difference. Just curious what were you taking during your last cycle?

[MissKBuff]

It was Oxandrolone, 30mg a day for 6 weeks. I can not believe how week I am, I feel like a kitten!

[vindiesel]

I used to have iron levels of half of the minimum ... my ferritin levels are still very low but I don't have anemia again. You could take dessicated liver. Iron tablets are too heavy on my stomach and iron injects are not available I think.
Eating more meat is another option but I never eat meat. I don't know if you do, MissKBuff. There are also homeopathic supplements that could help you. I'll look more into it when I get back from work!

Take care,

vinny

[MissKBuff]

I used to have iron levels of half of the minimum ... my ferritin levels are still very low but I don't have anemia again. You could take dessicated liver. Iron tablets are too heavy on my stomach and iron injects are not available I think.
Eating more meat is another option but I never eat meat. I don't know if you do, MissKBuff. There are also homeopathic supplements that could help you. I'll look more into it when I get back from work!

Take care,

vinny

Thanks Vinny!!!

I was trying my hardest to find a homeopathic supplement, and all I could find was Slow-Fe. It's gotten so bad that I could barely go out last night, just wanted to be in a coma, going up stairs sucks at the end of the day too, lol....I'm sad to have to miss the gym today, but now that I can only life hal;f of what I used to I get soooo frustrated and pissed off, beause I put so much work into building these muscles!!! But I let it go way too far. I didn't know it was this bad!

I'm taking 2 slow fe a day now, just for the first package. I eat a ton of spinach (love spinach/chicken salads) and I eat a lot of meat, but not a lot of red meat, so I am going to up that too and hope that it helps

I'd really like to find a homeopathic supplement, but are there any that have 50mg of elemental iron in them? I hear that is a lot of iron, which is what the slow-fe has, which is what I want, lol...however, I am always searching for a natural way to fix anything.

Thanks again for your help, it's greatly appreciated!!!

[vindiesel]

I took a remedy called Bio Ijzer (don't freak out, it's flemish for bio iron). It's available OTC here, I could send it to you but it will probably be a week or so before you get it and I'm not sure you can wait that long.

The homeopathic remedy I took years ago is Pulsatilla. I bookmarked the article about anemia, check it out, it's full of info http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/anemia-symp...atment-cure.asp

If you need the Bio Ijzer, let me know
Contrary to other medications used to treat anemia, it's easily digested and well tolerated by most people with a weak stomach.

[MissKBuff]

I took a remedy called Bio Ijzer (don't freak out, it's flemish for bio iron). It's available OTC here, I could send it to you but it will probably be a week or so before you get it and I'm not sure you can wait that long.

The homeopathic remedy I took years ago is Pulsatilla. I bookmarked the article about anemia, check it out, it's full of info http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/anemia-symp...atment-cure.asp

If you need the Bio Ijzer, let me know
Contrary to other medications used to treat anemia, it's easily digested and well tolerated by most people with a weak stomach.

Aw thanks Vin! You're awesome

I will definitely look into it!

[ashley2212]

I know nothing about it but there's some good info in here. Very interesting

[ruffneck]

Did they check your thyroid levels? The symptoms that you are having are some of the same as thyroid irregularity. DId the doctor tell you what your iron level was?

[MissKBuff]

Did they check your thyroid levels? The symptoms that you are having are some of the same as thyroid irregularity. DId the doctor tell you what your iron level was?

I have no idea if they checked my thyroid levels actually, but good suggestion. She didn't tell me what my Iron level was, but said it was rediculously low, so to take supps for it. Seem to be feeling better today after supps and high iron foods

[any1uno]

are you taking any multivits Ms Kbuff? WOmen's one day has iron.

I am liking Ruffneck's suggestion. Have your thyroid levels checked.

Also...could be chronic fatigue syndrome but...there are mixed emotions if this really exists or not.

How much sleep are you getting each day? What does your diet look like...I know you mentioned that you eat a lot of spinach and chicken.

Just curious. Oh..and what does all your other blood levels look like and lastly..and I apologize for it not being proper...how old are you?

Sorry...a bit of information to add...

Watch out for Low Iron Levels
Are you ... Feeling tired? Lethargic? Having trouble thinking or concentrating? Feeling dizzy? Weak? Pale Skin? Always feeling cold? Having Heart Palpitations? These are all symptoms of Low Iron Levels.Speaking generally (using US based statistics) -

up to 12% of women aged 12 - 49 years are iron deficient.
Pregnant women and women on lower incomes are more likely to be iron deficient.
Women who have been through menopause are less likely to have low iron levels.

