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I have been suffering from iron deficiency which caused anxiety, panic attacks until diagnosed.

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Pema_22516
Pema_22516

Help me ! I had a very low s ferritin as low as 3 but my haemoglobin was 10.5. I also had vitamin D deficiency. I had fear, motion sickness and vision disturbance which triggered panic attacks for three months before it was diagonized. These psychological disorder was so pervading that I couldnt notice the physical weakness, hair loss, brittle nails, exhaustion and dizziness. I have been now taking my iron pill that's 100mg per day and eating lots of foods that contain iron. Most of my psychological problem has gone away but I still feel dizzy as the surrounding over me is moving. I still get anxiety sometime thinking about past two months. However, I am still feeling dizzy. I wanted to know if anyone felt like me due to iron deficiency. How long before I am back to my normal self? Help me.

1 like, 32 replies

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  • Laura3333
    Laura3333 Pema_22516

    Posted

    Hello Pema, what you are describing are typical symptoms if anaemia. They will go away, the dizziness will go. I was terribly dizzy, my haemoglobin was 8.3. It creeps up on you so slowly that by the time you realize it, you are severely deficient in iron.

    I tried to hang washing out one day and had to grab the washing line, I was sure I was going to fall over sideways, I felt really ill, had pins and needles and dots in front of my eyes, I thought I was going to collapse at times.

    It turned out I had stomach ukcers due to the medication I was on,anaemia is so debilitating, but easy to put right.

    Have patience, it will take around three months to be back to yourself, but each week you will feel a bit better.

    I wish you well.

    • Pema_22516
      Pema_22516 Laura3333

      Posted

      Dear Laura,

      Thank you so for your kindness. I was worried if anybody would even reply. I did not have pins and needles and dots in my eyes but horrendous vision of things rotating. I wonder if these things happen to other. Even the sight of ferris wheel used to scared me. I still cannot look at them moving but at least my level of fear has gone down and these things only irritates me. You response with assurance made me feel so safe and secured. I still cannot focus much but I hope it will improve soon as I am a PhD student. I am becoming more calm every week.

      kindest regards,

      Pema

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 Pema_22516

      Posted

      Hi again Pema, I am glad I could help. I think sometimes it’s the fear of what is wrong, rather than the illness itself. I’m glad you are feeling more calm every week, it’s very frightening when the world is spinning, and yes, it does make you very panicky.

      Just keep an eye on how you feel in the future and take iron tablets if you start to feel exhausted for no reason. It’s easy to forget how bad you felt, when you are well again.

      Best wishes.

      Laura.

  • Capsicum
    Capsicum Pema_22516

    Posted

    We all seem to have a range of symptoms so I can’t say. Personally I don’t get dizziness from anaemia but that doesn’t mean it isn’t in your case. But obviously you should not be feeling like this. It could be something completely unrelated. In any case you should seek medical advice ASAP. Good luck . It sounds so distressing for you.
    • Pema_22516
      Pema_22516 Capsicum

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply Capsium. I have to tell you that I am not anaemic but just low iron storage in my body called ferritin. I was slightly anaemic before but it never gave me dizziness like now. I also have vitamin D deficiency. Both this deficiencies cause dizziness and now I know why I was so dizzy and this shows why I felt sacred of things that spinned. Many people will iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency get anxiety and depression. To be honest, I feeling much better now than two months before I took my iron suppliments. I have been doing a lot of research on iron and vitamin D deficiency and many people get panic attack, irritation and anxiety. I did meditation and didn't help me, then took Tibetan herbal medicines and it never help until I was diagonized iron defiecincy. I even went to psychologist but it didn't help. Only iron suppliments and vitamin D suppliments helped me in subsiding this anxiety. This anxiety had never happened in my life until major panic attack five months back. I was fearless before. Now, I feeling much in normal.

