Uterine Fibroid Embolization - Iron Deficiency / Anemia With Heavy Bleeding
I am now 12 weeks post op. I am due my period on Friday but I started with light bleeding yesterday and today I am waiting to see if the bleeding gets heavier. At least it's nearly 4 weeks since the last period. I got some Mefenamic Acid to take if I get pain which I have done since the op on both sides of my bikini line when I have period . Pre op I used get bad pain in my stomach. My tummy was shrinking but now I'm at period it's blown up again. Doctor won't give me iron tablets now cos my blood test states that I don't need them. I don't understand this cos I was falling asleep in the afternoon without them so can't be bothered arguing with them so just buy them myself now ( I have been taking over the counter ones since I was refused them last week on prescription. How can my iron level be normal when I still have the heavy bleeding that causes the Anemia?
View 1 RepliesIron Deficiency Anaemia - Symptoms / Causes Of Anaemia
I have recently been diagnosed with fairly mild iron deficiency anaemia, which was picked up incidentally prior to an unrelated issue, and I was told it is a type that usually stems from bleeding. I was advised to speak to my GP about treating this, and on doing so he first asked me if I'd had any worrying symptoms, well I haven't noticed any obvious blood spurting from anywhere, or any blood in my bowel movements/vomit, so I said no. He then seemed to put it down to periods. I don't really have periods, and when I do they are pathetically light, so I don't think its that, but he didn't seem concerned. I am now on a 1 month course of ferrous sulphate and need to have more bloods after that to see if it's sorted it, but I am just worried about what caused it in the first place. I don't think my diet is particularly bad, so where on earth am I bleeding from!! My GP doesn't seem concerned, so I'm guessing I shouldn't be either, but just wondering what other people's experiences are of the causes of their anaemia?
Iron Deficiency Anaemia - Hb 3.7
Hb 3.7 iron deficiency anaemia
View 1 RepliesIron Deficiency Anaemia - How To Take Pills?
I have been low iron since i was born. Only recently has my doctor been checking my levels and trying to raise my iron from anaemia. My doctor says that i should be getting between 800 - 1000 mg of iron a day. That means i have to take an iron pill four times a day. So when should i take the pills? Do i take them right after or before meals? I will go back in two months and they will draw blood to see if my iron has improved. I am just wondering what to do in the meantime to improve my iron results?
View 3 RepliesIron Deficiency Anaemia And Its Relation To B12
I've been on ferrous fumarate for 3 months and doctor says my results are improving (hemoglobin has reached normal and ferritin has went from 1 to 12)
My symptoms were continuing so I was tested for B12 deficiency and got result today. B12 came back as 276. The doctor left a message to say continue with iron for 3 months and that was it! I am really down as I don't know whether the iron will up my B12 or not? I don't know if this means my B12 is on the up or if the iron tablet has nothing to do with it?
Iron Deficiency Anaemia After Angina And Stent
66 year old husband who has always been fit and healthy developed unstable angina and within three days was fitted with a stent. This was at the end of January. Not been feeling too great since a few days after and now the doc has said he is suffering from anaemia and will have to go for a colonoscopy.
hubby cant understand this as he was never anaemic before.
Uterine Fibroids :: How Long This Tiredness Lasts - Iron Deficiency?
Just wondered how long this tiredness lasts. Feel tired all of the time. Don't know whether to increase the iron tablets.
View 9 RepliesUterine Fibroid Embolization - Heavy Bleeding 15 Days Post Op
I'm 15 days post op. I had heavy bleeding when I left hospital which lasted a few days then stopped. Then yesterday I started bleeding again it's not as heavy as pre op but heavy enough. I wondered if anyone experienced this post op
View 1 RepliesUterine Fibroids :: Heavy Bleeding Week 5 Of ESMYA. Is This Normal?
I've bled more or less continuously since starting ESMYA although admittedly it was heavier the first 2 weeks. However, following last Friday night when I couldn't sleep because of abdominal pain I started bleeding heavily again on the Saturday. Thing is, it's not constant. I seem to have these totally unpredictable random episodes of bad flooding immediately followed by a rush of loads of large clots. It's totally debilitating, not to mention the mess and I have no confidence to leave the house. Has anyone else experienced this? I wonder if it's another period as the timing would be right?