Only 3% of men suffer from low iron levels.
" The prevalence of iron deficiency among nonpregnant women aged 20-44 y increased 150% from 1976-1980 to 1988-1994 (8) and did not decline in 1999-2000.' (http://www.nutrition...ull/133/6/1974S) Studies are showing that the amount of iron the average woman of any age is getting from her daily diet is decreasing.

Why are women more likely to be iron deficient?
From the statistics it would seem that our biology, the fact we bleed each month and at pregnancy support new life puts us at risk of not getting enough iron.

If we have had a couple of children, depending on our diet and awareness, then the chances that we are working off our bone marrow reserves are reasonable. The trouble is if we are busy with a couple of kids, feeling tired and lack lustre then we might not realise that lack of iron is the problem - we might just think its life - that we need to get more sleep or need a holiday.

This is what happened to a friend of mine - she has a history of heavy periods, she has 3 kids, she's working full time and she was starting to feel tired all the time. It wasn't until she went to the doctor to see about the heart palpitations she was having that her seriously low iron levels were discovered.

It turns out she was severely iron deficient and anemic - in fact because of her heavy bleeding and low iron levels her doctor wanted to give her a hysterectomy. Luckily my friend did some research on her options and got some help from more holistic practitioners. With continuing medical and alternative treatment her iron levels are getting better and she has kept her womb.

What does Iron do?
Your body needs iron so it can make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to body tissues. Brain activity, breathing, cellular respiration and every activity of the body depends on there being enough iron in the blood.

Good iron levels mean that you have a glowing complexion, your energy levels are up and you generally feel well."Much of the iron in your body is stored in the bone marrow that makes blood cells. When there is not enough iron in the bloodstream, the body uses the bone marrow reserves. If this iron stored in the bone marrow is low, red blood cells do not form properly: they are smaller than usual (microcytosis) and fewer. As a result, less hemoglobin is available to transport oxygen throughout the body." (http://www.vitamins-...ficiencies.html)

When your iron levels are low you are basically starving your body and all its systems and organs of oxygen.

How do we get iron?
Iron is available in two forms heme and nonheme. Heme forms of iron are found in meat and poultry and are absorbed quite easily by the body. Nonheme iron is found in vegetable and grains and is absorbed less readily.

This page http://ibscrohns.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/fdairon.htm has excellent information on iron in the diet including the factors that affect how iron is absorbed in the body. Certain other substances / foods also affect how readily iron is absorbed, for example, vitamin C increases iron absorption. Here is another good iron site http://www.nms.on.ca/Secondary/iron_is_good_for_you.htm which presents its info clearly and simply.

To Supplement or Not?
It is generally considered a bad idea to self medicate with iron supplements. Iron overload is just as dangerous as iron deficiency. If you suspect your iron levels may be low see your doctor and get looked after professionally.




and this from Cornell University...

http://tinyurl.com/6ccv6n

[gator_mclusky]

Hate to hear that K! For us men we could take Anadrol for Anemia but....as u know its the last AAS a woman would want to take.

Keep us updated hun!

gator

[\SHINE/]

thyroid yes is a good thing to check, did anyone ever consider cortisol being high pc and causing adrenal fatigue?
coming off 30mg var a day and cortisol levels are no doubt gona be up.

[MissKBuff]

Thank you so much everyone for all of your replies! Any1uno I sincerely appreciate all of that info, it's great to know! As for my age, that's definitely not too personal, lol, I'm 25. Don't have now and not going to ever have kids, my Diet is different every day, but I eat a lot of meat, my entire diet consists of meat (mostly white meat, barely ANY red meat) grains, like granola and oatmeal and veggies, tons of spinach and veggies for sure

I don't really feel all that different after taking these Iron supplements lately, she did say my levels were incredibly low, but she never mentioned cortisol levels, and after reading an article on that (big thanks to Shine for that one) it sounds iffy,

Hopefully these supps will start working, I'm not a huge fan of Iron supps, I'd much rather get the Iron from food, which is why I've also highly upped my Iron in food intake.

Also, how is over-doing the Iron bad for you? What happens and what would the signs of over-doing it be?

I also really don't get enough sleep. I've started taking melatonin because I get MAXIMUM 6 hours a night, and I'm up twice in that time peeing, lol....

[any1uno]

Your sleep patterns sound like mine! It would be nice to get a good nights rest.

Anyway...SHine did post up a good thought.

As with anything over doing any supps isn't good for you. Shoot..even too much Vit C can cause problems.

Melatonin...I tried that and had some weird dreams. I mean...really strange!

When is your follow up Ms Kbuff?

Oh..and thank you for sharing with us. ALthough I'm curiuos as why no children...just cause I love them myself. They are my life...of course..now they are all grown and out of the house but none the less...still make me very proud.

Oh...and will have a little one on the way sometime soon...come on adoption!