haha, actually I feel like the low-iron non-maiden. Here’s a round-about post for you, starting with some digital scrapbooking, and ending with a list right out of your doctor’s files. 🙂
Last night I remembered these layouts that I made for Creative Memories a few years ago so dug them up to share with you:
This was inspired by my terribly crazy peppermint craving a few years ago. I found myself rummaging around in my friends’ houses to see if they had any candy canes left over from Christmas. I was drinking peppermint tea, then buying peppermint extract (for baking) and putting it in hot water to drink like a tea. I chewed 5 (the brand name) peppermint gum all the time. Then I discovered Mentos and chewed them constantly, along with red and white swirly candies. Then I moved on to shampoos….not to eat or drink but to use…peppermint bubble bath, and CREAMS! I would slather my hands (and feet) with peppermint cream then just breathe it in! It seemed normal at first, but quickly turned abnormal and obsessive. Ok, fairly quickly I started wondering what was wrong with me. Eventually I went in for a checkup and did a lab test. My doctor called during supper one evening to tell me that my file was flagged because my iron was so very low ( I think at that point it was almost off the chart, like a minus 2). I did a bit of reading and concluded that my craving for peppermint was because of the iron deficiency in my body.
Apparently, people with low iron can crave chewing ice, eating dirt, stuff like that. I noticed that some of it seems to be in the chewing…like I really wanted to chew and crunch on the candy. My friend’s little guy wanted to eat snow every time they went out. When my iron levels came up, the craving went away. Nowadays, when my iron has dipped again, I find the smell and taste of peppermint starts getting more and more tempting!
I thought I’d just mention a few symptoms here….just in case anyone else has had a few of these….I recommend getting your iron checked!! I haven’t done great research, but I have read a little bit, and talked to a bunch of people who have also had these problems. Here’s a little list I copied and pasted (from emedicinehealth.com), then added a few of my own comments:
- fatigue (tiredness!!)
- decreased energy (increased sleeping)
- hair loss (why is my brush so full of hair!!)
- weakness (do your arms ache when you wash your hair in the shower or put rollers in your hair?)
- shortness of breath (sometimes lying in bed, does it feel like breathing is a big effort?)
- lightheadedness (it doesn’t matter if you are a blonde or not)
- palpitations (feeling of the heart racing or beating irregularly)
- looking pale (pale lips, pull your bottom eyelid down, is it pink or pale yellowish?)
- Symptoms of severe anemia may include:
- chest pain, angina, or heart attack
- dizziness
- fainting or passing out
- rapid heart rate
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- low blood pressure
- rapid breathing
- pale or cold skin (I’m taking this to also mean, feeling more chilly than usual?)
Ok, this is turning into a rather medical-sounding post (not like me at all) but I really think it’s worth it to have a glance, in case you or someone you know is expericing some of this. Oh wait!! I just found this better list on another site! take a peek!:
“If you have 5 or more of the symtoms below, see your doctor: Also consider taking B-Complx vitamins
* Depression * Fatigue * Listlessness, weakness, decreased work productivity * Impaired learning and cognitive function * ADD and ADHD type behavioral disturbances * Developmental delay in infants and young children * Poor memory * Decreased attention span and increased distractibility * Impaired reactivity and coordination * Irritability * Dizziness * Appetite loss * Cravings for non foods such as ice, dirt or clay * Constipation * Difficulty swallowing (because low iron may cause a thin membrane to grow across the esophagus) * Joint soreness * Night time leg cramps * Asthma * Sores on skin, or itching * Poor wound healing * Can cause excessive menstrual bleeding * Hair loss (LOW IRON IS A FREQUENTLY OVERLOOKED CAUSE OF HAIR LOSS) * Headaches * Sore or burning tongue * Soreness in corners of the mouth * Brittle, flat, or spoon shaped nails * Longitudinal ridges on nails * Heart palpitations on exertion * Shortness of breath * Cold extremities, with decreased resistance to cold and poor regulation of body temperature * Tendency to recurrent infections * Chronic bladder infections * Anemia (hypo chromic, microcytic) paleness, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue * Numbness & tingling * Night sweats * Fragile bones * Growth impairment in children * Eye soreness * Vague gastrointestinal symptoms: belching, gas, nausea * Vitiligo (light blotches on the skin) * Swelling in the ankles * Bluish tint to the whites of the eyes * Visual disturbances * Papilledema (swelling inside the eye)” (from answers.yahoo.com)
I highlighted some of the symptoms I was/am feeling. I feel I have experience them all except APPETITE LOSS!!! No way that has affected me, haha. (boo hoo!)
I think it can be easy to live with some of this stuff, and just never think “my iron must be low”! It’s way easier to think “I’m going insane!”
I’ve finally figured out that anemia can cause many feelings/symptoms of depression. (I’m waving a flag here). I’m not advocating self-diagnosing, but just want people to be aware of some of the symptoms in case you have had them w/o really paying attention…and so that you can go and talk to your doctor, get the easy blood-test and get it checked out!! It seems that doctors vary as to how they treat it, and what are normal levels. I’m still a bit confused as to the “numbers” and levels and to date, haven’t tried many remedies beyond iron pills…*sigh*…but I have the feeling I’m going to have to start trying some other options soon 😦
I hope this post has been helpful for you in some way. I’d really like to read your comments and/or your own experiences with this low-iron stuff. 🙂
denna's ideas 