I fully agree with
Youve had it in the past and every right to have your levels checked again with symptoms. Time for a doc visit.
I fully agree with
Youve had it in the past and every right to have your levels checked again with symptoms. Time for a doc visit.
That @ekf post was indeed gold.
I’ll add:
If you know you’re lower-iron via blood testing, or even just low-normal range, as an endurance athlete, you can just take more iron (sometimes a LOT more), and get rechecked to ensure labs are in range.
In my wife’s case, unless she’s choking down 8-10 iron pills per day. (no affiliation, just an example) If she takes that much she remains not not anemic and perfectly mid-range for all iron-related labs.
Only side effect = mild constipation, which can be managed via eating more leafy greens.
I am not a medical doctor. (I am a sport physiologist.) Don’t take this as a personal medical recommendation. Just random academic discussion
No amount of special heme bioavailable this-and-that supps had any measurable effect until we just started ramping up dose of standard cheapo OTC iron supps.
She also does most of what @ekf mentioned with regard to timing/pairing/avoidance etc.
Just thought I’d share in case it was useful to you or anyone else here.
I’ve not had a test, getting an NHS one for no obvious reason would be hard and my work insurance is pretty new so not sure if I can get tested. But hopefully, I can investigate and get some blood work to see what is going on.
One thing I did notice is a line and ridge in all my toenails which is growing out now so I suspect some time in the summer something happened to my body.
Sounds like it’s time for a doc visit indeed. If you have history of iron-deficiency anemia, on any blood test ever, it’s very likely that “normal” 1-2 iron pills per day, as an endurance athlete, is not going to solve that completely, and you could supplement with slightly more with virtually no risk. Again… not a medical doctor!! Ask a medical doctor when possible!
You can get home test kits quite cheap on the internet (from an internet pharmacy or similar). They are probably not accurate, but if you do one and it says your iron is low, you’d have a good reason to ask your GP for a proper one.
I do have a line in my toe nails too, but I think its from last winter, when I got very cold toes and chilblains on nearly all of them.
I’ve got a OTC test in its way, won’t give number but will show if below a set figure. My health insurance should cover a full test too. Cheers all.
Hi Splash, Are these tests available in UK? I’m probably not iron deficient, as i’m post menopause and on low HRT. I don’t eat red meat (dont like it, and have GI problems) but eat fish ,chicken and lots of green veggies.
It would just be a guideline, and if anything showed up , i can then ask doc.
Yeah, I’m in the UK, I just found one on google. I can’t remember which one unfortunately, it was a while ago. You might be able to get them at a pharmacy too? I’d be cautious about drawing any firm conclusions from it, but think if it says “low”, you have a reason to go to your GP.
One step did the iron one I’ve ordered.
Cheers, will try that
Low, or at least that’s what I think the test shows. I will supplement until my health benefits kick in then get a proper test. At least it kind of explains symptoms.
EDIT:
Also thinking about it, I made a post a couple of months back about mental health and not being able to complete any workouts. If this caused everything to be hard and tired that could have a knock-on to how I mentally feel.
Everything is linked! (Instert Charlie conspiracy meme from IASIP)