Ringing/Whooshing In Ears

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

So I've had it happen before and it was due to low Iron. I have also been anemic all my life so it's not unusual for me. But yeah, the last 3 days I've had that whooshing, air blowing type sound in my ears and it's annoying as hell! I'm assuming, like I said, it's due to low iron despite being on 65mg dose which is usually enough to keep me right. Have any of you experienced this?

Which brings me to my next issue, if you wanna call it that. It's bad enough my iron is routinely low even with supplements, but I think it's even worse now since surgery because now I am barely, if at all, getting in vegetables each day. Veggies and my supplements would keep me in the norm range if taken regularly. "Protein first" is encouraged, as we all know, but sadly by the time I get in my Protein I no longer have room for veggies. This has been the habit/norm for over a month now and now I think it may be taking it's toll. How did you deal with that? Or did any of you even have that same problem of not getting enough veggies in? Should I not worry about it for now since I'm only about 2.5 months out? Will it eventually work it's way out?

I did contact my family doc, whom I see next month, to ask about getting iron specific blood work done but he said we will just wait and see what the normal CBC tests reveals next month first. He said if my levels are lower than what they were in May, my last tests, that he would certainly order more iron specific testing to be done. And my tests in May had me at the very bare minimum levels when it came to iron.

I also expressed to him that I will be taking a new one a day Vitamin this week and will rely solely on the vitamin (which includes 45mg of iron) for my iron (aside from some foods). I told him I didn't want to get too little but also didn't want to get too much. It's a very fine line with me when it comes to this issue. Been battling it all my life.

I believe 18 mg is what the average woman my age supposedly needs. But as you see, I take 65 and I still think I'm falling short. Last Jan/Feb it was so low (I had stopped taking it for 6 months) that I was tired all the time and couldn't even stay awake during the day, was moody, emotional, etc. So I doubled my dose for several weeks and once I felt better I knocked it back down to the normal dose. That set me straight until now. Now I think I'm falling short again based on some tell tale signs but I guess I'll know for sure next month at my next doc visit/blood work

So yeah, has anyone experienced this and how did you deal with the lack of veggies if you've also gone through that? I worry about cutting down on my protein in order to get veggies in cause then I won't be getting in the recommended amount of protein for the day. And I REALLY don't want to have to go back to relying on shakes and the like either if I can help it. Thanks!!!

[catwoman7 11,212]

actually, animal products, esp meat, have a lot more Protein than vegetables. Or are you vegan?

65 mg of elemental Iron is about what bypassers are supposed to get - not sure about sleevers. But be aware that different types of iron contain different amounts of elemental iron. Elemental iron is the part you actually absorb. Carbonyl iron is 100% elemental iron, meaning you absorb all of it. Some of the more common versions, like Ferrous Sulfate, have a much lower percentage of elemental iron. So it's hard to answer your question about the amount you're taking since it depends on if you mean elemental or not. Only 20% of ferrous sulfate is elemental, but 100% of carbonyl is (and there are other versions that have different percentages of elemental iron) - so the required mg is going to depend on which version you're taking.

I'd ask your surgeon or dietitian how much you need.

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

actually, animal products, esp meat, have a lot more Protein than vegetables. Or are you vegan?

65 mg of elemental Iron is about what bypassers are supposed to get - not sure about sleevers. But be aware that different types of Iron contain different amounts of elemental iron. Elemental iron is the part you actually absorb. Carbonyl iron is 100% elemental iron, meaning you absorb all of it. Some of the more common versions, like Ferrous Sulfate, have a much lower percentage of elemental iron. So it's hard to answer your question about the amount you're taking since it depends on if you mean elemental or not. Only 20% of ferrous sulfate is elemental, but 100% of carbonyl is (and there are other versions that have different percentages of elemental iron) - so the required mg is going to depend on which version you're taking.

I'd ask your surgeon or dietitian how much you need.

I know ferrous fumarate has the most elemental iron (33%) but I take ferrous sulfate which is the second highest (20%). I also used to eat a ton of spinach and foods before surgery that were high in iron and so I was never really lacking in the iron department (until I stopped taking iron supplement, then I regret it). Or at least I was JUST inside the acceptable range. Now it seems I barely eat any of the foods that have high iron content (i.e., Beans, potatoes, beef, brown rice, dark green leafy veggies, whole grains, etc). Haven't touched any of it. I also don't really eat red meat. Once in a while ground beef otherwise mostly chicken, fish, shrimp, that sort of stuff.

I also have spoken to the surgeon and dietician before and after surgery and both said to continue to take what I was taking before as suggested by my primary doc. They said he knows best since this is an ongoing issue that he's been treating me for over the years. I also just spoke to them last week when talking about taking a new Multivitamin and they told me NOT to take any extra supplements with it. That what the multivitamin provided was enough.

I mean, I could be worrying for nothing and probably should wait until my next blood test before doing anything new. But I just think I'm starting to feel those side affects that I know all too well...........ear ringing/whooshing, tiredness, headaches, dizzy, etc. Just want to prevent it from getting worse. Thanks for responding.

Edited August 5, 2021 by SummerTimeGirl

[River Moon 52]

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I wanted to ask if you are by any chance taking any Ibuprofen lately? For me, too much Ibuprofen, like Motrin, flares up my tinnitus and causes horrible ringing in my ears. It wasn't until one bad flare up that I finally realized it. Once I stopped the ibuprofen the ringing stopped about a day later. Also, sometimes high blood pressure can cause a roaring sound in the ears. My sister has experienced that before and her doctor told her it was due the bp. I hope you're able to find out what is causing this.

