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Hi, Folks. Anyone here with Anemia?

Misfit Toy

Senior Member
Messages
4,178
Location
USA
I just found out yesterday that my iron is extremely low along with Ferritin. I am not surprised by this. I had surgery, and prior to that I had my menstruation for 25 days...which was crazy.

Normal range at Quest for iron is 40-190. I am at 25. I am dizzy and taking naps regularly now.

The problem is, when you don't have a thyroid, which I now don't have, iron is really important. You need a few things to feel better on thyroid meds; iron, adrenals to be working and calcium. I am striking out in two of those things.

I am taking an iron supplement as of last night, but was wondering if anyone had some thoughts. I crave beef, always have but it's not changing my iron status.

Thanks so much.
 

Misfit Toy

Senior Member
Messages
4,178
Location
USA
No wonder you're feeling so awful.
Do you drink lots of tea? I know the tannin can stop you from absorbing iron....


Hey Daisy, I'm not much of a tea drinker so that's not it. Drink water mostly. Don't know what happened.

I got an appt with an ENT reg my voice for beginning of April....
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Yes! I dip in and out of anemia for the past 20 years or so...also chronically low Ferittin despite supplementation. My Doctors didn't bother to tell em that my ferititn was only at 5 for at least 6 years!

I have been supplementing with various iron tablets over the years - never been investigated for why this is happening to me. Most tablets I cant tolerate, but KDM finally found me one which works and that I can tolerate!! Ferricure.
 
Messages
15,786
I am taking an iron supplement as of last night, but was wondering if anyone had some thoughts. I crave beef, always have but it's not changing my iron status.
Is the supplement a form of iron which is easily absorbed? Apparently the cheaper versions might not be.

Have you tried liver or oysters? They're supposed to be excellent dietary sources, though highly subject to personal taste :p
 

Helen

Senior Member
Messages
2,243
Make sure, as far as it is possible, that you don´t have a vitamin B12 deficiency too. It would make it hard to get a normal level of iron.
 

Amaya2014

Senior Member
Messages
215
Location
Columbus, GA
A bit of a discussion of that here: Transient Bleeding Issues.

A one line summary: anemia in this illness might increase as pathogenic load increases. Sequestering iron is an infection-fighting strategy.

-J
@JaimeS are you saying anemia is a way for body to protect itself?
My hemoglobin was 8 when I first got ill. Anemia was thought to be the reason for my symptoms. After IV iron my hemoglobin was about 11 or 12 but my symptoms were still there.
I've since learned in another thread that having G6PD may be working against my ability to absorb iron.
Anyways, I'm currently back at an 8hemoglobin. The NP has recommended liquid iron (Geritol?). Feel free to chime in if anyone has tried this
Also, I have heavy cycles that have gotten even worse and feel like I'm experiencing death (can't explain it any better...it's horrible and further destroys my life for about two weeks every month). I'm considering birth control but no idea where to start.

I'm open to any recommendations, thoughts...
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
@Amaya2014 --

Since many bacteria flourish in the presence of iron, yes -- I mean anemia is a protective measure when the body experiences a particularly heavy infective load, bacterially. The body is attempting to keep the iron away from the bacteria. It's a 'drastic measure' but I'll bet it goes on to some degree in any bacterial, infectious state.

If you read through the thread I linked, you'll see my reasoning and you'll see a review article discussing anemia; it lists iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, and -- as its own category -- infectious anemia. The thread I linked to is only two pages long, so it's a quick read through.

-J
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
Also, I have heavy cycles that have gotten even worse and feel like I'm experiencing death (can't explain it any better...it's horrible and further destroys my life for about two weeks every month).

Ditto... but only sometimes. Eventually, I figured out that this related to going off abx. If I had a period directly afterwards, I would bleed forever always. I was experiencing a 're-bloom' of bacteria in the absence of the abx, and my body was responding by hoarding iron. Or, I presume this is the case! Read for yourself to find out.

There are some herbs that can stop that kind of bleeding. PM me for more details. :)

-J
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,335
Location
Southern California
@Misfit Toy - years ago I had an extremely heavy period, it was more like hemorrhaging, looking back. In about 3 or 4 days I lost half my blood, literally. We got it stopped but I was white as a ghost, extremely weak, and started taking Kal brand iron. I had to take a pretty large dose, but it worked and I tolerated it well. Looking on-line it's hard to find Kal iron, but you might give it a try. No surprise you're so anemic and weak after 25 days of bleeding - Your doctor should have checked for anemia sooner, after bleeding for so long!

