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Sore cracked tongue with low iron

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Lulurabbit
Lulurabbit

Hi there,  Just wondered if anyone experiences the symptom of a very painful, sore and red cracked tongue when their iron level drop?  It's the first sign with me that I know something is wrong.  It happened 3 years ago for the first time and blood tests showed that my iron was low at 6 or 7 and gradually improved with time.  I couldn't take the Ferrous Sulphate iron pills as I have diffculty swallowing pills so I took liquid Feroglobin instead.  I've developed the sored cracked tongue again recently (along with dizziness, breathlessness and palpitations) so more blood tests revealed that my iron is low again so I'm back on the Feroglobin these past few days.  I tried chewing the Ferrous Sulphate pills to get them down but they burnt my tongue and made it worse!  Not a good idea!  However I just wondered if anyone else gets such a painful sore red tongue with their iron deficiency/anaemia.  Mine feels like it's ulcerated or that it has razor cuts all over it.  It's so uncomfortable.  Why does that happen?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • letitia08854
    letitia08854 Lulurabbit

    Posted

    Sounds a lot like B vitamin deficiency. I had one earlier this year and its a simple one to treat with almost immediate results. It will do no harm to take the B12 supplement anyway to see if it helps but you will need 1000mg to combat it. Happens a lot if youre vegan/vegetarian.
    • Lulurabbit
      Lulurabbit letitia08854

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. :-) I am taking ferrous fumarate nowasmy iron level was at 7.5.  I had recent blood tests for Vit B12 and Folates as well and these didn't appear to flag up any deficiency problems as my hemaglobin level was normal.  But as you say I don't think it'll do any harm to take some extra Vit B12 so I'll get some high dose liquid supplement.  I'm not vegetarian but reading the symptoms of Vit B12 deficiency the symptoms certainly do sound like the way I've been feeling - sore red tonugue, feeling off balance, palpitations and exhaustion, confusion and tearfulness, blurred vision etc.  Unless these are due to iron deficiency as well - perhaps both have the same symptoms.

    • letitia08854
      letitia08854 Lulurabbit

      Posted

      Iron deficiency (as far as I know) doesnt give a sore tongue. When I had my b12 deficiency my tongue was so swollen and sore I couldnt talk! It was awfull. But 2 days after 1000mg B12 I was recovered.
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