To read that I could die from this

[Aubrystrawberry]

32 years old
2 small children
Anemic long term. I struggle some weeks more than others.

Just seen on the support group I'm on, that we are at higher risk of death and pnunomia as we don't have enough red blood cells. I already feel starved of oxygen on a bad day. I am being careful and home. But there is no vaccine yet and when restrictions lift we will be mixing again.

I am quite scared now as I'm currently weak with it. I don't know what to do. I'm not due another blood test for 3-4 weeks to check my levels but I'd not be surprised if they won't see me. Most of us are going to catch this virus I've read. So how are my chances of pneumonia/death? Is anemia an underlying health issue?

Anyone got any ideas?

The thing is any of us can die from corona virus. At the weekend a fit and heath 13 year old died. All you can do it take sensible safety measures and keep ourselves as healthy as possible.

You could die taking a trip in your car. You could die walking down the street and being run over. You could die everytime you get on a plane.

Please please try not to worry. All you can do now is stay at home as much as you can and wash your hands frequently. If you did catch it, it's still more likely you'll be absolutely fine than anything else. Even elder people with underlying conditions are much more likely to be okay than not.

That 13 year old that passed unfortunately did have underlying health issues

Thanks all. What was wrong with the young 13 year old? I'm just so scared about leaving the kids without me. But yes I'm safe at home right now.

They are hoping the second peak won't be as bad am I right? I just hope we get further with testing and vaccines soon. Just frightening.

13 year old had no underlying conditions. Simply died of corona or complications relating to it.
Supposedly

Agree with previous posters, you could die from any number of things regardless of your condition, and those of us without compromising conditions could also die of corona as well as everything else.

Best to stay positive and continue practising social distancing and good hygiene

Do they know why you are anaemic? Are you being treated? I have chronic anaemia unless I take iron daily. I am guessing it isnt as simple if your problem is untreated.

I take 210 g ferrous fumerate daily. They used to prescribe 2-3 tablets a day but recent research indicates your body can only absorb the amount from one per day so any excess is just upsetting your stomach for no good reason.

I have not heard anything about anaemia raising risk for this, but I wouldn't know. Anyone could succumb obviously. But..If you are 32 and otherwise healthy I don't think you should worry too much.

Maybe contact your GP or whoever you'd usually see about your condition to check whether there is anything you need to know or do to reduce your risk.

I dont think there is confirmation he did or didnt have other medical conditions. The family were careful to say he did haven any that they were aware of. Rather then he didnt have any. It's possible he did, but just not diagnosed.

Op what treatment are you getting for the anaemia?

OP I’ve been anaemic on & off most of my adult life, I was last anaemic around November last year . I can’t tolerate the tablets from my GP so I was going to go for an iron infusion at the hospital but could never get an appt. anyway I started taking Ferroglobin capsules from Boots (you can get them in Holland & Barrat, superdrug too) one a day & so far so good, my recent, well my last blood test was Mid Jan & it came back as satisfactory. I’d been taken the capsules for around 4, 5 weeks by then. GP said my red blood cells were bigger too, so I’m guessing that was a good thing also. I do feel better in taking them. I still get shortness of breath but I feel like I do have a bit more ommph,

Try not to worry too much, if they thought you were in an at risk category you would have heard so.

I’m copying this post over that I made on a another thread, hoping it will give you some peace of mind, or at least, clarity about ‘at risk’ conditions. My DD is an ‘extremely vulnerable’ and sees a haematologist/oncologist (and an immunologist and a rheumatologist 😬), so I empathise with your concern:

There are two groups of people thought to be more at risk, a wider vulnerable group (includes elderly people) and the 1.5m extremely vulnerable people who got a letter in the post.

The following lists are copy and pasted from the .gov website.

