Hello, I am male, 24, and I have iron deficiency anemia which I cannot cure or treat.
I've been to the dr's and they've checked my upper and lower gi tract and found no abnormalities or an explanation for the low iron levels.
They suggest taking iron tablets, which I do. I've been taking them for more than 8 months now, with no improvement.
I've tried many different brands of iron. I took it with orange juice, vitamin C and B vitamins, always on an empty stomach 1 hour before eating.
Beyond this point, the doctor has no suggestion for me at all. So I stumped as to what can be done.
The fatigue is so strong, I can barely work. Hobbies feel like chores and I just have no mood for anything in life.
Am I doomed? Is there nothing I can do? Maybe it's just my doctor who might be missing something? Maybe there are some rare conditions that could be looked at?
I have had iron deficiency now for 3 years. Like you I have had every test going to find what is causing it. They think I must be bleeding internally but gastroscopies and colonoscopies and the camera capsule you swallow have found nothing. I have regular iron infusions.which work for about 3 months. Have they tried these? I have a brand called Ferinject. My consultant says it’s a mystery and I suppose I’m waiting for something bad to become evident but it is possible, he says, for this to continue for life. It feels horrible when the iron levels fall. My main symptom is shortness of breath. Perhaps you can ask about iron infusions? Good luck.
I would suggest you get tested for Helicobacter Pylori. I too was diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia and my Drs couldn’t find the cause until a biopsy was done and stomach sample during my gastroscopy was I found to have HPylori infection. The bacteria works in a way that you don’t always get symptoms so you think nothing is wrong however it can prevent the nutrients from being absorbed by your body, hence your low iron. It can be detected via biopsy smaller in gastrsocopy, stool sample or breath test.
You can can also try an iron infusion which will raise your levels quicker than the tablets.
Hi, do you know your ferritin level ? ie the iron store, and do you know your haemoglobin level?, I take bisglycinate iron supplement I open up the capsule into vitamin C drink, about 500 mg vitamin C, twice per day.
I have exact same symptoms. Low serum iron which is not responding to iron. What about your ferritin. Is it normal? Mine was normal. I think now I also have to try iron infusion as nothing could increase my serum iron.
I am also male and have the same problem. I think as @capsicum said only iron infusion can help us. No other way to increase serum iron for us.