View 16 RepliesUterine Fibroids :: Clots With Heavy Bleeding, Smell, Tired, In Pain Stomach An Back
I was hoping someone could help, every month I take my period I have massive blood clots some the size of a small orange, some months it knocks me right of my feet were the pain is that intense I can't walk with pain in my stomach and back..I have an awful smell, headache and feel very emotional, I have had children but this has only started from December..it's terrible I can literally do nothing for 2 weeks then only getting over it when it starts again, some months r worse than other does anyone experience this? If so what is it? My doctor puts it down to heavy periods.
View 14 RepliesOvary, Uterine / Cervical Polyps Removal - My Experience
Just got home a little while ago after a 10-hour day at the hospital. For anyone new to my situation, I was supposed to have an ovary removed that appeared to contain some type of mass, in addition to having a couple of small uterine polyps removed. My doctor ordered lab work on hormone levels and cancer markers that was all normal. She said that the mass was contained within the ovary and appeared to be solid. So this is everything we knew going into surgery.
Well, I had the surgery today, and guess what... there was nothing in the ovary! I was awake in the recovery room, and extremely dizzy, when my doctor came in with a big smile to tell me. She explained that I have a benign "floating" fibroid outside of my uterus that has been positioned in such a way that it has been pressing on the ovary. The ovary itself was a yellowish color, not the whitish color that it should be, but she said it was not the color that it would be if cancer was present. However, to be sure, she removed it and a frozen section was done on it that confirmed no cancer.
She also removed the two uterine polyps, in addition to a cervical polyp that also turned up, and these are all expected to be benign. The other ovary has a functional cyst present that she said will be gone in a few weeks. She also did a D&C as expected. The pathology results will be back on Monday or Tuesday.
I am still in total shock about the ovary. Since I was so dizzy when she told me, I couldn't process what the doctor told me at all. After they put me back in my day surgery room with my mom (I was allowed one person with me there), she explained it all to me. They gave me a pain pill and I slept for about 2 hours and then a nurse with really cold hands came in to wake me up. I had some juice and crackers, and a couple of cups of water, and after a while they made sure that I could urinate and sent me home. I'm staying with my family while I recover and they are a huge help.
So that is everything for now! I learned a lot today. It has been crazy and the outpatient day surgery unit was very noisy, so I am grateful to be home. I will have a follow-up appointment with the doctor on May 4, assuming that no emergencies or complications arise.
Pernicious Anaemia :: Copper Deficiency - Outstanding Neurological Symptoms
I was diagnosed with copper deficiency a few months ago and sent for further investigations prior to treatment. As all scans, eye tests and liver functions were fine and no signs of copper storage or damage anywhere else as might explain the deficiency in my blood, so they have now decided that I am not deficient after all and I have not been treated.
These were my results which are all pretty low within the normal ranges (in brackets):
Copper 9.3 umol/L (normal is 12.0 - 20.0)
Free Copper <1% (<25%)
Ceruloplasmin 0.20 g/L (0.20 - 0.40)
I also have Pernicious Anaemia (B12 deficiency) and the two conditions often appear together and have similar symptoms. I have very regular B12 injections so I am happy that is under control but as there are still outstanding neurological symptoms, I am wondering if this is due to the low copper levels?
Has anybody else had similar results, please?
Supplements And Iron Deficiency?
Since my symptoms started over two years ago (I was 22), I have lost 70% of my hair. My iron status at the onset of symptoms:
Hemoglobin 13.5 (11.7-15.5)
Hematocrit 39.3% (25-40)
Iron, total 160 (4-175)
Ferritin 18 (10-154)
After supplementing with 150mg of elemental iron for 6 months (per a dermatologist that diagnosed me with telogen effluvium and advised that I increase my ferritin to 70-80 to stop hair loss):
Hemoglobin 13.1 (11.1-15.9)
Hematocrit 39.6 (34-46.6)
Iron, total 103 (35-155)
Ferritin 62 (13-150)
Reticulocyte count 0.6 (06-2.5)
After supplementing with 100mg of elemental iron for about a year after that:
Hemoglobin 13.9 (11.1-15.9)
Hematocrit 42.0 (34.0-46.6)
Iron, total 82 (35-155)
Ferritin 59 (15-150)
Iron saturation 28% (15-55)
TIBC 291 (250-450)
Reticulocyte count 0.4 (0.6-2.6)
I stopped taking iron supplements because I was not getting better, and because I had a few doctors tell me that I should not be on iron supplements because my hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, and RBCs were in the normal range. So I stopped for 3 weeks. Yesterday, I had a ferritin test done with a result of 87. This makes absolutely no sense considering I have not taken an iron supplement.
