@curly Glad to have you join us. I, too, find comfort in knowing I am not alone in my struggles. This is a great forum of very kind and helpful people. There are lots of good suggestions on different ways to cope with and get relief from the various illnesses the groups deal with daily. I pray you find some good ideas and new friends. I note one of your health issues is seasonal affective disorder. Have you tried those natural light lamps or light bulbs? I have heard exposure to them for as little as 20 mins a day can help. Just a thought since I have never personally tried it as I am fortunate enough to get relief for my depression with medication. It must be so frustrating to have depression that does not respond to medication!

@curly, I have treatment resistant major depression. After 15 years of drugs and therapy, life is still a struggle, with depression, PTSD, anxiety disorder and suicidal thoughts. Right now, my hemoglobin and iron are really low, and I have to see a hematologist in 2 weeks. Two days ago, I saw an ENT doctor because I have swallowing problems, and she said I might have Huntington's Disease. That didn't make the depression and anxiety any better, for sure.

Low iron means anemia, which means no energy, always tired.

I have to stop and go wash the dinner dishes. I don't feel like it, but skipping a day just makes the job bigger.

Jim

dear jimhd, i also have very, very low iron and anemia for about 14 years now (as long as i have been living here) and the doctors do not know why. i hope i am so wrong but my neighbor has been spraying the insecticide roundup over my fence for 14 years. so now, where to go? check out everything you do and please eat a diet for anemia. and you can do my dishes as well.@@

@peach414144

I eat a pretty balanced diet, and now I take an iron pill. The last couple of blood tests have been in the normal range, though I don't know what tests would show if I weren't taking them. I just don't want to add yet another pill to my home pharmacy. I'd also like to know why things were low that never had been in the past.

Jim

Hi @jimhd! I'm not saying this is what is happening with you. But for me, I kept being anemic for years without any explanation. I was having trouble with bleeding too. I started going to a different dr and she ran blood tests for Celiac and they came back positive. I had to not eat gluten, wheat, barley, rye, and malt. With Celiac, your body just doesn't absorb vitamins and nutrients like it should. It damages the vili (?) in your small intestines that are suppose to absorb them. I am doing better with the bleeding since staying away from gluten, but I still have to take the iron from time to time. Hope you find your reason for the low iron.

@magspierce

I was tested for Celiac a few years ago and was negative, thank you, Lord. I'll be seeing a doctor in a couple of hours, and I think I'll ask him if the test should be repeated. My wife and I really wouldn't want to live with that kind of diet.

Jim

@jimhd Good luck with your appointment!

@magspierce

I appreciate your sharing that story about celiac and anemia. I would never have considered a connection! I always say that at Mayo Connect we all learn from each other, thanks for a new lesson!

Teresa

yes jimhd iron is good. i do that,plus monthly iron shots, and whatever the doctors need to do. even to give me in fusions of ferreitin (iron). but the hosing of the popular poison for plants keeps coming over the fence. neighbor will not stop. going on 15 years now.