Just a quick update: there’ll be no podcast this weekend as I have been having a pretty rough time with my anemia again. I’ve been experiencing a lot of weird symptoms — pins and needles all over my body, racing heart beat, extreme fatigue, and insomnia to name a few. Some of this might be related to the truly insane amounts of iron I’m ingesting on a daily basis, but I can’t really tell any more. Either way, I’m not sure Banter readers would appreciate listening to me trying to speak intelligently on complex political issues for over an hour. I’m having a hard time reading through 800 word articles and replying to emails let alone hold sensible conversations with anyone.
When I had to take iron I had extreme constipation. I don’t mind saying it-it’s an awful side effect of iron Supplements. Magnesium, citrate, not oxide, helps with that.
Take care, Ben. Couldn’t hurt to tell the dr about the severity of these symptoms, and ask for some advice. In the meantime, take it easy. We’ll be here when you’re ready.
Don't ask how I know this (it's a long story), but you might be dealing with a Vitamin B12 deficiency. It fits all your symptoms. Most doctors aren't aware of the fact that 1000 pg/ML level of blood serum B12 is actually what you should be aiming for, and my hunch is that if you got tested right now, you'd probably be much lower than that. Note that what's typically considered a "normal" B12 level (~300) is actually low enough to cause a large number of symptoms (including everything you have), that typically seem unrelated to each other and mimic many other things. And BTW - such a deficiency usually has little to do with diet and more to do with problems with your body's absorbing it. Not to mention the fact that the most common type of OTC B12 supplement (cyanocobalamin) is the one hardest for your body to absorb.
Check you the book "Could it be B12," available for free on Anna's Archive, read Appendix M or N (whichever one has the measurement scale of B12 deficiency symptoms), get yourself tested, and good luck.
Dang, Ben. I was hoping you were doing better. So sorry to hear about the setback. Hopefully the lowering of the iron you're taking will do the trick and help you feel better. Hang in there.
That is for sure, Aaron. We do need a lot of wind to fully express our thoughts, given the perilous times we're in right now. I look forward to reading your longwinded replies to the content here very soon.
I really hope you feel better soon, Ben. As someone with a lot of medical problems, I totally sympathize with you about not feeling up to doing something that requires a lot of mental effort to do correctly. Not feeling well is like a heavy weight that drags everything else down with it, and especially a lack of sleep will just turn your mind to mush until you get the proper rest. Please get better soon.
I went on a gluten free diet, and not only did it cure my digestive problems, but my anemia went away as well. Also, foods such as liver may raise your iron levels without the need for so much supplementation.
Aloha🌺Hoping you feel better soon. We are all counting on your honest reporting. I wonder how much of your symptoms might be anxiety. That’s my issue. You don’t realize it. My latest was that my esophagus contracted or something to close off my ability to swallow. For 5 weeks couldn’t swallow food or drink. Lost 50 pounds. I sipped enough fluid to last. Also short of breath. My condition called dysphagia. Finally collapsed & go to ER. Diagnoses totally anxiety induced. You can get backaches, muscle spasm. All kinds of physical impairment from underlying chronic anxiety. You don’t know you are experiencing it. It sneaks up on you. Anxiety can accompany the main diagnoses & exacerbate it. I play mello sleep music at bedtime. Liquid Mind VIII Sleep is one that helps you go to sleep. Wishing you recovery soon. 🙏🏽🤞🏽🥰
Yikes. I know you are under a doc's care, but please be careful wiu the iron. I developed an iron allergy after taking it for years, under a doc's order, since I refused to eat meat or much dairy when a teen through 20's. The iron made all the symptoms you are experiencing. My new doc in my 30's freaked out about it because my heart was racing and palpitating etc, and took me off all iron. That worked, and the (admittedly much less serious than yours) anemia I experienced slowly resolved itself.
Feel better soon!
When I had to take iron I had extreme constipation. I don’t mind saying it-it’s an awful side effect of iron Supplements. Magnesium, citrate, not oxide, helps with that.
Take care, Ben. Couldn’t hurt to tell the dr about the severity of these symptoms, and ask for some advice. In the meantime, take it easy. We’ll be here when you’re ready.
Don't ask how I know this (it's a long story), but you might be dealing with a Vitamin B12 deficiency. It fits all your symptoms. Most doctors aren't aware of the fact that 1000 pg/ML level of blood serum B12 is actually what you should be aiming for, and my hunch is that if you got tested right now, you'd probably be much lower than that. Note that what's typically considered a "normal" B12 level (~300) is actually low enough to cause a large number of symptoms (including everything you have), that typically seem unrelated to each other and mimic many other things. And BTW - such a deficiency usually has little to do with diet and more to do with problems with your body's absorbing it. Not to mention the fact that the most common type of OTC B12 supplement (cyanocobalamin) is the one hardest for your body to absorb.
Check you the book "Could it be B12," available for free on Anna's Archive, read Appendix M or N (whichever one has the measurement scale of B12 deficiency symptoms), get yourself tested, and good luck.
I hope things improve for you, Ben!
Most important thing. Take care of yourself
Hope you feel better real soon so I can listen to you and Justin again and be able to respond appropriately with my usual longwinded replies.
Nothing wrong with long-winded replies... I'm notorious for them. :) Most times we need a lot of wind to fully express our thoughts.
This too shall pass! Take care!
Take care of yourself, Ben. I hope you improve again quickly.
Dang, Ben. I was hoping you were doing better. So sorry to hear about the setback. Hopefully the lowering of the iron you're taking will do the trick and help you feel better. Hang in there.
That is for sure, Aaron. We do need a lot of wind to fully express our thoughts, given the perilous times we're in right now. I look forward to reading your longwinded replies to the content here very soon.
I really hope you feel better soon, Ben. As someone with a lot of medical problems, I totally sympathize with you about not feeling up to doing something that requires a lot of mental effort to do correctly. Not feeling well is like a heavy weight that drags everything else down with it, and especially a lack of sleep will just turn your mind to mush until you get the proper rest. Please get better soon.
I went on a gluten free diet, and not only did it cure my digestive problems, but my anemia went away as well. Also, foods such as liver may raise your iron levels without the need for so much supplementation.
We all have something in life that humbles us. So sorry and I hope you’re better soon. Don’t forget the magnesium citrate. Not oxide
Aloha🌺Hoping you feel better soon. We are all counting on your honest reporting. I wonder how much of your symptoms might be anxiety. That’s my issue. You don’t realize it. My latest was that my esophagus contracted or something to close off my ability to swallow. For 5 weeks couldn’t swallow food or drink. Lost 50 pounds. I sipped enough fluid to last. Also short of breath. My condition called dysphagia. Finally collapsed & go to ER. Diagnoses totally anxiety induced. You can get backaches, muscle spasm. All kinds of physical impairment from underlying chronic anxiety. You don’t know you are experiencing it. It sneaks up on you. Anxiety can accompany the main diagnoses & exacerbate it. I play mello sleep music at bedtime. Liquid Mind VIII Sleep is one that helps you go to sleep. Wishing you recovery soon. 🙏🏽🤞🏽🥰
Ugh, that sounds awful. :(
Yikes. I know you are under a doc's care, but please be careful wiu the iron. I developed an iron allergy after taking it for years, under a doc's order, since I refused to eat meat or much dairy when a teen through 20's. The iron made all the symptoms you are experiencing. My new doc in my 30's freaked out about it because my heart was racing and palpitating etc, and took me off all iron. That worked, and the (admittedly much less serious than yours) anemia I experienced slowly resolved itself.