A physician I saw theorized that I could possibly have anemia of chronic disease, due to a low reticulocyte count, low TIBC and normal MCV. But that doesn't make sense to me either because although my ferritin did increase for some strange reason, it was on the low side before I started supplementing. And, my RBC, hemoglobin, and hematocrit have always been in range, and do not vary much despite supplementation.
I'm nervous that I shouldn't be supplementing with iron. In addition, my TSH (3.3), and midrange FT3 and FT4 have not changed despite supplementation--one physician theorized that maybe if I increase my ferritin levels, my thyroid levels will get better and I will stop losing my hair. Also, when I went on Naturethroid (went up to 2 grains over 6 months), my TSH decreased, but my FT3 and FT4 did as well--I felt awful.
What's The Cause Of My Iron Deficiency Anemia?
After noticing a recent decrease in my athletic performance, I sent a message to my doctor early last week. My primary care physician ordered blood work and sent me to a hematologist in oncology. The hematologist said it was "very unlikely" cancer and ordered more blood work. Further blood work confirmed I have iron deficiency anemia.
All my blood work was normal apart from the indices related to iron deficiency. Ferritin was low, indicating iron deficiency and not anemia of chronic disease. Bone marrow is producing a normal amount of red blood cells. I have not recently donated or lost substantial quantities of blood. I have not had any tarry stools or seen blood in my stool. A rectal exam was negative for the presence of blood. (This test involved a doctor inserting a gloved finger into my rectum and then testing the glove for blood.) I have no bruising and my blood clots normally. I have not seen any blood in my urine. I have no other ongoing health conditions.
For the last 5 years, I have run 52 miles a week. I eat very little red meat, no more than a few times a year. I do regularly eat poultry, fish, and eggs. I have had semi-frequent nose bleeds, averaging one a month, since childhood.
The hematologist put me on a high potency iron supplement -- 130mg of iron and 250mg of vitamin c per day.
All my doctors have discounted the possibility the anemia could have been caused by my running, despite there being ample evidence in medical journals that excessive exercise can lead to iron deficiency.
If it's not cancer and i'm not losing blood through my gastrointestinal tract, what is causing it? I do feel improved since starting the iron supplement on Monday, but my athletic performance is not where I'd like it to be. I don't have any further doctor visits scheduled at this time. I am to have blood work in 1-2 months to test my iron levels again.
My blood work is below:
IRON 24
TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 380
IRON/TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 6%
FERRITIN 5.6
VIT B12 549
FOLATE 17.62
RETICULOCYTE COUNT, ABSOLUTE 2.5
WBC'S AUTO3.4
RBC, AUTO4.52
HGB 10.6
HEMATOCRIT34.2
MCV 75.6
MCH 23.5
MCHC 31.0
RDW, BLOOD18.0
PLATELETS, AUTOMATED COUNT 206
MPV 8.7
CHOLESTEROL 127
HDL 43
CHOLESTEROL, NON-HDL 84
TRIGLYCERIDE 48
LDL 74
HGBA1C 5.4
GLUCOSE POST FAST 87
BUN 21
CREATININE1.2
TOTAL PROTEIN6.6
ALBUMIN 4.8
GLOBULIN1.8
ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO, SERUM/PLASMA 2.7
CALCIUM 9.4
AST 21
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 51
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.8
LDH 157
PHOSPHATE, BLD, QN 4.2
URIC ACID5.3
TSH,BLD,QN1.680
Anemia :: Heavy Periods And On Iron Supplements
Okay, so I was diagnosed with anemia about 2 years ago. I'm pretty sure that I've had this since I started high school, which was almost 8 years ago. 2 years ago my doc said my hemoglobin was 10.1 and told me to take iron supplements to improve it. I had to stop due to the side effects, but I recently started taking liquid iron supps. My anemia is more than likely caused by my periods, which have been extremely heavy for years, and I have to schedule an appt with the OBGYN soon. Lately, I've noticed that my periods have been getting heavier and shorter. Also, the month or 2 I've been feeling like my symptoms are getting worse. I have SOB, and I feel like I can't breathe in enough air(feels like a pressure in my chest). I also have had lightheadedness, weakness, extreme exhaustion (to the point where I sometimes have to miss school because I am too tired to get out of bed), PICA, trouble focusing, and I have been extremely pale for a few years. I thought I was just being stupid so I tried to get through this on my own for a while, but now my SOB and chest pressure won't go away and I am so exhausted that I don't know how much longer I can do this. I have a really busy schedule but I feel like my body is going to give out if I keep going on like this. I don't know what to do anymore. I didn't go back to the doc for so long because I figured my iron is probably not even going to be really low and I'm one of those people that doesn't like to go to the er unless I'm dying or in severe pain. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to improve my sx? I'm definitely going to try to go see the doc about this. It's frustrating because I feel like no one understands what I'm going through, but it seems like people on here know a lot about anemia so I thought I'd come here to ask for help.
