I was vegetarian when I was pregnant and my doctor did have me take iron.

The thing is, I'm already taking iron daily, and my iron is still ridiculously low. The iron in red meat is still more bio-available than the supplement, so I really do need to get a hamburger or a steak every week or so. I'm going to see the hematologist next week, and he may decide to put me on some iron infusions just to get me back to maintenance levels.

The iron in red meat is still more bio-available than the supplement, so I really do need to get a hamburger or a steak every week or so.

I take a natural supplement with a high bio-availability that helps (I'm on a semi-veggie diet and have long-term problems with anaemia) - this is the US version of it.

Hi Seska! Good to see your pixels.

So it's 11:30 and I'm not at work. I'm falling down a shame and self-loathing spiral. I don't know how to reconcile "3.5 hrs late to work" with "not a bad person." I've struggled all my life to get out of bed in the morning, and it's getting worse instead of better. I didn't get drunk yesterday, took a 2 hr nap, and was in bed by 10 pm, so it's not like I partied too hard on Mardi Gras

I don't know how to fix this. I feel too ashamed to go to work now. I know I am screwing over my boss, my coworker, our clients, and myself (esp. vis a vis my paycheck). I'm trying to have compassion for myself, I've listened to a Tara Brach dharma talk on compassion (which usually helps), and nothing is helping.

Mostly I'm posting this to feel less alone, and hope that it will kickstart me into at least putting clothes on.

Mostly I'm posting this to feel less alone, and hope that it will kickstart me into at least putting clothes on.

Awww, not alone. But do get showered and dressed. And call your boss.

Hugs to you, smonster. I find getting dressed helps me to feel better, so I fully endorse putting on clothes.

I need to scrounge up some motivation to grade. 2nd cup of coffee isn't quite doing it.

smonster, you are not alone! Call your boss and tell him the truth or a plausible lie, whatever you need. I've had that convo with my boss, it's not comfortable. People who can get up early even though they hate to seem to have trouble understanding people who will just sleep through alarms (like me).

Can't call boss, phone is dead. Left my charger with D, which is the other reason I need to put on clothes - so I can go pick it up from him. So I guess I'll email my boss. He's pretty understanding, I'd just feel better if I hadn't had to do this just a week or so ago.

I turned on the heat and I've put on socks and my work clothes are sitting right here next to me on the bed. And I'm listening to a dharma talk on fear.

I really wonder how much my chronic pain plays into my anxiety and my difficulty in getting up (because I toss and turn and don't sleep very well).

Steph, I am just so happy and excited for you and Tim. Congratulations a million times over!

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{{{smonster}}} I'm sorry things are so hard.

{{{{{smonster}}}}} You are not alone.

I really wonder how much my chronic pain plays into my anxiety and my difficulty in getting up (because I toss and turn and don't sleep very well).

If you're anything like me, a lot.

Seska, thanks. I'll ask my doctor if that supplement may work better for me when I see him next week. I'm taking Slow-Fe at the moment because iron supplements upset my stomach. Even the slow-fe doesn't really play well with my stomach, but it is better than the others I've tried.

Right now I'm actually feeling very happy that my iron levels are so low because it's making me feel less awful about how sloth like I've been lately. Even if it means I need to get a few iron infusions, at least it's a reason.

Dressed and going to get my charger. Of course, now it's raining, so I may get the day off anyway.