Low blood sugar or low blood blood?

[logansrogue]

Hey darlings.

Feeling utterly horrid today. I don't know if I've been eating enough food. I just get so sore that I don't want to move, and before I know it it's time to eat but I can't bring myself to move. It's starting to take its toll on me, as it's been some months and I've been having nowhere near the amount of red meat I used to. I'm feeling very weak and I just started my second period while Mum's been away. I'm getting all the symptoms of when my iron is low. Crawly nerves, clammy skin, weakness, dizziness. Yech. And I'm bleeding so heavily. I need iron, stat!!

Either that or my non-eating is becoming something of a problem. I honestly can't help it. It has nothing to do with dieting or any shit like that. I'm just down and anxious and my bloody appetite is shot to hell! I have 29 days till Mum and Dad get back. I gotta get my shit together. :( Or I'll end up in the bloody hospital or something!

Comments

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

You probably need to take iron supplements. I take 28 mg "gentle iron" (no idea why it's called that) with orange juice a couple days a week. The vitamin C in the OJ helps you absorb the iron better.

*hugs*

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

I suspect 'gentle iron' would be slightly different to the iron supplements I used to be given which used to give me an incredibly upset stomach.

Or does it have quite noticeable sideeffects as well?

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I haven't noticed any side effects from taking the "gentle iron". I usually take it only 2-3 days a week.

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

*nods*

That sounds a lot better than the stuff I was given as a teenager when everyone decided the reason I was tired was low iron (blood tests have since proved iron is very definitely not one of my problems).

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I basically take the gentle iron so I can donate blood. My hematocrit was occasionally below 38, which is the American Red Cross minimum requirement for donating blood, and they suggested I take iron occasionally to bump it up.

[tangofiction.livejournal.com]

If you have trouble eating, try some Sustagen or similar hospital-grade "meal replacement" with all the right sort of protein, iron, etc. It's not cheap, but you can sometimes get those single-size packets as samples, or single-serve drinks. Otherwise there's the good old-fashioned method: chicken soup! (But that does require the energy to make it.)

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I used to drink those meal drinks, but unfortunately a lot of them contain gluten - a no-no for me! But the chicken soup is a go since I can make that with no flour. Thanks for the suggestion, Tango! *hugs*

[tangofiction.livejournal.com]

Chicken soup is nicer anyway. :D Hope you feel better soon!

Sustagen is definitely gluten-free, I just had a look at a packet that I got for mum the other day - vanilla flavour, hospital-grade powder. I'm not a fan of meal replacements, but if you're sick, you gotta get those nutrients any way you can keep down.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Oh good. I'll give it a look when I'm next at the shops.