I have anemia, and my experience mirrors that of battersby's mother. (No yellow eye tint, though.) Plus, I would get very light-headed. Diagnosis was confirmed with a blood test that showed an extremely low hemoglobin count which necessitated an immediate transfusion - there was so little oxygen in my blood they feared I would stroke out.
The docs still don't know why I'm anemic - next week I'm being tested for celiac disease, which would explain a lot.
The iron tablets help greatly (I take the "Slow-FE" brand) and, yes, in the beginning they did wreak havoc on my digestion, but (sorry if this is gross) nightly intake of 2 stool softener capsules has cured this unpleasant side effect.
The important thing is to get diagnosed and start taking any appropriate supplements - you should feel worlds better very soon. Good luck!