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Anaemia and headaches - anyone else?

Posted , 5 users are following.

chris84603
chris84603

Hi everyone - I have newly diagnosed anaemia (low ferritin, low hemoglobin) and looks like it mostly due to premenopausal heavy periods leading to iron deficiency. Now my tired, flat affect, kind of out of it like I am getting sick kind of feeling makes sense. I've also had a fairly consistent headache over the last two months that feels different from my normal headaches - more at the base of the skull going a little upwards and neck stiffness. Wondering if others have experienced anaemia related headaches and if they seemed a little different from other types of headaches? Trying to sort out if its a muscle thing or anaemia thing. 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Monkey123
    Monkey123 chris84603

    Posted

    I get headaches but only around my period?  I'm horribly anemic but headaches are not a big part of my symptoms. I'm actually surprised I don't!  Best of luck. 

    • chris84603
      chris84603 Monkey123

      Posted

      Thanks - I'm trying to sort out if they are hormonally related and what's anaemia, but it's still new enough that I haven't had symptoms long enough to really keep track. It was just striking me that these headaches seemed different than I've had before. Sort of hard to describe, but definitely a different 'flavor'. Also notice that I get them more at the end of the day. 

  • martin31040
    martin31040 chris84603

    Posted

    Hi, are you getting a iron supplement to up the ferritin ?.
    • chris84603
      chris84603 martin31040

      Posted

      Yes, I started taking an iron supplement in the form of ferrous bis-glycinate, 28 mg two weeks ago and am going in soon to re-check levels. I am pretty sure that I noticed the headaches before I started taking the supplements, but being a working mom and in school, I don't always keep the data straight!

    • martin31040
      martin31040 chris84603

      Posted

      Hi, Bisglycinate iron is the one I took, two 20 mg capsules per day 1 morning 1 at night, I opened the capsules up into about 100 mils of water with vitamin C in it, the effervescent sort, stir it well, it soon rose my ferritin level from 39 to 138 in a few weeks, Bisglycinate gave me no gut issue which are common when taking iron.
    • chris84603
      chris84603 martin31040

      Posted

      Thanks for the info - Yes, the bisglycinate form seems gentler. I was surprised to find an iron supplement that didn't mess up my digestion but so far so good. 

    • Monkey123
      Monkey123 martin31040

      Posted

      Was this prescription or OTC?  I only take one in the morning and I'm thinking I need to take two a day.  I'm taking one 29mg Ferrous Fumarate and carbonyl iron and it doesn't seem to upset my stomach very bad. Maybe though I should switch for absorption reasons?  May the one y'all are taking absorbs better?  My Dr didn't tell me what kind or how much just that I need to take iron daily. So annoying!

    • martin31040
      martin31040 Monkey123

      Posted

      Hi, I'll send you message about the one I took, I was originally prescribed by the GP ferrous fumarate I took if for about 5 weeks bad on my stomach and digestion, and only raised ferritin 2 points 37 to 39 and I read about bisglycinate, bought some and it raised my ferritin to 138 in 8 weeks and no gut issue's, told GP and she said was good now and I could stop taking it, it says on bottle 1 per day, but I took two morning and night, opened up capsules into 100 mils of water with effervescent vitamin C tablet in it and stirred well.

  • lia25347
    lia25347 chris84603

    Posted

    yes, absolutely! I had a very severe anemia, but only symptom I got was a strange pumping noise in my head and rather frequent headaches. My doc was very puzzled during the examination, however when the test results came back and I figured I have a serious anemia, I addressed my dietary iron intake and symptoms resolved.
    • chris84603
      chris84603 lia25347

      Posted

      Ok, good to know. It's hard to pinpoint the headache part - the supplements? hormones? the anemia itself? Maybe a combo...

       

  • MC43
    MC43 chris84603

    Posted

    Hi, I am currently experiencing the exact same thing. i am waking up with headaches at base of my skull most mornings. thought it was from muscle tension but have kinda ruled that out. same with heavy bleeds during menstruation causing me to be severely anemic. i also get menstrual migraines. did you ever figure out what the cause of the headaches were from at base of skull? its making me crazy!! i suspect it could be from lack of blood flow during sleep since my hemoglobin and iron are very low! anyone?

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