Iron Tablets! And learning about fatigue and to pace myself

I have MGUS and some mild anemia (low iron) so I am taking OTC iron tablets by nature made.
I’ve already had improvement in Hgb after 3 weeks.
I also learned iron isn’t absorbed well with food so best to take alone and not with calcium supplements.

Vitamin C/citrus & protein enhance absorption but some other foods inhibit iron absorption.

Hi @aleeab! Welcome back! ☺️ Ooo I hope you learn to listen to your body! Being exhausted is a signal to slow down a little. That was one of the most difficult lessons for me to learn. As go-getters, we’re used to having all that energy and stamina. When we get a glitch in our bone marrow and all our blood products aren’t as robust as normal, it’s pretty difficult to keep up our routines as we knew them. You may be at level Zero for your CLL but that doesn’t mean you’re 100% in health. You’re requiring iron supplements so that means you’re anemic. When that happens your body isn’t getting the oxygen it needs to keep your energy level up. So of course you’re going to feel tired and winded.
About that husband expecting clean clothing, house cleaned, etc… It may be time for him to have a little patience and understanding that life has changed. Haha and the dog always comes first!! 😂.
I’ll let other members take over with the iron supplement information. That’s not my issue…I’m still dealing with higher ferritin from all my transfusions. I’d give you some if I could.

Thanks Lori. The iron tablets seem to be working as I can work outside for almost 4 hours now instead of the hour or go before the iron. Husband knows things have changed, he does try to do some things, but never will he do laundry again. That is a promise. He didn't really understand the need to sort by light, med and dark items. Hope you get your ferritin where it is needed. I swear I am learning new words everyday for blood. But we do have to learn. Now time to go out an water the tomatoes. Have a great week.

My wife is mentally ill, and has Alzheimer's as well. I do all of the cooking and housework, as well as all the yard work. I experience many of the same symptoms that you described. I have learned to drink lots of water, handle jobs like lawn mowing by working a little, resting a lot, then back to pulling the plow. My doctor told me to stay on my feet, keep busy, and only rest when I have too, not just when I want to. I'm not saying that you should do likewise. Maybe you and your husband should have a serious talk about division of labor. No one but you can know how physically and emotionally tired you are. Times like these are when true love really shines. God bless you! And I hope you get better soon.

Thank you @puddknocker, I respect all you are doing and appreciate your timely advice. I have almost weaned myself off Pepsi and have begun drinking more water every day. The weaning was difficult, but I seem to have accomplished that. Taking care of the house and all that entails, plus the yard work have been my tasks for many years. Things are slowing on all fronts as I find myself sitting down more, then picking up where I left off. We must persevere to the best of our abilities. God bless you and your wife.

I don't think it matters so much how you get your water, as long as you get plenty of it. I sometimes drink sugar free/caffeine free sodas, lots of milk and milk products such as pudding, vegetable juice, fruit juice, decaf tea. And water of course.

Your comment really made me smile puddknocker, it’s really nice to read how much you care for your wife while managing your own situation 🙌🏻🙂
I had a husband, however the request for him to be at my side when I would be coming out of surgery (back then it was his face I really wanted to see) became too much to repeat - having to wonder if they’d turn up at all..well, that’s just not cricket, and so I drew the line at forgetting I wasn’t home besides running out of food and wondering where the clean clothes were.
There was one time i needed to chaperone an orthodontist visit so he could have someone to care for him because he wanted the gas to make him feel better during the procedure on his tooth (minor root canal with filling), while I had been fasting since the day before because I would be dropping him home and setting him up for his day of recovery before I headed straight into a knee OATS (driving myself there, and sleeping off the anaesthesia in the car after the 12hr post surgery discharge and then driving myself home - it was my left leg so I kept it straight by angling it over the passenger seat, in Au). My ex was still on the couch with his tooth recovery process still in full swing, and so I was back on the job managing the household - albeit not quite hitting the ground running, hehe. Cutting that snag off the line was one of the best things I’ve ever done 🙌🏻🙂