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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Haemoglobin of 3 - how bad is this?

100 replies

Bloodless · 26/05/2019 14:34

Been called in to see Dr during the week so I’ll know more then.

Don’t think I’m loosing blood internally or anything like that (I feel far too well, although tired) - I think I just have bad blood. Think the best it’s ever been is borderline.

OP posts:
TurboTeddy · 26/05/2019 14:37

OP are you sure it's 3? Sorry to question you but that is very low and would normally see you admitted to hospital for a blood transfusion. Could it be ferritin and not Hb?

Original poster
Bloodless · 26/05/2019 14:44

No your ok Turbo Teddy, everybody is asking me that lol. That’s what I’ve been told anyway.

It has been 4 before I’ve never had a transfusion.

OP posts:
EKGEMS · 26/05/2019 14:49

I've seen people with a hemoglobin and hematocrit that low they were white as a ghost and symptomatic awaiting emergent transfusions. Chest pain,dizziness,shortness of breath side effects. We transfuse the blood product extremely fast as it's considered a life threatening event. Never seen a patient asymptomatic but I suppose is possible

UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter · 26/05/2019 14:53

I was admitted at 4. Had 5 units of blood in the end and was in hospital for 5 days.
I felt ill as well. Breathless, ringing in my ears, thirsty, started to get puffy as well.
I’m
Surprised if it’s 3 that you haven’t been told to go immediately to hospital. I went for a blood test at about 3 pm and was called by the hospital at 7.30pm. Told not to drive and to go straight away and that no it couldn’t wait until the next day.

I’ve always been below normal for blood/iron levels and no reason other than heavy periods for why it would have fallen so low.

kaytee87 · 26/05/2019 14:54

I know pp have asked but are you sure that's your level? If so then surely you're at risk of death and need to go to hospital immediately?

ichifanny · 26/05/2019 14:55

If it’s 3 I would imagine you would be told to go straight to hospital I work in HDU , I’d be panicking at anyone dipping below 5 never mind 3 .

ThereWillBeAdequateFood · 26/05/2019 14:55

Shock wow. I’m surprised you feel well but tired.

Jenny70 · 26/05/2019 14:56

My SIL had low iron (not sure if it was that low) and levels didn't come up with iron and iron rich diet. Doctor did colonoscopy to rule out anything else and found stage 4 colon cancer. Might be worth getting a scope done if there is no known reason for your iron to be that low, hopefully nothing comes up - but better to know as early as possible.

maggie222 · 26/05/2019 14:58

I had a hb of 4.2 and felt well, just a little more breathless on stairs. My sister said when she was so low she was holding onto the walls and blacking out so it does affect people different.

The hospital were very concerned and said there was a massive risk of cardiac arrest and were very keen to transfuse me but I was awaiting a kidney transplant and had my partner as live donor. If I was to have a transfusion I could have developed antibodies and no longer been a match. I had to sign to say I was refusing treatment though.

My hb was low due to kidney failure and not any internal bleeding.

Please do not take any risks, take their advice as things can change quickly.

Good Luck
Xx

Helspopje · 26/05/2019 14:58

3 is in ‘old money’ unless you are quoting a ferritin value
3 now is quoted as 30 so I imagine there’s been a miscommunication somewhere

Helspopje · 26/05/2019 14:59

3 in ‘new money’ is incompatible with life

GimmeBread · 26/05/2019 15:00

My levels were 4 a long long time ago and the doctor was amazed I was still upright! I respond really well to iron supplements so that was how I was treated. I remember being white, knackered, light headed and breathless.

Isitmybathtimeyet · 26/05/2019 15:00

I did come to helpfully post ‘OP, I think you are dead’. I hope you get it sorted though. Flowers

TheNanny23 · 26/05/2019 15:01

This must be your ferritin (iron) level - Hb of 3 and you’d be dead or very nearly so.

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 26/05/2019 15:01

Are you sure it isn't your ferritin (iron stores) which is 3? Ferritin of 3 might make you feel tired. Haemoglobin of 3 somebody would usually be in hospital.

QueenofLouisiana · 26/05/2019 15:02

They thought I had a level of 3.8 in pregnancy and there was a county-wide alert out for me with the health service! The minute I walked in for a standard m/w appointment she had to phone someone to tell them I was there. There was a phone message left at home, but I hadn’t been home to pick it up (pre regular use of mobiles).
Fortunately, it was a mistake on the blood test, but it was a scary day or so for the second results to come through.

Original poster
Bloodless · 26/05/2019 15:04

Unless I have taken it up wrong as it was the receptionist who phoned me to tell me I had to make an appointment. I asked the results were and she said my haemoglobin was 3.

When it was 4 the gp told me it was the equivalent of being missing about 4 pints of blood? Is this right? She told me she was surprised i was still standing but if it happens gradually the body can become accustomed to it. 🤔

I do feel tired and short of breath but not enough to feel like there something more sinister at play

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 26/05/2019 15:07

There must be a misunderstanding with your results op. Either that or your GP is incredibly lax.

AndOutComeTheBoobs · 26/05/2019 15:09

How did they treat you when you had an HB of 4?

Maybebaybe · 26/05/2019 15:11

I recently had a level of 7 and felt like death warmed up. I am usually fit and healthy but that knocked me for 6. I was hospitalised for a blood transfusion as 7 or below is the level at wwhich they recommend a transfusion. I could do very little at that level, was ghostly white and out of breath all the time. It took a few days to feel okay again.

TurboTeddy · 26/05/2019 15:11

I was trying to avoid scaring you but I'm afraid that I'd be quite worried that your GP surgery got the receptionist to phone you with that information. I'm trying to think of any condition that might result in such a low Hb but not warrant an emergency admission for a blood transfusion and can't think of anything.

AnnaMagnani · 26/05/2019 15:12

As per PP Haemoglobin is now reported in 10s, so 30 would be dangerously low and 3 would be dead.

Even at 30 I would expect you to be contacted Out of Hours for an urgent review - as QueenofLouisiana experienced.

As you have been called into see your GP hopefully you have answers soon. The most common reasons for women being anaemic are diet and periods making them short of iron - however there are obviously many many other causes.

Original poster
Bloodless · 26/05/2019 15:14

Iron tablets the last time, which brought it up slowly.

I don’t have particularly heavy periods but I am a vegetarian and I know my iron intake isn’t great.

I’m kinda hoping this is one big misunderstanding now - although I’m gonna feel like a fool.

My Apple Watch was showing my pulse abnormally high so that’s why I went in.

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 26/05/2019 15:15

Well they wouldn't have just given you iron tablets with a level of 4 so you must have misunderstood the levels.

Reallybadidea · 26/05/2019 15:15

What's more likely, that you have a critically low level of haemoglobin that puts you at risk of death, but your GP doesn't want to see you until next week. Or that the receptionist misreported your hemoglobin level? I know what my money is on!

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