I later learned that hypothyroidism is associated with heavy menstrual bleeding, but I believe you were hyperthyroid? But maybe your thyroid was a factor in your extremely long period.

I did recover relatively quickly so I think if you find a good iron supplement and take enough, you should start feeling better before too long --

@JaimeS is right about herbs that can stop excess bleeding. My doctor wanted to give me a handful of birth control pills or estrogen or something, a very high dose. (this all happened starting on Friday through the week-end before I could see my doctor on Monday) I was afraid to take all those pills and went to see an Oriental medicine doctor instead, who gave me one pill - I have no idea what it was - but the bleeding stopped by the next morning. It had been going on for 4 days by then.
 
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Misfit Toy

Senior Member
Messages
4,178
Location
USA
Yes, when I was in the hospital I bled so much, the nurses couldn't keep up.

I'm on an iron supplement now. I've read iron is not good for pathogens but I'm in a bind because in order for new thyroid meds to work, I need iron. Double edge sword.
 

Avena

Senior Member
Messages
138
I have been supplementing with various iron tablets over the years - never been investigated for why this is happening to me. Most tablets I cant tolerate, but KDM finally found me one which works and that I can tolerate!! Ferricure.
Do you use the tablets or liquid Ferricure? How was your reaction to previous tried supplements? I have been trying everything I have come across for years, the only one I am able to somewhat tolerate is Floravital from Floradix. But even that one is not tolerated daily, often not even weekly.
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
@Avena , I definitely don't take Floridix every day. I keep some in the fridge and take some on days when my dietary iron has been especially low (I use caloriecount, which tells me.)

-J
 

PennyIA

Senior Member
Messages
728
Location
Iowa
I struggled with anemia off and on over the last 20-30 years (before CFS) and probably had b12 deficiency for most of that time as well - both of which can be difficult to manage.

I, too, took iron but sometimes it wasn't enough. Learning about MTHFR helped me the most with b12 even though taking cyanocobalimin raised my b12 levels, it didn't restore energy the way methylcobalamin and methylfolate did. Now, my iron levels seem fairly stable now that I'm treating that appropriately, however, when I start craving raisins (for some reason that seems to be my body's tell) - I try to increase naturally through diet. That worked fine until I developed gout a few years ago. Now, I have to limit my proteins that contain purines which seems to be the same meats that are high in iron (and that I'm willing to eat).

I have been hanging onto a link for the broth that is recommended for low iron for my next 'need' - but apparently all the meats that I can't bring myself to eat (liver, etc) that are ultra-high in iron and bones can be cooked up as a broth and might be able to supply some of the other nutrients that I need while I'm trying to boost iron.
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Do you use the tablets or liquid Ferricure? How was your reaction to previous tried supplements? I have been trying everything I have come across for years, the only one I am able to somewhat tolerate is Floravital from Floradix. But even that one is not tolerated daily, often not even weekly.
I use tablets 1 a day. Previous issues with iron tablets have been mainly gastrointestinal - constipation, diarrhoea, stomach pain that worsens the longer I take the iron for. I have none of these effects with the ferricure.
 
Messages
1,082
Location
UK
Ever since i had sepsis a few months ago, i've been low on Folic Acid which i'm supplementing. My doc has been taking bi-monthly blood samples from me ever since.

I've no idea if the bloods are because of the sepsis or the folate deficiency. I've never had regular bloods taken for anaemia in the past :thumbdown:

Keep meaning to book a phone appointment to find out whats going on but phone calls are my biggest energy drain so i'm just letting them get on with it for now lol. The nurse comes to my house so its no effort on my part; apart from when i get the occassional one with ME related foot in mouth syndrome... And apart from when my body is playing 'hide the vein' :cautious:
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
This week I started on iron because I asked my dr for it. Feeling great! :balloons:
Why didn't I think of it before? I was waiting for my dr to prescribe it but it wouldn't have occurred to her :bang-head:
Last year after severe bleeding she prescribed me Zinc instead - and even worse, without Copper - which worsened the anemia... I had an awful 2015 :thumbdown: