u/ColdCaseCrime

I'm a 30 year old female. 8 years ago I moved to Australia from India and got blood tests which showed that my ferritin was at 3 and my haemoglobin was at 95.

I'm a chef, I work 12+ hours a day often working 60+ hours a week. I've never had the time to be tired or fatigued and honestly, I feel energetic most of the time. My two days off from work, I'd go on day long hikes. Everyday, I walk more than 20k steps, and it's been a routine to eat only one meal a day due to the chef lifestyle. I got diagnosed with ADHD around 2 years ago (and decided to stay off my medication of dexamphetamines since it was changing my personality significantly). I see my ADHD as a cause for my high energy levels and hyperactivity, nullfying the effects of my low iron. I've eaten red meat all my life, often eating foods high in iron.

I've had 15+ comprehensive blood tests in the past 8 years to check why I have low iron. Each blood test comes back with ferritin at <6 haemoglobin at around 95, saturation at 4, iron at 3.1. My current MCV is at 68, MCH at 19.8, MCHC at 291, RDW at 18.4, WCC at 3.8 (all lower than they should be). Everything else within my tests is normal. I've also been tested for celiac disease and I don't have it.

I've had 3 ultrasounds done in the past 6 years.

The first ultrasound in 2021 showed a 1.9×1.6×1.2 cm intramural fibroid within the posterior uterine body. My uterus was anteverted and measured 8.2×4.2×5.8 cm (105cc). Apart from that everything was normal.

The ultrasound I had two months ago (March 2026) shows an enlarged retroverted uterus at 8.9×6.9×7.6 mm. My uterus volume is now 243ml. There are 3 fibroids.

1. Intramural right lateral 6.1×5.8×5.9 cm

2. Intramural right lateral 2.5×3×2 cm

3. Subserosal Fundal 4.2×3.2×4.2 cm

My left ovary is immobile and tender to probe pressure. It is adjacent to the uterus and does not move independently even though many attempts were made to do so.

Over the years I've taken medicines/supplements/iron infusions like Tranexamic acid 500mg, Iron polymaltose 370mg, Maltofer, Ponstan 250mg, Mefenamic acid 250mg, Ferinject 1g/20ml. Nothing helps and as soon as I get my periods my iron is back to zero. I don't want to put in an IUD and take birth control because that'll disrupt my hormones. I have a long term partner for the past 12 years whom I have sex with once or twice a year because sex has always been painful for me.

I have heavy periods, large clots, a lot of pain and nausea that causes me to pop painkillers for the first two days and stay in bed. I am bloated all day everyday, and look 4 months pregnant at any given time even though I'm pretty fit and weigh 60 kgs at a height of 5 foot 4 inches. I have had this weird chest pain for the past year but I don't know if it's related.

I barely drink water (I feel nauseous at the thought of it), but I eat ice all day and have been binge eating it for 10+ years.

Today I have a haematology appointment which I waited several months for and I hope they find the cause of this issue because I'm sick of getting blood tests and ultrasounds with no resolution.

Hello there.

I need some advice because I cannot sleep at night and have nobody to talk to about this.

My dad got diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma a few months ago. I'm 30, live in a different continent across the world from my parents and they didn't tell me about it and still haven't. I just found out because my dad's photos were linked to my phone so I could see pictures of him at the hospital, him going through chemo and his medical reports.

The handwriting of the doctors in the reports is terrible but I can see that it says Hodgkins Lymphoma Stage 1A favourable.

I call my parents every other day and they still won't tell me anything. My mother tells me that my dad is sick because he's got some cholesterol issues etc etc but she won't tell me the truth. When I ask her when they're visiting me my mom likes joking around that only she'll visit me not my dad as if he's going to die. I'm terrified and I have nobody to talk to about it. I can't sleep and get so many nightmares. I've never lost a family member and I live across the world from everyone.

Should I be worried? Is this a good prognosis? I've googled endlessly but I'm still terrified.