[Arabesque 7,271]

I sometimes experience blocked ears - hearing becomes muffled & ears block like when going up or down a mountain range (used to get when flying) except, yawning, swallowing doesn’t ‘pop’ them. For me it’s from low blood pressure (& a little drop in sugar sometimes for me too) - my Iron levels are good. The low BP will also cause weakness, lethargy, dizziness, narrowing of vision, mental doughinrss, headaches, etc. too. Do you have your BP tested regularly? Low BP plus low iron levels could be making the situation worse or you.

As @catwoman7 said you’ll get more iron from red meat than vegetables. While 100g of fresh spinach will provide about same amount of iron as a 100g of steak, 100g of spinach is a lot of spinach. Personally I was eating vegetables from soft food - carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, … in Soups, stews, omelettes, mince dishes, etc. In solid foods I was eating a small floriet of cauliflower, a couple of green Beans, or some steamed cabbage at dinner. Not much, but a start. I slowly increased the vegetables as I increased the Protein. How much protein do you have to eat each day? My goal was 60g - it took me a while to reach that goal every day but I’d get close.

Hope they can sort this out for you soon @SummerTimeGirl.

52 minutes ago, River Moon said:

… are by any chance taking any Ibuprofen lately?

After weight loss surgery, we can’t take nsaids like ibuprofens. Too strong & harsh on our now small tummies & can lead to inflammation, ulcers, etc. Sleevers may be able to have the odd one after a year or so if your surgeon approves. I’m allowed . For e.g. had 2 in the last 3 months - one after my gall surgery & one for my COVID vaccine headache. Many ibuprofens work by constricting blood vessels but they increase your BP as your heart works harder to get your blood around your body hence hearing the whooshing sound of blood being forced through the constricted blood vessels.

[lizonaplane 1,613]

chicken, turkey, pork, and lamb also are good sources of Iron. It's not just beef. More importantly, it's heme iron, which is absorbed better than non-heme iron, which is what is found in veggies/beans.

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

17 hours ago, River Moon said:

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I wanted to ask if you are by any chance taking any Ibuprofen lately? For me, too much Ibuprofen, like Motrin, flares up my tinnitus and causes horrible ringing in my ears. It wasn't until one bad flare up that I finally realized it. Once I stopped the ibuprofen the ringing stopped about a day later. Also, sometimes high blood pressure can cause a roaring sound in the ears. My sister has experienced that before and her doctor told her it was due the bp. I hope you're able to find out what is causing this.

No. No ibuprofen or anything and I always monitor my BP (as per doc) since my meds have been halved on me so it wasn't that either. Today was the first day since Monday that I woke up without it. I think doubling up on the Iron these past several days have helped.

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

7 hours ago, lizonaplane said:

chicken, turkey, pork, and lamb also are good sources of Iron. It's not just beef. More importantly, it's heme Iron, which is absorbed better than non-heme iron, which is what is found in veggies/beans.

Thanks!

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

16 hours ago, Arabesque said:

I sometimes experience blocked ears - hearing becomes muffled & ears block like when going up or down a mountain range (used to get when flying) except, yawning, swallowing doesn’t ‘pop’ them. For me it’s from low blood pressure (& a little drop in sugar sometimes for me too) - my Iron levels are good. The low BP will also cause weakness, lethargy, dizziness, narrowing of vision, mental doughinrss, headaches, etc. too. Do you have your BP tested regularly? Low BP plus low Iron levels could be making the situation worse or you.

As @catwoman7 said you’ll get more iron from red meat than vegetables. While 100g of fresh spinach will provide about same amount of iron as a 100g of steak, 100g of spinach is a lot of spinach. Personally I was eating vegetables from soft food - carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, … in Soups, stews, omelettes, mince dishes, etc. In solid foods I was eating a small floriet of cauliflower, a couple of green Beans, or some steamed cabbage at dinner. Not much, but a start. I slowly increased the vegetables as I increased the Protein. How much Protein do you have to eat each day? My goal was 60g - it took me a while to reach that goal every day but I’d get close.

Hope they can sort this out for you soon @SummerTimeGirl.

After weight loss surgery, we can’t take nsaids like ibuprofens. Too strong & harsh on our now small tummies & can lead to inflammation, ulcers, etc. Sleevers may be able to have the odd one after a year or so if your surgeon approves. I’m allowed . For e.g. had 2 in the last 3 months - one after my gall surgery & one for my COVID vaccine headache. Many ibuprofens work by constricting blood vessels but they increase your BP as your heart works harder to get your blood around your body hence hearing the whooshing sound of blood being forced through the constricted blood vessels.

My protein goal is 60-70 grams a day. I usually, now that I've made an effort for the past several weeks to pay attention to it, get it just about that much. Some days more. I usually have one egg scrambled in the morning or sometimes as an omelet (with cheese). I could try adding veggies in that was as a start. Thanks!!

[River Moon 52]

11 hours ago, SummerTimeGirl said:

No. No ibuprofen or anything and I always monitor my BP (as per doc) since my meds have been halved on me so it wasn't that either. Today was the first day since Monday that I woke up without it. I think doubling up on the Iron these past several days have helped.

I'm so glad it is getting better for you. Great job with the iron!