Group 1

We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
This group includes those who are:

aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic kidney disease
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
diabetes
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
those who are pregnant

———————————-

Group 2:

This guidance is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition, and for their family, friends and carers. It is intended for use in situations where the extremely vulnerable person is living in their own home, with or without additional support. This includes the extremely clinically vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities, either for the elderly or persons with special needs.

Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all interaction between those who are extremely vulnerable and others. We are strongly advising people with serious underlying health conditions (listed below), which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19), to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.

What do we mean by extremely vulnerable?
People falling into this extremely vulnerable group include:

Solid organ transplant recipients.
People with specific cancers:
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs
People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.
People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).
People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

(Group 1 info here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults )

(Group 2 info here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#what-do-we-mean-by-extremely-vulnerable )

I have ferrous sulfate. My levels were 6 last year. They were 10 in Feb. The Dr said 15 is what he wants them to be. He's put me on the mini pill and it's just made me bleed for two weeks.

So sad about the 13 year old. It's such a waste. I have a nephew that age.

I have commented on your other thread. If your haemoglobin levels were at 10 then are only mildly anemic. Keep taking your iron tablets and you will be fine. You should also take some vitamin D if you aren't outside much, I found it helps.

They were 10 in Feb.

If you’ve been taking your prescription all this time then chances are you’ve increased up to 15 by now anyway.

Even if you haven’t, 10 really isn’t that low to be worrying this intensely.

Try to keep busy and focus on the positives.

IF you got really ill and attended hospital they would support your iron levels relatively quickly if needed (they can transfuse iron or blood) as well as providing you with oxygen.

It’s important to remember that hospital doesn’t automatically mean a ventilator, the vast majority of people are supported with low level interventions. If you started struggling to breathe along with other symptoms make sure you contact 111 or your GP ASAP. There are medications that can support you way before you ever get anywhere near crisis point.

You realy will be fine OP. It’s mild anaemic; many millions have it and will be fine. Myself included. Take your iron, eat healthy, try and get fresh air and sleep: the anxiety if anything will be making you tired, not the lack of iron.

Oh and try and not spend too Much time on the ‘support groups’ . They can be a source of people just winding each other up into a frenzy !

I thought a level of 10 was ok, not ultimal but not consider deficient?

The Dr said it's very low! I'll go with that and the fact I felt terrible. When it was 6 another Dr said it should be between 20-120.

I don't think your symptoms and the number always meet with what people expect. I couldn't even take my child to school in Feb I'd of passed out

another Dr said it should be between 20-120.
This absolutely can’t be right. Were they referring to something else? Were they referring to per litre rather than per decilitre?

Normal range is 12 - 16.

@redred shes probably talking about ferritin levels

@AuberyStrawberry do you have a link fir this? I struggle with chronic anemia myself and had pneumonia already this year.

I've also heard that viruses need iron to survive in the body?

I try to supplement but the iron causes me to have terrible migraines and I just can't face it.

Making me so nervous now as the most recent was a 48 year old lady with no underlying health problems . Only two years older than me.

At my last blood test I my ferritin was undetectable but I was only mildly anemic at 9.8. I am due another test but want to avoid the doctors at the moment.

At this rate I have multiple risk factors, my weight, over 40, iron deficiency (caused by abnormal bleeding), type A blood, long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs, asthma.....shit.

Have to go and pick up a prescription tomorrow at the chemist, wait in a long queue with others

This is really scary.

Try not to panic @Aubrystrawberry and Orlando alice. I am kicking myself as I found out just last week that my ferritin levels are only 10 and folate low too but HB was 11.4. These were taken back on 4th March but with everything going on noone had got back to me and it was left to me to chase the results. Now prescribed ferrous sulphate ans high dose folic acid.

I was very anxious about how this would affect me if I contracted the virus and have 3 young boys and only 42 years old but am trying to keep some perspective. My GP didn't seem too concerned re it causing an issue with Covid and as the tablets don't agree with me he recommended I just take 1 a day to get my levels up.

Anaemia does not make you higher risk for catching or dying of covid.