- Fatigue, tachycardia, restless legs, brain fog since ~2000; doctors occasionally ordered thyroid tests but none ever mentioned iron to me
- In 2019 a new-to-me sleep doctor immediately asked about ferritin after I reported restless legs (and my perimenopausal periods); ferritin was found to be 4. She prescribed ferrous sulfate and stated that she expected my levels to be 75-100 within 6 months
- After 7 months [130mg iron daily (as ferrous sulfate) for 2 weeks and 65 mg iron daily (as ferrous sulfate) for 7 months] my ferritin was 27
- I soldiered on with multivitamins and fortified cereal for another year (approximately 36mg iron per day) and my ferritin fell back to 15. My insurance wouldn’t approve iron infusions and I couldn’t tolerate the non-heme iron (for me the “show stoppers” were sticky stool that aggravates my pelvic prolapse and my need for PPIs for GERD). I came across the facebook group “The Iron Protocol” where I learned about heme iron supplements and the American Society of Hematologists protocol for iron deficiency
- within a few days of starting heme iron supplements I started to feel huge improvement. I went from thinking I would have to file for disability and stop working to feeling like I would have no trouble working another 20 years to retirement. My brain fog has lifted and I have so much more energy. I no longer have tachycardia episodes from standing or walking up 1 flight of stairs!