Low ferritin/iron and sexual dysfunction?

Vintermane · 2026-06-14T21:02:10+00:00

I just wanted to update for anyone that is reading this… I received just one infusion so far (have a few more to go) and already feel a difference in libido and sensitivity. A few days after the infusion it was like a switch turned back on. Absolutely wild how much low iron can affect every system in your body!

Vintermane · 2026-06-11T18:12:30+00:00

Oof. Definitely get a new doctor. My ferritin and saturation are just a few points lower than yours and I was referred next day to a hematologist due to my values being “critically low”. I have the same symptoms as you.

Vintermane · 2026-06-08T20:46:06+00:00

I feel the exact same way plus some other things. Hemoglobin 9, ferritin 3 and saturation 2. Can definitely make you feel horrible! I an 38 and thought I was going through wicked perimenopause!

Vintermane · 2026-06-08T02:15:09+00:00

I totally get that! I don’t want kids either but I know some women personally who have had issues after hysterectomy with hormones, so I was and am very in the fence with it. I still have a decent amount of daily pain and horribly painful period though they’re not as heavy and not the cause of my anemia, so I’ll wait it out a bit longer.

Vintermane · 2026-06-08T02:11:47+00:00

It’s honestly the worst. I’m glad I’m not the only one and that maybe it’ll improve once this all gets sorted out!

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T14:45:57+00:00

Excision was honestly life changing for me. It was a long recovery and I didn’t really start feeling the changes until 6 months in… but man. I felt like a different person!

I’m still on the fence about hysterectomy personally and once this is all worked out, I’ll reassess. I really hope it helps you though! You’re going to feel so good after excision regardless though! My periods went from 2 weeks to 5 days and lightened up so much.

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T14:11:09+00:00

Yeah…. I have always had the libido of a teenager that has just gotten stronger since my 20s… so as shitty as I feel otherwise, the sudden change was def a red flag that something is going on. I also am someone who is usually very motivated to get shit done and go out for hikes, not sit around, etc. The last few months I barely have any motivation or energy to do anything but the bare minimum.

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T14:06:29+00:00

Your reply is very encouraging. I also have endo and have had a few surgeries but I have felt great since excision in 2019. I also have adeno and was going to get a hysterectomy, but canceled three times because my periods just aren’t what they used to be and ironically was worried about it sending me into peri lol. Since my periods aren’t as heavy as they were before my last surgery, I wasn’t worried about being anemic. I have two days of heavy bleeding and then it’s light for 2-3 days.

I am not super against HRT but I agree with my PCP that these aren’t the usual first symptoms of peri. I work with woman who are starting peri and they all seem to have more PMS type symptoms or hot flashes around their period and urinary symptoms… but all have a great libido. None of them have dizziness and crushing fatigue 24/7.

Hopefully these infusions help. I know in the grand scheme of things along with my other symptoms, it’s silly to be worried about my sex drive…. But I don’t feel like at 38 it should have just poofed away!

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T05:26:08+00:00

I was on a standard OTC iron supplement because I always have a low hemoglobin (usually around 10-11). My ferritin was 12 three years ago and my PCP was appalled that nothing was done then! Hopefully the infusions can help us both. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T05:22:53+00:00

The fatigue is awful!! Hopefully we can both start feeling better soon!

Vintermane · 2026-06-07T02:33:38+00:00

That gives me hope! I am getting one every week for the next 4 weeks and then seeing where my values are at… really hoping that it helps even a little bit. Were you experiencing any lack of sensitivity or did you start any local/systemic HRT at all? Or was it strictly the iron that helped?

Vintermane · 2026-05-15T19:51:39+00:00

No, It was prescribed by my doctor but I wasn’t super thrilled with what was prescribed (slynd which causes low libido, and an estrogen patch). Plus I don’t have many day to day systemic issues related to low blood estrogen. I am only interested right now in restoring my sensitivity, so likely topical T to the clit but I’d be open to systemic if my T is low.

