Anemia usually feels like tiredness sleep does not fix - plus breathlessness on mild effort, palpitations, pale skin (check your lower eyelid), and headaches.
Less common signs: brittle nails, hair shedding, a sore tongue, restless legs, and cravings for ice or starch (pica). The honest limit: these overlap with thyroid trouble, depression, and plain exhaustion, so only a blood test - full blood count plus ferritin - confirms it, and starting iron blind is its own risk. Ask for the test if the pattern has lasted weeks, and expect the cause conversation: heavy periods, pregnancy, diet, gut bleeding, absorption problems. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you map symptoms before the draw.
What to do
Common questions
How do you tell if you're anemic?
Anemia usually feels like being tired in a way sleep does not fix. The classic symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia, the most common kind: tiredness and lack of energy, getting short of breath on effort that used to be easy, noticeable heartbeats (palpitations), paler-than-usual skin - check the inside of your lower eyelid - and headaches. Less common signs include brittle nails, hair shedding, a sore or smooth tongue, restless legs, and cravings for ice or non-food items like ice or starch (called pica). The honest catch: these symptoms overlap with thyroid problems, depression, and plain exhaustion, so self-diagnosis has a ceiling - only a blood test (a full blood count, plus ferritin for iron stores) confirms anemia and points at the cause. Ask for the test if the pattern fits and has lasted weeks, and do not start iron supplements blind, because too much iron is its own problem. The causes worth discussing: heavy periods, pregnancy, low dietary iron, gut bleeding, and celiac-type absorption problems. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you map your symptoms before the blood draw.