If you are severely anaemic....

[Sparrowlegs248]

Have you made any changes to your diet, life etc to help? Other than taking iron tablets?

I feel shocking, had more blood tests and seeing GP again this week but have spent the last few days feeling totally wiped out.

I eat pretty well, am on a "diet" as need to lose some weight, but really this consists of eating sensibly.

Is there anything I can do to feel better?

I took Spatone as well as changing my diet so I ate more citrus fruit, red meat, leafy green veg. It worked.

The iron tablets take a week or two to kick in. I had a second blood test after a week and a half and my number had gone from 5.8 to 6.9, aiming for 12. It took nearly 3 months to get back to normal.

Mine wasn’t diet related, was heavy periods and I had a hysterectomy so the ‘cause’ has been removed. However, I am taking a supplement now and I’ve made a few small dietary changes such as fortified cereals for breakfast, cut back on caffeine, more green veg etc because I never want to feel that way again.

Hope you feel better soon!

Get an iron fish and get used to using it for soups, boiling vegetables, sauces...
I love mine

It takes a few weeks to work though. You have regenerate your red blood cells via your bone marrow, which takes about 6 weeks.

When anaemic, I go on a total clean living binge to get me through those 6 weeks. Serious effort with healthy LCHF diet, sleep, no alcohol, no sugar, lots of walking (no hard exercise) to minimise the effects of the anaemia.

Deeply annoying but it definitely helps.

Have they tested your B12 levels? I was so anaemic due to severe periods I have been on iron for a year. I also need B12 jabs. Was vegetarian for years which hasn’t helped. Also desperate to feel normal so have strayed eating meat again. I’m finding it hard going but determined to manage via diet if at all possible.

I tried spatone but just can't drink it.

It first showed up last year @macaroonmayhem after several months of hideously heavy, prolonged periods. But they have been pretty normal, heavier side of normal, but I don't think how they are now can account for such a low iron reading and no iron stores at all.

Discussing having contraceptive implant it Dr, as their may help periods further, but tbh I'm not keen on having it when my periods are so much better.

I will make some changes to my diet I think, I do tend to eat the same things on repeat.

@HarryRug I had a full range of blood tests last week and will see the gp this week to get results.

I have started a multi vitamin too.

I had a fibroid which had been slowly growing for years making my periods a teeny bit heavier each month but no so much that I would notice a significant change however, the increase was chipping away slowly at my iron levels. Ate a relatively healthy diet, very fit, lots of exercise etc. So unfortunately, it can be just down to periods and they don’t need to be like a massacre each month either to be having a significant effect.

My gp said my anaemia couldn’t be managed through diet alone. She reckoned i’d Have to eat spinach all day to make any impact.
I took tramexamic acid until I had an ablation. I still crave red meat which is when I know i’m Low on iron but not the same kind of can’t move exhausted symptoms.