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

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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.

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  • Posted

    Thank you for posting. I was suspecting my middle school child was anemic when she began eating several trays of ice cubes daily mixed with debilitating anxiety. We were being seen for anxiety and I mentioned the ice cube eating at the full psychological evaluation...no one suggested blood work. OMG what is the world coming to. We just got our lab results and hemoglobin was 9.4 and the ferritin a 5. Poor child. There were days she had fear that she could not describe. I'm hopeful that we can get back to a better way of life with iron supplements. Thank you for your post. I can only think of all the children at the school who have similar anxiety...1 in 5 the school told me. How insane. Just a CBC!

    • Posted

      I know. It's sad that people confused between haemoglobin and ferritin. Low ferritin can cause panic attack and anxiety which is indescribable. I hope she will get will soon. My iron was up in four months and I am sure hers will too if she eats iron containing food and take more rest.

    • Posted

      Has the iron supplementation been helping your daughter with the anxiety?  I have never had anxiety before but had a sudden onset that has been debilitating.  My ferritin is a 4.
  • Posted

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  • Posted

    hi!! i wondered if you could help me with this. I have had panic attacks from.sometime now. They go and come back, leaving behind periods of total loss of confidence, agoraphobia, etc. Today I had a big one for an hour. so I have gone to cardiologist, etc etc. I have subclinical hypothyroidism for which I take Levo. so I asked my dr to check my iron levels and this is what they found: b12 512, ferritine 17.9, ferremia 50, fixation capacity 355, transferrine saturation 14.1 and hemoglobine 14.4 so every single dr I have seen says I dont neet iron. can you help me understand this levels???

    • Posted

      Dear Pema La, Your ferritin level is low but not entirely low as mine a year ago. My was low to just 3. But 17 is not so high. You are not far from the minimum level whihc is 15. I think your brain does not work properly when your ferritin is less. You must start taking iron supplements and food rich in iron such as green leafy vegetables, red meat, oats etc. You can find it in google. I also recommend you to take vitamin c along with the iron supplements because vitamin c (vitamin c rich fruits or vegetables) helps iron to be absorbed into your blood. I hope you will recover soon.

    • Posted

      thank you so much. I saw today a GP who finally gave me supplements as all other drs I saw said my hemoglobine was fine so I didnt need them. He told me to start on Globifer which has 18 mg of elemental iron in form of heme iron. I am new at this, so I really dont know what that means. Anyway he also said that if I had seen him 3 months ago he would have doubts but that he was updated by a neurologist who said we patients should be in an optimal range. So he gave me this supplement and also vitamin C 1,000 which I dont know if it is too much?? anyway I started today. I was so scared of the supplment for my high anxiety levels that I sliced it to see if my stomach can tolerate it. thank you again, I have been very lost about this. My first panel with low iron levels was on sept 08 and this is the first time a dr agrees I need the supplememts regardless my hemoglobine.

    • Posted

      september 2018 I meant to say 😉

      greetings from Chile.

    • Posted

      Dear Pema, you should trust your doctor. I am sure he knows what he is giving. Iron supplements are not so good for stomach but your dose is very less. So it shouldnt be a problem. Vitamin C is very important as well. You should perhaps also check your vitamin D- sometime we never care home much vitamin d we have, another is magnesium. Make sure you eat all the balance diets. Banana has lots of magnesium. Chocolate is also good source of iron. so are green vegetables. Also take egg for vitamin D abd early morning sun light. I am sure you will be fine soon.

  • Posted

    Hello Pema,

    I have had anemia for a couple of years now and I also feel dizzy and weak from. Sometimes I have trouble concentrating and if I do not get at least 10 hours of sleep I do not feel good throughout the day. I have tried iron pills but they haven't helped me. Now i just eat fruit and vegetables that contain high amount of iron, which has helped a lot.

  • Edited

    Hello everyone!

    I just wanted to share I have went through the exact same experience.

    Before: quite fearless, top student, mentally stable, overall happy

    Then Vegan for 1 year and apparently not sufficient supplements and heavy periods.

    Slipped into extreme anxieties about literally anything and later suicidal depressions unable to get my studies done, very emotional, no more drive to work out or eat. Unable to concentrate and do simple tasks. I thought I was going crazy, ruined an amazing relationship, almost failed uni. Reading about mindfulness, gratitude and self-compassion actually made it worse. Meditation sometimes helped, sometimes made me feel infinitely worse.

    Three psychologists + psychiatrist diagnosed it as depressions, put me on SSRI - didn't help. Nobody recommended blood test until I did online research.

    Result: **extremely low in Iron and Vitamin D3. **

    Now on supplements and iron infusions and getting back to normal. Get your blood tests done!

    • Posted

      This great to hear. I'm very similar at the moment. Sounds virtually identical to me. I've been experiencing ocd like thoughts and been anxious, depressed etc. Ferritin was 8 so have been put on tablets - I asked for the blood tests! Only been on then 3.5 weeks and I'm really hoping they help 😕

  • Posted

    Hi! I would like to ask you few questions about iron deficiency and fear/panic attacks, since I am struggling with the same thing.

  • Edited

    hi my life has been a living hell at first I couldn't sleep I mean intense insomnia loss of appetite nausea skin burning that lasted for almost 6 months gradually I was able to sleep easier at first I had to use benedryl to sleep at all over time I resumed sleep as normal skin still burning got tested at a naturpath told ferritin level is 9 and total iron is a 35 below the lowest 40 anyways my skin is still burning having anxiety feeling so weak heart hurts dizziness where I cant even hardly leave the house not sure what id do without my husband I hate being dependant even if I am grateful but I can feel hes sick of my s**t and I am not in control I cant snap my fingers and make it go away I believe I have a brain issue like a histamine intolerance also plus I have defiency in iron, vitamin d magnesium and I did have a defiency is b1 also but I fixed that one I just have to say I started the iron dr wants me to take having anxiety but may just be nervous of the supplements causing a reaction like drugs have im the past I have some weird things that go on with me and I feel trapped i feel that most ppl think I may being dramatic for attention or God knows what but I feel very alone in this and im having a hard time seeing past this it scares me I keep praying ive asked God for a sign as to what im supposed to do im terrified all I can think is I wish I had a way out of this i kiss my son on the forehead and God knows I want to be here for him and I want to write books about my experiences anyways I guess I'm venting and wondering if anyone else is just trying to make it thru the days right now I need support and a sound board and empathy I pray God sees a way out for me

  • Edited

    Hello thanks for sharing. Did the eye discomfort resolve how long after iron supplements? I feel like vision is blurry and frustrating to walk.

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