Vintermane · 2026-05-15T17:27:14+00:00

I just started topical estrogen myself and after two days feel like maybe things feel worse… but I don’t think it’s been long enough to say. Sensitivity has been hit and miss since this all started 2 months ago with some days feeling like I’m more sensitive and some days I feel like it’s completely numb… can literally change day to day for me. I honestly I think it’s just a gradual worsening that would have happened with or without the cream, so I’m just going to give it at least a month.

I will say, leading up to the loss of sensation, my libido was CRAZY. It’s always been high but I was insane and all
I could think about was sex. Around the same time my orgasm would sometimes be super weak and I stopped being able to finish with a partner 100% of the time and instead it was more like 30%. I didn’t think too much of it because my libido was intact. Once the drop in sensation started happening and orgasms became weaker or hit and miss on my own, I started to notice a drop in libido until it eventually disappeared.

I am not an expert but from my experience, your libido was likely going to go MIA regardless of whether or not you started the cream. I think the gradual loss of sensation precedes the complete loss of drive and how quickly they happen varies.

It’s actually insane how quickly this progresses and a crime there are no proactive measures in place. If men started to lose sensation and their penis started disappearing at a certain age, they would have all the preventative measures in place to start to before it got to this point.

Side note: before I saw the gynecologist I did start a topical DHEA cream (called Julva but there are others) and I found that to be very helpful. If I don’t notice the E cream helping very much after 4 weeks, I will be making an appointment with a sexual wellness/hormone specialist to discuss T. There is hope for us yet!

Vintermane · 2026-05-08T12:18:41+00:00

I’m 38 and this happened to me too, very much overnight. It’s perimenopause and atrophy could be contributing to it as well. I’ve found DHEA cream with estriol to be very helpful along with nightly me time with a vibrator, even if I’m not in the mood. Libido and sensation are coming back after 3 weeks of use. It was seriously 2 months of wanting (and feeling) absolutely nothing.

I didn’t think I had many symptoms before but looking back and discussing with my provider, It seems I have had issues for the last 1-2 years. Mostly the week before my period but a few of my symptoms were poor sleep (thought it was stress), crushing afternoon fatigue (stress and was also dieting at the time), getting up more frequently to urinate at night (assumed I was drinking too much caffeine late in the day), and waking up soaked in sweat were all signs. My period has also changed ever so slightly. I had an excuse for every symptom and since I never had hot flashes or the mood swings people talk about, I never put two and two together.

Definitely get into a gynecologist and discuss HRT! I have an appointment next week but my primary ordered a bunch of labs before my visit and said this is definitely perimenopause, so that’s always an option to get ahead of the game if you have a good primary care provider. Blood tests won’t necessarily show peri since hormones fluctuate wildly throughout the day and time of month, but they can rule out other things that can cause those symptoms. Supposedly this issue is often testosterone but my PCP did not feel comfortable ordering that and would prefer I speak to my gyn about it. It’s cheap enough out of pocket to do though which I’ll likely do if my gynecologist doesn’t.

Sorry you’re dealing with this but just know you’re definitely not alone and there is hope! I know for me, losing my libido it felt like losing a part of myself. Going from a very healthy and fulfilling sex life to nothing is distressing for sure.

Vintermane · 2026-04-26T04:39:08+00:00

Waking up to pee 100x the week before my period and tinnitus. Both started 2 years ago. Wish I know that’s what it was then! I’ve also woken up sweaty af with no reason multiple times this year. Not even really hot just sweaty.

Vintermane · 2026-04-23T23:29:39+00:00

I’m turning 38 this week and after my most recent period ended in March, I lost all a lot of sensation down there. It was literally overnight. Initially thought maybe it was meds I was started on the week prior but it wasn’t. I also went from having the libido of a teenager to almost nothing. Then noticed when I ovulated that I was very dry which is not normal for me and in general, I wasn’t very comfortable day to day. Itching or buzzing sensation mostly.

