Low Iron

For those who have known me over the years either by friendship or by following my social media accounts, will know I suffer from low iron every so often. My last infusion was in July 2022, and I am already due another from my levels dropping again. My team was wondering why this one has only lasted a few months, as usually I only need one per 12 months on average. The earliest I can get in for my iron infusion is the 21st of Febuary, so it’s going to be a struggle of feeling like a zombie constantly until then. My crohns has also decided to flare, so I’m back on Budesonide again. I’m so grateful for my team for getting me on medication and booking an appointment so quickly!

What are some common signs of low iron? You can check out the mumswithibd tiktok video on this. However, here is a small list;

1. Insomnia.
2. Headaches.
3. Extreme fatigue.
4. Brain fog.
5. Pins and needles.
6. Constantly feeling hungry.
7. Breathlessness.
8. Feeling dizzy.
9. Oversleeping but not feeling like you’ve slept.
10. Low mood/low energy.

Some really great advice I got from my IBD team was to check your actual iron level rather than take the report from your GP or DR of their understanding of normal. I have seen many be able to do this from the NHS app or by logging into some sort of account for you on your GP’s website. I don’t do either, I simply call and ask. This isn’t to give GP’s or DR’S any judgement whatsoever. It is not their fault, but you can tell them which will help them in the future. For anyone with IBD, if your iron is 50 or below, you can qualify for an iron infusion. However, this does depend on symptoms and haemoglobin, too. My haemoglobin, like many, doesn’t really show the true extent of my iron level being low, but my symptoms do. This can be quite common, so if you are having these symptoms accompanied by the iron level being low, please talk to your IBD team!

You can try to rectify this with iron supplements, but everyone is different and tolerates those differently. Do what works best for you! I know there are also gummies that contain iron now, too. It just comes down to what is going to work best for you in the time you need it to, to feel better.

I truly can’t wait for this infusion of my “red kola”! It usually takes about a week to start noticing my energy levels going up, so it’s going to be a bit of a ride for the next month!