I ignored my health condition and lost half my hair

Dietary supplements transformed one woman’s thinning hair after years of ignoring her underlying iron deficiency.

In addition to extreme hair loss, she was experiencing shortness of breath and decreased energy.

the woman wrote on Reddit’s TwoXChromosomes forum under the handle you/curious hummingbird.

She recalled how she lost more than half of her hair because she didn’t take her anemia seriously.

“Although I wasn’t officially diagnosed, I knew I was anemic ever since I was a teenager when I first started trying to donate blood. I was almost always rejected due to low hemoglobin levels. ” she said.

“So, as an adult, I’m familiar with the common symptoms (low energy, very pale skin, head rash, etc.), but I’ve never taken them too seriously.”

The woman, who is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 100 pounds, revealed that she had a frightening experience while hiking with friends, which ultimately led her to consult a doctor.

“I knew I was out of shape and I knew there was going to be a bit of a wind going up the hill, but I wasn’t even halfway up when I had to stop for breath. I thought there must be something wrong with me,” she said. .

“I literally felt like I couldn’t breathe and I was taking deep breaths, feeling like my heart was beating out of my chest.

“To be honest, I was a little scared, so I made an appointment with my doctor for a blood test that same day.

“What are my results? 7.5g/dl; my symptoms are less than half of what they should be and I almost need a blood transfusion. Wow.

“So at this point, I’ve definitely taken this seriously and have been diligently taking ferrous sulfate at a daily dose of 325mg for three months to get back on track.

“I felt great and had so much energy. I started working out again and was just overall so much happier.”

The woman said that having to get a haircut to hide how thin her hair had become within a year made her pay more attention to her hair loss.

She said that a few months after she started taking supplements to treat her anemia, she started seeing new growth in areas that were once patchy.

“It’s been a year since I started taking the supplement, and the new growth is about 6 inches long,” she said.

“My hair is wavy when it’s long and curly when it’s short, so imagine what I look like now.

“To be honest, it reminds me of a football helmet.

“I like my hair long, so I’m putting up with the stringy ends for now, but once the new hair reaches my collarbone, I’ll probably cut it.”

“I’m honestly grateful that the growth is coming back.

“Well, if you’re anemic, don’t ignore the warning signs like I did lol. The results are definitely not worth it!”

The post received hundreds of upvotes, with many commenters confessing that they had no idea that their hair loss was due to anemia.

The Redditor said that taking the supplement caused an “insane” change in his overall health.

“I now take it once every three days,” she wrote. “Make sure to take it with a full meal, otherwise it can make you feel nauseous for hours.”

“I don’t know the brand because it was just prescribed by the NP.” [nurse practitioner]but it’s a 325mg ferrous sulfate tablet,” she added.

“It’s a red pill, about the size of an M&M.”

Anemia occurs when there are low red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. health line.

Iron deficiency is one of the “most common” causes of anemia.

Children, adolescent women, pregnant women, vegans, premenopausal people, and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk for iron deficiency.

Symptoms include hair loss, brittle nails, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and weakness.

Ferrous sulfate supplements usually come in oral tablet form and can help maintain normal iron levels and treat deficiencies including anemia.

It is important to consult your health care professional before taking any supplements, as dosages vary from person to person.