Haven't been on here in a long time, but....
I was a year out this past January. I started a new job in late January that was very strenuous and physical, but I loved it and did well at it. I quickly met my goal of being 1/2 my highest weight, but about May I started having problems, getting very weak, fainting, dizzy, losing feeling in my arms & legs, headaches, etc... My Drs. have been baffled, but have told me many many different scenarios, one being low iron. The Dr. that told me that told me to up my iron to 3 times a day. Then the next Dr I saw said that was too much iron and my body wouldn't absorb that much anyways. She just suggested I was dehydrated, so of course I wen****er guzzling. I ended up quitting that job because I just couldn't do it anymore with all the problems. Well, I've been doing lighter work since then, but still having the problems, just not as often. Now the Dr. tells me that my oral B12 is worthless eventhough that is what my surgeon told me to take, she says I am still anemic and that probably won't get better, but that I may need B12 shots. On top of all this, I would like to start trying to concieve, but am scared to death with all these problems that they will just get worse with pregnancy. Any suggestions?
I have struggled with low iron now for awhile- I have had more iron infusions than I can count and two blood transfusions when my iron was EXTREMELY low. The one thing I have NOT had a problem with is my B12- what B12 are you currently taking? It should be a sublingual- I take Source Naturals B12 sublingual 2000mcg once per day.
Dehydration could definitely cause some of the symptoms you're describing- but when you up your fluids I would think the symptoms would reverse or at least get better. I know when I get dehydrated I feel like crap. Make sure the fluids you are consuming have no caffeine in them.
Your symptoms- especially losing feeling in your extemities sounds like a B12 issue to me- but I really don't know that much about it just rings a bell from stuff I've previously read...
** Hopefully Suz will get on here and see this- she's the go-to gal for this kind of stuff- she's in school to become a nurse and comes up with great responses... so she'll know more about this than I do... but I just saw your post and my heart went out to you because of what I've been through with my iron issues.
What do your blood tests show?
Make sure they test-
Iron, serum
Ferritin, serum
Vitamin D, 25- hydroxy ( I've been repeatedly very low on this one and it's just a prescription pill 1x/week)
and then whatever the B12 test is- Suz will have to tell you this- I don't get this one done in my twice a month bloodwork because it's been so consistently good.
What are they doing about your low iron? Do you know what your levels are? Is it just a prescription they gave for it? You can't mess with low iron levels- but the tricky part is- too much can be toxic. That's why my PCP finally sent me to a Hematologist and it's the first time I've started feeling better. I get a weekly infusion and have for awhile now and will for at least another month- it's the ONLY way we've been able to move my iron levels up and that's just a tiny bit (other than the blood transfusions).
I would definitely be concerned about a pregnancy at this time. Whatever the baby needs it takes from your body- and from the sound of things you've got some issues going on. I don't mean to sound doom and gloom- hopefully it's a quick fix with the right Dr.
Please keep us posted-
Holly/Brit
The previous blood test they gave me my general iron level was just a bit low, like 11 I think, but the Dr. ordered more conclusive tests that I just got the results back. My TIBC Iron level was 21 which was low, the reference range on the results says 35-150 ug/dL. Transferrin Saturation was also low at just 5% and the reference range is 14-52%. The B-12 level though says it was indeterminate, but they gave a number of 400. I have an appt with the Dr. on Monday so I will hopefully find out more.
