A mother from Bath, Somerset, experienced severe fatigue and extreme hair loss, which left her struggling to care for her two young children and strained her marriage. Rose Stokes, age 38, worried that she was not coping well with motherhood as she felt constantly weak and exhausted. Her symptoms were so persistent that she eventually sought help from her doctor.
However, during several visits, she felt her concerns were dismissed as normal issues associated with parenting young children. Doctors repeatedly told her such problems were expected for mothers, which led Rose to doubt herself even more. She began to wonder if she was depressed or simply lazy, and even blamed her own weight gain after childbirth. These feelings affected her self-worth as she struggled daily.
It was only after many appointments and insistence that Rose was finally tested for different health conditions. The results revealed she had an iron deficiency, a common problem affecting many women. Iron helps transport oxygen in the body and supports the immune system. Without enough iron, a person can suffer from anemia. Symptoms of low iron include tiredness, weakness, and, as in Rose’s case, hair loss, as well as forgetfulness and a sore tongue.
Rose hadn’t experienced these problems after her first pregnancy, but noticed symptoms such as dizziness while carrying her second child. After her second child was born in July 2024, her hair fell out in clumps, and she was constantly tired even after sleeping well. She also had difficulty breathing when climbing stairs and found sores on her tongue.
Determined to find answers, Rose pushed for more tests. Eventually, doctors confirmed she had low levels of ferritin, a protein related to iron storage. She began taking iron tablets, but the side effects were difficult to handle, so she switched to iron infusions in hospital. Once treated, her energy returned, her hair stopped falling out as much, and she regained confidence in her role as a mother. Now, Rose encourages other women to trust themselves and seek answers if they feel unwell. She hopes her story can help prevent other mothers from being overlooked or dismissed because of similar symptoms.
