Health Questions

[bubbleburst]

Lately I’ve been getting quite a few bruises on my legs, it seems once they go away they come back. They are only on my legs for now. I’m always fairly tired and lack energy. My nails are brittle. I don’t eat meat that often, I am not a vegetarian though. I think I am underweight and the colour of my skin (face) seems to look different to other people. I am too scared to tell my parents as I feel they won’t take it seriously. I’ve been skinny for many years now, I can’t remember a time where I was a “healthy weight range” – but I don’t have anorexia as I love to eat food. I can never seem to put on weight. For many years I have always felt tired but still manage to go about doing things in everyday life. In school I would sometimes lack concentration and find it hard to focus, other times I could. These symptoms are on and off, but the one that is most present is the bruising.

What do you think of this....

[~Lynd~]

It sounds like you might have anemia.It's not a big deal you just need to include more Iron in your diet or take Iron tablets.I'm not a doctor though so I think you might want to go to one.

[flyingwithoutwings]

bubbleburst: Yeah, I agree with Lynd, it sounds like an Iron deficiency. There's supplements you can take to boost it. I had it, because like you, I don't eat much meat. But as Lynd also said, we're not doctors... so, it's probably good to get it checked out.

Hope you're okay.

[bubbleburst]

That's what I thought too, I haven't been to the doctors because I am too chicken to tell my parents. As for taking supplements to treat it, I don't like to have to take medication (even for headaches, I try to avoid it much as possbile) as I believe in natural cures. The problem is, I have troubling swallowing pills and still can't swallow pills and these days they hardly make chewable tablets, which really sucks!!! So taking tablets for me well...I'm not sure.

I'm trying to include iron in my diet more, but I am a fussy eater and I am having trouble with trying to incorporate food with iron in it

[suzannelgnz]

Bubbleburst- I take an over the counter iron supplement which you just chew or suck on which are called iron melts + I used a supplement which you dissolve in water which you can buy at the supermarket (it's by Healtheries/Aussie Bodies). I'd suggest going to your local pharmacy for advice if you don't want to go to the doctor

[charmed60]

You'll need to check you have an iron deficiency before self medicating yourself! Can you not go to your GP without your parents being there?? I understand the not wanting to take medication thing - I'm exactly the same. I also have to take iron tablets though and it's amazing how much better you feel after, I'm also struggling to put on weight which can be an indicator of thyroid problems. It's definetely worth having some blood tests because once you know what it is you can find natural supplements that you can use to treat it! Don't take anything without knowing for sure though.

[bubbleburst]

Okay so today I went to find some iron supplements and luckily enough I came across "Iron Melts" and Iron liquid!!! I am so relived. I have plucked up enough courage to tell my parents and I am going to the doctors tomorrow for a blood test...

I bought the "Iron melts" just in case, I don't want to take them before I see my GP.

Thanks for the advice so far

[charmed60]

Really pleased to hear, hope everything goes okay!! And well done for telling your parents, must be a huge relief!

[Foxy]

Just a note to say - BTTB does not accept any responsibility for any advice given in this thread, and would always encourage actively seeking a GP's opinion with any health concerns that you may have. Any advice accepted here is done so at entirely your own risk.

[bubbleburst]

Just a note to say - BTTB does not accept any responsibility for any advice given in this thread, and would always encourage actively seeking a GP's opinion with any health concerns that you may have. Any advice accepted here is done so at entirely your own risk.

I am well aware of that I'm not dumb you know.... hence why I said I'll see a GP before taking any medication ... and before I can sel-diagonsis. I just wanted people's opinions before I went to a GP. I was always going to go to a GP. It's the same with the support thread I assume....

So I went to the docs today.... got the blood test, hurt a little bit....couldnt feel my arm Afterwards I was like "Yeah I'm fine" the nurse asked me to stand up to see if I was lightheaded, nope I was fine! I even got to lay down for the blood test but oh my god it took forever! because I am skinny.

Then I got into the car..... my mother was driving along....because she took me....and then I began to feel sick like I actually felt like I was going to throw up in the car, thankfully I didn't. But then I started to feel really weird, nothing I've experienced before. I was getting really lightheaded and I think I was even losing conciousness, I thought I was going to passs out. Luckily I was in the car when it happened, and not standing up! Then my whole body started to sweat, and since I didn't know whether or not to fast. I fasted anyway....my appointment was at 1:30pm so here I am in the car, hungry as .... and freaking out because I thought I was going to be sick in the car, and possibly pass out. But I was okay and mum drove to a bakery and we buy some pies and something to drink. I was okay after that.

Now I'm just waiting on the results...

Oh and I looked at the "Iron Melts" and it has a warning on the back of it....contains: aspartame, phenylketonuries - contains: phenylalanime. So I've decided I don't want to use that...if I require a supplement