Significant hair shedding after weight loss; iron deficiency anaemia, low ferritin, and possible malabsorption. Should I consider IV iron?
Hi everyone, 27F, have had chronic anaemia since I was 7 years old, all genetic disorders have been ruled out
I lost approximately 6 kg in June over a relatively short period.
Around September, I started experiencing significant hair shedding. I’m losing a lot of strands when washing, brushing, and even running my hands through my hair. The shedding seems diffuse, but I’ve also noticed thinning around my part and temples, particularly at the hairline.
I’m concerned about both telogen effluvium from weight loss/stress and possible female-pattern hair loss.
My recent blood results:
Haemoglobin: 10.4 g/dL
Ferritin: 21.2 ng/mL
Transferrin saturation: 9.65%
My doctor has told me that I have malabsorption and recommended a colonoscopy, although I’m still trying to understand the suspected cause.
I haven’t tried oral iron recently, and I’m considering asking my doctor whether IV iron would be appropriate given my low iron levels and suspected absorption issues.
Questions for anyone with a similar experience:
Any steps I can take to help iron absorption from my diet?
If you had suspected malabsorption, what investigations helped identify the cause? Was a colonoscopy helpful, or did you also need an upper endoscopy or coeliac disease testing?
If you had thinning around your temples and part alongside diffuse shedding, how did you determine whether female-pattern hair loss was also present?