Could anaemia be causing this?

[olivo]

I am wondering if. My symptoms might be caused by anaemia. I have random numbness in one hand and one leg, am absolutely shattered and am putting on a lot of weight with no real change in diet, if anything, eating better.

I have been anaemic on and off for many years, due to being a slack veggie. Have been to the GP, she didn't mention it, but Dr Google suggest it could be.

Would I be wrong to go back and ask for a blood test? I have started taking spatone, would that kick in within a matter of days if it was anaemia?

It could also be an under active thyroid.

Really? Thanks, will have a look at a that. Could that be picked up with a blood test? They are sending me for a scan but have done no other tests.

Hi Olivo,
I have some similar symptoms (fatique, weight gain, but also headaches, heart palpitations) and have a borderline hypothyroid problem. However have also been identified as having iron problem (am also a slack veggie!). It didn't show up via standard blood panel that the GP orders (ie haemoglobin and haemocrit levels - they were absolutely fine). I had my ferritin, iron serum and %saturation levels checked and i was low in range on the first one and well below on the 2nd and 3rd. So, if you do get blood tests done, I would push for more than just haemoglobin which checks anaemia (3rd stage) but not iron deficiency (2nd stage and enough to give symtoms).

It would also make sense to have thyroid checked (but thats a whole other bag of worms - get the numbers and ranges and post on here rather than accepting their definition of normal/fine).

What are they scanning?

Hi OP. I have spells of being anaemic and with regard to food I get the reverse of your symptoms - my appetite drops off completely and I lose weight. I do get fatigued and have palpitations/tachycardia. I am pale naturally but get even paler. So it can be a mixed bag but there is no reason not to get the test done. jasper's suggestion above is good - I didn't know myself about the anaemia/iron deficiency difference in testing.

Spatone takes a while to have an effect IME so I don't think a few days will make a significant difference.

Thank you. I will ask about the more thorough testing, I didn't know about that. They are giving me a head MRI, I suspect to check for nervous stuff, poss MS related.