Sarah_H Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Does anyone else have iron deficient anaemia. Do oyu know if its hereditary? I've had my bloods back and my haemoglobin level is a little low but my serum ferretin level is very low anything below 20 is anaemic and I'm at 10. Normal range is up to 150... so thats prett low. But it accounts for most of my symptoms. I'm at the hospital tomorrow and the doctors again on friday but just wondered if anyone knew a bit about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I don't think it is hereditary. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068889/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Reds has a thread in this section as she is badly anaemic. Maybe she would be able to give you some advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazydaisy Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I have this at the moment (my iron count is 10 as well). I have to take 3 iron tablets per day for 3 mths, then I have to have another blood test to see if the iron levels are ok. My symptoms were being vvv tired (in bed at 9 every night), I thought the tirednes was a sympton of the menopause! If you do have to take this much iron constapation may be a side effect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexis Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 I am anaemic after my caesarean. My count was 14 before the C section and is now 9.9! I found iron tablets made me really constipated ( which believe me you don't want after abdominal surgery, ouch!) so on the advice of the midwife I am now taking something called spatone which I got in Boots. It's a liquid that you take once or twice a day. If you are prescribed iron tablets 3 times a day then you can take it 3 times a day too.It literally tastes of rust but you can barely taste it in orange juice. Orange juice ( vitamin C) also helps with iron absorption, drinking too much tea will decrease it. The Spatone does the same job as iron tablets but without nasty side effects! http://www.spatone.com/ http://www.spatone.com/How-does-Spatone-co...lls_faq102.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 (edited) Hello!!! My count was 7 - the shocked face and the comment "that's very low" by the consultant was the first I realised how low it was I'm about 10 now and on prescription iron twice a day. Being short of breath, incredibly tired, 'can't be botheredness', and sores in the corner of my mouth were some of the main symptoms. All improved dramatically after about 2 weeks of taking the iron although I've dropped agin since running out! Tiredness still lingers. My cause was being undiagnosed coeliac (diagnosed via endoscopy although it can be done with a blood test of the enzyme levels) and basically I haven't been absorbing any nutrients for a very long time. That's heridtary to a degree but I think iron deficiency is always a sympton of something else and it'll be the something else that could be heriditary. You do feel better very quickly when the iron levels come up! PS. Ditto to the tea due to the tanine (sp?), which of course was my main drink before and always with meals (hind sight hey) Edited May 22, 2009 by reds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah_H Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I did feel a bit better for two days and then my period started so now I feel wiped out again and am lying on the sofa unable to do anything. I am meant to be riding Newt before going to Ely forthe weekend which has now all been canned! I've reduced my tea intake as it makes my period pain worse. But I am on a Vit C and multi vit supplement, I can't drink alot of orange juice as I have an intolerances to Citric acid. I think there is something else going on thats causing the anemia as well Lindsay, I have had anemia before which I was told was due to poor diet and being vegi but I'm not vegi now and eat alot of green salads/raw vegi's still so it has to be something more than just anemic due to poor diet. Am at the doctors again next week for scan results and more bloods being taken for more tests! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I had an armfull of blood taken yesterday to be tested for anemia, and a throat swob to be tested for glandular fever My Dad was anemic for about 18 months before he died, and MIL has an undiagnosed bleed which causes her anemia - both had to be 'topped up' with blood transfusions. In both of them one of the main symptoms was memory loss/vaugness/confusion. Anemia seems to be a symptom of other things rather than something independant........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Yep have lived vicariously with it for decades as my mother has it, she is also allergic to iron so cannot increase her iron levels the usual way thru tablets or liquids, nor does she store iron & there is only so much you can do dietrywise - when her levels drop she usually has to go as an out patient and have blood transfusions to bring the levels back up, last time I think she said she had 4 pints (tho I could be wrong and it was only 2 ) it makes her feel a little bit bloated/uncomfortable for about a day or so after the transfusions but it restores her energy levels ad general health for several months. The more iron rich food she manages to eat the longer she goes between transfusions but she can't get enough that way to be able to avoid them permenantly. When her iron levels are low she looks ill, pasty faced and drawn, she has very little energy, mouth ulcers, spots, bruises easier, and would recognise the cant be botheredness feeling. It is maneageable once correctly diagnosed and once they sort out the treatment plan, hopefully all you'll need is to go onto iron pills, but if you are like my mum then transfusions will help and are just a bit of a faff now and again. In my mothers case if memory serves it's related to her rhumatoid artritis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufus the wonderdog Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I'm a member of this club too My blood count was low in January and I was on iron tablets for 2 months. I had another blood test and everything was back to normal levels. Then in early April I started to feel very tired again, thought it was just related to my cardiac problem. I was admitted to hospital in late April because of the cardiac stuff and blood tests showed that my levels were low again, lower than before I am back on the iron tablets and am waiting for an endoscopy to check whether I have an ulcer or something else that is bleeding slowly and cuasing this drop in my iron levels. It's the tiredness bit that really gets to me - just feel totally wiped out to all fellow fugee sufferers and hope things get sorted for us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah_H Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Thats very interesting Snow. My family have a history of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis sounds like I may need tobe going for a second opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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