  • Capsicum
    Capsicum Pema_22516

    Posted

    I’m so glad you’re feeling better now. I found your information very interesting and will certainly remember it. I suffer from Menieres which is extreme vertigo, when I get a Menieres attack. I understand how horrific dizziness can be. My Menieres has been with me for 30 years or so and is not related to my anaemia. 

    You’ve had some good reassurance on these pages / good luck and let us know how it goes.

  • tyler04178
    tyler04178 Pema_22516

    Posted

    I notice you said visual disturbances. I have horrible vision problems and a few months ago while running labs to try and figure outbreaks vision problems they found iron deficiency and mild anemia. I'm wondering if it could be connected to the vision stuff

    • Pema_22516
      Pema_22516 tyler04178

      Posted

      Dear Tyler, vision disturbance is the worst that can happen to anyone. It can also cause suicidal tendency. Which happened to me but luckily I stayed strong and after taking my iron suppliments it went away but it still haunts me sometime but it doesn't stay longer than three seconds. There are different kinds of Vision disturbance. As far as I was concern I had vision about huge things revolving in my eyes that made me hardly to fall asleep and relax. But can I know what kind of Vision was it? I hope you get well soon.

    • tyler04178
      tyler04178 Pema_22516

      Posted

      Yes thank you for your reply. Extreme blurry vision very foggy vision.
  • christy57389
    christy57389 Pema_22516

    Posted

    I just got my test last week and they said it confirmed iron deficiency anemia. My ferritin is a 3, iron serum 10, iron sat 2, total ibc 526, unsaturated ibc is 516 and transferrin is 432. they want me to go in for a colonoscopy and Egd...they need $1000 for what it will cost...but can i get someones opinion if I should go ahead and do that or just continue to take pils and shots? Are these levels severe?
  • jessicaG
    jessicaG Pema_22516

    Edited

    I was having servere panic attacks and anxiety for about a year and a half. I finally got tested back in Feb 2017 and I had these same issues. Low iron and vitamin d levels. Once I was started on them I didn't have any panic attacks feom Feb 2017- march2018 I had one little one that lasted for 15mins but then went away but once in awhile I'll have a little bit of anxiety still. I just got blood work done and my vitamin d levels are a little low again, so I'm wondering if that might be the issue again. I hope o helped

  • Sali07
    Sali07 Pema_22516

    Edited

    Hello, Pema 

    I have been suffering with the same exact symptoms due to iron deficiency. I was wondering how you are doing now? Did your dizziness go away and is so how long did it take?

    Thank you. 

    • Pema_22516
      Pema_22516 Sali07

      Posted

      Dear Sali,

      When I was ill I asked this question to several people I met in person and also via internet. One is for sure that iron defiecincy takes time to regain it's capacity back. It took for me almost six or seven months. I took my iron suppliments everyday in empty stomach with pure orange juice. As vitamin c helps to observe iron. Now, I have already stated jogging. Dizziness has gone down but I still have anxiety problem that had generated from iron deficiency. I am doing meditation and exercise to keep myself happy and concentrated in other matters. I went to ear specialist to see if my vertigo has to do with ear problem but the doc couldn't find much other than some minor problem in my ear. Now I am planning to go for vertigo specialist. Yeah I also did brain scanning. I pray you get well soon. Don t worry you will get back to normal in time. Just be patient and focus on present.

    • Sali07
      Sali07 Pema_22516

      Edited

      Hello, Pema

      Thank you for replying!!! I happy to hear that you have started exercising again, that’s great!  However you still have dizziness although your iron levels are up? Hopefully it will resolve soon as well. I suffer from daily headaches and dizziness I pray that it will eventually go away. It has been very hard to deal with. I hope that the vertigo specialist can help you and point you in the right direction. 

    • Sali07
      Sali07

      Edited

      I just wanted to update that my iron deficiency has resolved. I took 4 blood builders a day by Mega Foods. Now I'm no longer lightheaded!!!

      It took about 3 months for me to recover from the iron deficiency.

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