I suspect it began sometime after I started taking iron to treat my anemia, since no one ever connected the two; …
Who is ‘no one’ and which two did they fail to connect? Why do you say ‘since’?
I’m not a doctor. But it sure sounds to me that your blood is just not carrying enough oxygen to support vigorous exercise. Which is by definition ‘anemia’. Which comes in various forms, the most common of which can be treated by iron supplements, but the most serious of which have other causes and treatments. Just from what I read on the web, my guess would be you have ‘pernicious anemia’.
I would strongly advise going to a doctor again, and asking for blood tests. Be sure the doctor is informed about any ways in which your diet is unusual. Good luck.
“No one” is a couple of internists, my dad and my uncle (both doctors), and various random people I mentioned it to. What I mean is that people who know I used to be anemic and that I now have this dyspnea problem have never asked “I wonder if you still have [anemia-related subcondition] and that’s causing the dyspnea?”
The iron pills working was confirmed with a blood test. Before I took iron pills, my readings on some relevant feature of my blood were so low that I ought to have been fainting on a regular basis; after they were in normal range and I’ve been allowed to give blood several times since.
Who is ‘no one’ and which two did they fail to connect? Why do you say ‘since’?
I’m not a doctor. But it sure sounds to me that your blood is just not carrying enough oxygen to support vigorous exercise. Which is by definition ‘anemia’. Which comes in various forms, the most common of which can be treated by iron supplements, but the most serious of which have other causes and treatments. Just from what I read on the web, my guess would be you have ‘pernicious anemia’.
I would strongly advise going to a doctor again, and asking for blood tests. Be sure the doctor is informed about any ways in which your diet is unusual. Good luck.
“No one” is a couple of internists, my dad and my uncle (both doctors), and various random people I mentioned it to. What I mean is that people who know I used to be anemic and that I now have this dyspnea problem have never asked “I wonder if you still have [anemia-related subcondition] and that’s causing the dyspnea?”
The iron pills working was confirmed with a blood test. Before I took iron pills, my readings on some relevant feature of my blood were so low that I ought to have been fainting on a regular basis; after they were in normal range and I’ve been allowed to give blood several times since.