[dietcokehead98]

Hi.
So, I've been depressed for years. I've got it under control with meds, and I've been coasting for about 13 years now with no changes to my medication, until the end of March. Then, the poo suddenly hit the fan.

Seriously, nothing in my life changed. I was going full throttle with my weight loss, work was fine, home was the same, no stress, the occasional bout of the blues, the usual migraines (I've been a sufferer since I was 17), I was LOVING the endorphin high from my workouts. One day, it literally came crashing down.

I went to go workout and I was extra tired. Not the usual "I don't feel like going to the gym" tired, but just exhausted. I did a small workout and went home without any sort of endorphin high. I took the next two workout days off, tried again, and again...I couldn't make it through a 10 minute rowing session. I was up to a 45 minute rowing session. My breathing was labored, my face was bright red-I felt awful. I thought I was getting sick.

Fast forward to the weekend. I slept for 10 hours on a Saturday and another 10 hours on a Sunday. I couldn't stop sleeping. I wasn't hungry. My hair was falling out. All I wanted to do was sleep. I went to yoga and standing up into mountain pose, I got so dizzy I had to sit down. What was going on? Something was off, so I made a doctors appointment.

It turns out that I am severely anemic, due to an iron deficiency. And get this-it's due to intensive training. Yes, in my quest to get healthy, I got sick. My RBC count was 5. FIVE. It should be between 15-55. Amazing.

So, what I thought was a severe case of depression turned out to be a severe case of anemia.

I started iron supplements two weeks ago. I'm still not 100%. I've been told it can take up to 6 months to get to "normal" levels. I've done some walking and some super light weight training here and there, along with weekly yoga, but boy, do I miss the gym. So, I'm going tonight.

If you feel like something is off, please go see your doctor. Even if you already have "something" (like depression), you never know; it could be something you never even thought of, like anemia, thyroid issues, even lupus!

[Kat117]

Excellent advice, Dietcokehead. In the digital age, too often people consult Dr. Google and come up with crazy, inaccurate diagnosis for themselves.

Glad you found out what was going on and are on the road to recovery!

[ennay]

Yes training, especially impact cardio can lower your iron significantly. It's most common in runners because they get what is called "foot strike hemolysis" where they get damaged blood cells from the impact - like micro bruising - and the body has to keep creating new RBC to make up for it. But any kind of cardio can do it.

Good for going to the doctor and getting it diagnosed, it does sneak up on people.

Honestly, anyone who is training intensely should get their iron checked periodically. If you are doing high volume cardio you want to stay in the upper end of that normal range.

[trufup]

10 hours of sleep, there is too much? It is possible that the whole immune system to mess up! Our body has a limit. Can not be taken to extremes every day!