View 1 RepliesIron Deficiency With Several Autoimmune Disorders?
I've just heard from my GPS surgery that my most recent blood test shows I have virtually no iron! As I have several autoimmune diseases including autoimmune hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE (lupus), Raynauds, Sjogrens, acquired autoimmune hypothyroidism) , I'm rather afraid that this could be pernicious anaemia or hemolytic anaemia, as I've never had a low iron level until now. I was taken off methotrexate due to respiratory problems (side effect) and am on prednisone 25mg/day. Does anyone have any experience of sudden iron deficiency please?
View 4 RepliesIron Deficiency But Hemoglobin And Hematocrit Are Normal?
I had a baby back in April 2014 at which time my other labs were within normal limits except for my Hgb and Hct (7 and 24 I believe). I recently followed up with my primary care doctor for symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath (especially with exertion), and the biggest symptom- extreme fatigue. When I get up in the morning I feel like I've never slept, and by the afternoon I feel like I need to go back to bed for the rest of the day. I realize I have a 3, almost 4 month old baby, but she sleeps through the night for the most part, so it's not like I'm not sleeping at all through the night. I had labs drawn last week and the main results were as follows:
Ferritin, Serum- 7 (15-150)
TIBC- 415 (250-450)
UIBC- 368 (150-375)
iron saturation- 11 (15-55 %)
iron, serum- 47 (35-155)
rbc- 4.93 (3.77-5.28)
hemoglobin- 11.5 (11.1-15.9)
hematocrit- 37.5 (34.0-46.6)
mcv- 76 (79-97)
mch- 23.3 (26.6-33.0)
mchc- 30.7 (31.5-35.7)
rdw- 17.1 (12.3-15.4)
platelets- 317
WBCs, Thyroid, B12, and HgA1C all looked good. From what I've read, it seems that I may have iron deficiency, but because the hemoglobin and hematocrit are within normal limits it is not classified as anemia. What I don't understand is I just spoke with my Dr. office, and the nurse said the doctor checked off my lab results and didn't put a note in that she needed to see me for a follow-up. The nurse asked me if I had any concerns about my lab results. I guess I'm just not sure if my lab results are "off" enough to be causing my symptoms, or if something else is going on. Should I be started on iron supplements? I'm just not sure where to go from here.
Anemia - Blood Work :: How Bad Is My Iron Deficiency?
I initially found out I had mild iron deficiency about 6 months ago and the GP didn't tell me to take anything. I've been taking floradix on/off (finished a bottle) and redid my blood work with a new GP. The results seem to have gotten slightly worse, but this new GP also just recommended to take a multivitamin. Neither doctor seemed concerned. Anyway, here are the latest results (this new doctor didn't test ferritin; my old result 6 months ago was a 3)
Hemoglobin - 11 (low)
MCV - 78 (low)
MCH - 25.2 (low)
RDW - 15.6% (high)
TIBC - 538 (high)
UIBC - 480 (high)
Iron Saturation - 11% (low)
Iron Serum - 58 (normal)
Vitamin B12 - 348 (normal)
Anyone know exactly how bad my case is? I am located in NYC; if anyone has a good doctor that takes iron deficiency more seriously, can they recommend the doctor?
Chronic Kidney Disease :: Iron Deficiency - How To Keep It Up?
I am 25 I was diagnosed with stage 5 ckd at 14. We found this issue doing blood work for my Crohn's disease. So needless to say between the two I have a hard time keeping my nutrients up. Every time I get blood work I am anemic. I told my nephrologist that I was taking vitamins with iron to try to get it up and he said it is pretty much pointless because people with ckd do not absorb it orally like normal people. So my question is what do you do to try to keep your iron up? It has been such a struggle being so young and never having energy to do anything.
View 4 Replies