u/Affectionate_Soft470

At my last checkup my ferritin was going in the right direction, hemoglobin and other markers they checked on labs. Specifically the MCV and MCH were increasing, and the RDW was going down (a positive). Today I was in the ER for something else and they did a CBC panel and I see that now the MCV and MCH have gone down a bit, and the RDW went up a little. All have changed fairly slightly by a few points. I am going to have ferritin checked again in ten days but now I am worried.... Could this mean my iron is going down again? Anyone else experience this?

I feel like I probably already know the answer to this but I just need validation so I feel less crazy. I have been battling low iron/ferritin since August and have been stubborn and refusing IV iron (please don't debate me or shame me, I know its ridiculous but I am too scared of possible severe reactions and side effects so no amount of convincing is going to help unless my ferritin becomes to low I am forced to do it). Thankfully I did finally find a supplement which i can tolerate, and my last labs were the best looking since I started taking supplements. I am finally out of the anemic range too. My feet were constantly just ice cold, even with thick socks and slippers on or boots etc. I am finally noticing that my feet are no longer freezing in this way. However I still have very bad days just feeling weak and shaky. My ferritin is only a 17 so I know i have a long way to go. Is it normal to have a few days or even a week where you feel better, more energy, and then a bad day here and there? Also my anxiety seems to just fluctuate where I feel good some days and really bad others. I just feel like i am losing my mind, and hoping this all improves some day.

I think I have had arthritis for years and doctors kept writing me off. No one bothered to do any imaging. Finally last year, a new doctor ordered X rays and found OA in both hips (the s.i. joint area) as well as bone spurs. It tends to hurt the worst in my lower back area on the side area next to tailbone. They did recommend those injections which involves a very long needle going into the s.i. joint. I have not been able to bring myself to try this. I am curious if anyone else has similar, specifically bone spurs with your arthritis. What, if anything has helped to alleviate the pain? Not interested in pain pills or anything like that. But am open to herbal remedies for pain, I was also curious about something like a tens unit. I am starting to get these weird, red swollen inflamed spots on my back that accompanies the pain. The doctor just shrugged and gave me a lidocaine patch which doesn't even touch the pain. And they have done blood work to rule out RA or lupus.

Apparently my endocrinologist just wrote in my medical chart that I had PCOS a couple years ago and I didn't even know it until recently. It would definitely explain lots of my issues. Today after a TV ultrasound my obgyn confirmed she believes I have PCOS also. Id love to hear what, if anything helps symptoms specifically the bad periods (are those due to PCOS? The pain...) and also for anyone in perimenopause, does PCOS alter the way we experience it vs a woman without PCOS?

Finally got a more official diagnosis of PCOS today - which I already suspected. But now I'm wondering, for those who have it.... Does it change perimenopause and menopause at all? Is there anything different vs someone without PCOS?

I have had constant 24/7 tinnitus ever since being pregnant in 2013. It seems like as I have entered perimenopause it has gotten worse/louder. Just wondering if anyone else has also experienced worsening tinnitus or new symptoms in peri. It is driving me crazy