Stories from people living with iron deficiency and anemia

Find out about how it feels to have low levels of iron, how people manage the condition in their lives and how they deal with treatment and support.

“When I was 15 years old, I was constantly exhausted, even if I slept for 12 hours. I couldn’t concentrate at school and fell asleep all the time. At 16, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and iron deficiency. Over the years, my Crohn’s was largely controlled but I constantly fought through the tiredness and fatigue of iron deficiency, because I thought this was normal.

As a mother, wife and business owner iron deficiency affects not just me, but my family and my work. I worry that I’m too tired and confused to drive my daughters to school or do a good job for my clients.

"Iron deficiency stops me being the person I want to be."

I want to be able to get up in the morning with enough energy to make it through the day and then spend an evening with my husband. I want to feel useful and fulfilled.

Today, I’m more aware of the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency so, I work more closely with my doctor to proactively monitor my iron levels; I ask for help when my loved ones notice I’m more tired and, I bring balance into my life by attending yoga classes.”

“My symptoms came on gradually. I felt exhausted all the time and I was struggling to get out of bed in the morning, despite being in a very happy period of my life. My hair was also falling out more than normal. I’m an active person – I work as a radio host, I spend time with my son, I love to go out and I keep fit in the gym.

I visited several doctors and none of them were able to identify anything was out of the ordinary. They suggested my worsening symptoms were a result of stress.

I felt misunderstood by everyone at that time.

Something just felt off, and I knew there had to be another explanation for the way I was feeling. Eventually I went to visit a doctor who suggested we test for iron deficiency. She found that my ferritin levels were very low. My symptoms were a result of iron deficiency, and I was recommended an intravenous iron infusion.

For me, the results of that first treatment were quick. I felt significantly better physically. Having my energy back totally changed my life at that time, and I could get on with doing the things I love. I regularly go for check-ups with my doctor now, to make sure my ferritin levels are still within a healthy range.”

 “Raising a child for the second time was so much harder. Trying to keep up with a toddler and a growing tummy was exhausting. I was slightly anemic, and I took supplements. I hoped that once the baby was born, I would get some energy back, even with the sleep deprivation. 

I breastfed our older child successfully until six months, so I assumed it would be the same again. But I felt so wiped out. I put it down to not being able to rest as much as I had done after the first birth. Initially, my milk came in well but as the baby demanded more feeds, I felt I couldn’t produce enough. I would get angry with my toddler and snap at my husband for no reason. It was a very lonely time. 

When my husband returned to work, I finally talked to my doctor because I was worried that I couldn’t carry on breastfeeding.

Blood tests showed that I had iron deficiency anemia, potentially giving me fatigue and affecting my milk production.

The treatment he prescribed made me feel so much better and happily, I was able to feed my baby until he was six months old.” 

“When the kids were little, I expected to feel tired running around after them all day. But as they grew and didn’t need me so much, I felt more exhausted, not less. I’d get angry with them for no real reason because I didn’t have the energy to cope with the stress of juggling everything. I’d feel terribly guilty, and it wasn’t the kind of mother I wanted to be.

Birthday parties, Christmas and even just friends for dinner: it all started to get a bit much. I just wanted to hide until it was all over. I did see a doctor, but they just suggested I make sure I had a healthy diet and enough rest. I felt helpless and started worrying that because I was getting older, I could have a rare disease. Some days that fear was overwhelming.

Thankfully, when I mentioned the constant exhaustion and my struggles to another doctor, she recommended I have some blood tests to see if my fatigue was potentially caused by low iron levels.

When the results showed that yes, I didn’t have enough iron in my body, I was actually relieved – it proved I wasn’t going mad!

I’ve only been on the treatment she prescribed for a while, but just knowing that there is a reason for the way I feel, and there’s hope for improvement, has made me much more positive about life.”