u/annik-honore

I started seeing an IFS therapist last month and have since learned I’ve been severely iron deficient (low ferritin, not anemia) for many years, possibly over a decade. From what I’ve learned, the lack of iron can impact you significantly on a cognitive level. I’ve since received some iron infusions and am just trying to take it easy and heal while my body is taking in the iron.

Some of the fatigue I had been feeling for years has lifted which is great but the memory issues, irritability, anhedonia, derealization, anxiety, etc are still pretty much the same and even I would say anhedonia and irritability got worse. I am diagnosed with ADHD, major depression and anxiety which low ferritin just exacerbated all of those symptoms. Plus, my medications (Vyvanse, Wellbutrin, Zoloft and Intuiv) have not been working well due to the lack of iron necessary for neurotransmitters.

It’s been hard to regulate emotionally. I feel like my window of tolerance for anything my nervous system perceives as threatening or overwhelming is 🤏🏻 big. My unmanaged ADHD symptoms have greatly affected my relationship with my partner. After my last IFS session, my partner and I have argued almost daily. My therapist said this was to be expected because attachment wounding was triggered and hasn’t worked through my body yet. I’m just wondering if it’s not the best time to fully dive into IFS while I’m still in the middle of recovering from iron deficiency. My partner and I live together and I don’t want my protectors to constantly feel activated now around them. I just am feeling a lot of grief. I was very much looking forward to IFS but am thinking maybe I need to set it down for now.

TLDR: Protectors are more activated causing more tension and arguments with my partner while I’m also recovering from a health issue and am wondering if I should wait until I’m feeling better to resume IFS.

Hi everyone. Just need to vent after my first hematologist appointment. The doctor comes in and says, “so, you’re feeling very tired, huh?” Maybe if I wasn’t in a horrible mood most of the time, I wouldn’t have minded but it felt pretty flippant to me. I told her I have a lot of debilitating symptoms (I even wrote them down ahead of time because I’ve been very forgetful) but, she didn’t inquire any further.

Since the labs reference range for ferritin is 8-180, she wasn’t very concerned at mine being 12 for at least 3 years. She said she had a patient this morning whose ferritin was single digits as well as her hemoglobin and that she “wasn’t worried about rushing to make me feel better.” When she said that I felt like I was going to go through the roof with how angry I felt. I know I don’t have to exaggerate in this group how sick and tired I am of feeling sick and tired, you all understand. This has likely been going on for at least a decade but because I am no longer anemic, she didn’t take me as seriously as I was hoping.

She did put in referrals to my insurance for infusions as I had requested but, wasn’t sure I would get approved because I’m not anemic and have state sponsored insurance.

I told her I’ve paid out of pocket for 2 250mg Venofer infusions so far and have not felt better. She said if I didn’t feel better after the 3rd or 4th one that my symptoms could be something not related to iron deficiency. I asked generally how long it takes to feel better after infusions and she said people usually feel it right away if that’s indeed what the issue is. That isn’t what I have been reading from folks experience on this forum. I’ve read it can take weeks to months after to fully feel better.

I’ve shared my recent labs below and was wondering if there is any thing else I should ask to have tested?

I also have a gastroenterologist appointment to see if I have SIBO, celiac, h. Pylori, etc. I have a history of gastritis since I was a child and haven’t been able to tolerate oral iron. I was also vegetarian for a decade and a blood donator up until January of this year.

I’m really hoping low ferritin is the main reason for the slew of mental and physical ailments that have been wreaking havoc on my daily life. I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety as a teenager and ADHD as an adult. I’ve had a hell of a time finding an ADHD med that works for me and am starting to think my low ferritin is the very reason my psychiatric meds are hardly working. It’s wild to me I had to ask to have my ferritin tested and that multiple doctors and psychiatrists never thought of doing an iron panel.

I’m just very grateful this group exists. Otherwise, I’m sure I would still be gaslighting myself saying nothing is wrong with me. Thanks for listening.

Edit: for reference, I am a 34 year old trans guy but my for my labs my sex is female. I no longer have a menstrual cycle and have been on testosterone for 6 years.

Is there a “right” time to do IFS?