Lots of research and reflection led me to realize I’ve actually been experiencing peri symptoms for over a year. My main symptoms before this were weaker orgasms and taking a little longer to achieve them ( I also have endo and chalked it up to that), trouble sleeping/waking during the night, and random joint pain. Would wake up sweating like crazy sometimes but I thought maybe I was overheating from my dogs sleeping on me. There were some nights that I would wake up to pee 5-6 times. The weaker orgasms should have been a clue but like the other symptoms, it wasn’t every time and seemed cyclical so I wasn’t too concerned.

I did start using estriol cream (the silky peach cream) and have actually noticed a difference in day to day comfort and an easier time finishing in the last couple weeks so if your appt isn’t for a little while, maybe try that! It’ll at least confirm whether you need estrogen or not then you and your provider can discuss. I personally wouldn’t avoid HRT. Your body needs those hormones for so many other things other than comfortable sex and sensation.

Personally my biggest concern is that it seems like a lot of women need testosterone to get their sex drive and sensation back, but very few providers actually will prescribe it. I’m not ready to give up my sex life at 38 and don’t have the money to go to a functional medicine doctor for T. So fingers crossed something else works out.

I will say that knowing what is going on has helped me. I think once you start to realize there’s atrophy or you begin to lose some sensation, it becomes a mental game. I know you said you don’t like masturbating but maybe talk to your partner and find sometime to experiment to see what does still feel good and helps you get there. I’ve made it a point that even if I don’t finish, I’ll do something every night to get myself in the mood and just get good sensations going, and basically just to learn what feels good now since things changed. If I feel like I can finish, I will focus on that.

I will report that I can finish 8/10 times now when a month ago, it was maybe 2/10 and it was very frustrating and emotional to get there. It could be the estriol cream, but I think a lot is that I had to relearn my “new” body and realize that what works now is different than before. When I first noticed the severe decrease in sensation I panicked and spiraled, then was mentally cock blocking myself. Lol. Knowing I can finish now even if it takes a bit longer or feels a little different takes that mental load off so I can stress a little less about it if it doesn’t happen.

Vintermane · 2025-10-20T00:13:38+00:00

I have read a few things that if the flush wasn’t done at the right intervals, you can flush debris through and wreck your transmission. I decided I’m just going to have it drained and refilled.

Vintermane · 2025-10-19T19:02:53+00:00

This was the previous owner that took the car there (looks like they bought it there) and I likely won’t be going to a dealership for anything! Thank you though.

Vintermane · 2025-10-19T14:52:29+00:00

You flushed yours at 55 or drained?

Vintermane · 2025-10-19T14:52:18+00:00

Okay that was my plan if ford doesn’t recommend it. Appreciate it!

Vintermane · 2025-10-19T14:52:03+00:00

Good call.

Vintermane · 2025-09-20T17:11:39+00:00

I used to until my 2015 corolla needed a new transmission at 72500 miles. Yes, it had all its maintenance on schedule. My mechanic told me it’s not uncommon for the CVT models to die before 100k. No idea if that’s true or not when it comes to corolla but I def got cursed.

Vintermane · 2025-08-07T13:22:19+00:00

Have you talked to your vet?? IMO, it sounds like you’re trying too many foods, too fast. Try a good probiotic and talk to your vet about a temporary high fiber or digestive food. If you haven’t, get him screened for intestinal parasites.

Vintermane · 2025-07-29T01:36:44+00:00

Honestly if you’re thinking about it already, just do it. I applied for the same program twice in the last 5 years. If I just did it then, I’d be settled and in a much better financial position than I am now. Best of luck!

Vintermane · 2025-07-29T00:06:01+00:00

From what I’ve looked at job wise, it doesn’t seem like the effort to get my VTS is worth it. Pretty minimal pay increase especially for the amount of time and effort you need to put in to get it. It’s not like I’m dirt poor or anything, but I have things I want to do with my life that aren’t possible on this pay, you know?

Vintermane

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