Living with and Managing Iron-Deficiency Anemia

To the first comment, any illness is not good. It's not a contest. It doesnt have to be cancer to matter. There is a myriad of illnesses out there people can have. The only disease in the world is not cancer. I don't have cancer, so I don't want to hear stories just about cancer. NF.

Thank you for your comment. As a federal research institute, the NHLBI cannot counsel you on specific medical problems. We encourage you to consult with a doctor or other health professional who has examined you and is familiar with your medical history.

Thanks for sharing. i just found out I have anemia and I've been wondering about it a lot. Is taking vitamins an okay substitute for iron pills, or should I take iron pills?

I have for years been getting these dry crusty sores on the sides of my mouth. I decided to ask the doctor to find out what was causing it whilst going in for something else and after she looked at my bloods, she confirmed that it was caused by a mild iron deficiency. I have started taking an iron supplement with 100% RDA iron along with B-vitamins and hopefully this will sort the problem out but I had no idea this was causing it.

Thank you for your comment. As a federal research institute, the NHLBI cannot counsel you on specific medical problems. We encourage you to consult with a doctor or other health professional who has examined you and is familiar with your medical history.

I have severe pruritis. A blood panel showed no problems except: Iron 30 (50-180) I've been taking ferrous sulfate 160mg twice daily for a month but so far not much change in the itchiness.

Thanks for your comment. Obesity per se is not associated with anemia. The detection of anemia in a person who is obese needs to be looked into further to find an underlying cause. You can learn more about obesity, anemia, and other conditions and procedures on the NHLBI website in the Health Topics section.

Thanks for the video. This person's story seemed very familiar to me. I too thought it was more my lifestyle that was causing me to be so exhausted all the time. Nice to see there is a path to feeling better.

Thank you for your question. As a federal research institute, the NHLBI cannot counsel you on specific medical problems. We encourage you to consult with a doctor or other health professional who has examined you and is familiar with your medical history. For more information on Iron-Deficiency Anemia, visit our website.

Hi, I was wondering how long it takes for iron supplements to take affect ? I've been taking iron along with vitamin supplements for about 2-3 weeks and i've still been feeling lethargic, shortness of breath (really bad), dizziness, heart palpitations and some other stuff.

Thank you for your comment. While some types of anemia can be mild, short-term, and easily treatable, other types can be severe and long-lasting. Some anemias can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated. Learn more on the NHLBI website.

This video confuses me. I'm anemic and it's the least of my problems. This lady is acting like a cancer survivor, but anemia is not a major thing and barely effects quality of life...?