Anaemia

[user109842]

So today I went to the GP and have been sent for blood tests.

Over the years I've been back and forth with the following symptoms always treated individually:
Palpitations
Breathlessness
Lethargy
Hair coming out

Always told it's stress.

Finally it seems the wider picture is being looked at and a new GP says I'm likely anaemic.

I had a PPH 8 years ago when my iron level dropped to 7. I'm not convinced it ever climbed enough.

This is a lot of waffle to ask what symptoms you had before being diagnosed?

Those are all symptoms of anaemia and/or B12 deficiency which can cause a different type of anaemia, macrocytic anaemia. Palpitations and breathlessness plus crushing fatigue were my main symptoms before I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia (B12 deficiency). Blood tests are the place to start, so hope you will get some answers soon. It's worth checking if they've included a B12 check in your tests as it's not always done as standard.

I had the same symptoms. I was so anaemic that I needed iron IV drips. That seemed to do the trick!

@Strax what was your B12 level if you don't mind sharing?

When I had low iron I kept feeling faint and tired.

I had exactly these symptoms when I had anaemia. IIRC my iron levels were 7.something so no wonder I could barely stand up! I got fobbed off with being told it must be stress and offered antidepressants until I saw a different GP and insisted on blood tests.

For me the symptoms of anaemia and the symptoms of depression are almost indistinguishable. Except that depression doesn't magically disappear after a month of quadruple daily Spatone.

@9amTrain, mine was about 103 or thereabouts. The macrocytic anaemia (enlarged/deformed red blood cells)was spotted first, that led them to do a B12 test.
I was lucky in that I was diagnosed immediately, for some people it can take many years.

Ah I see. I was at 180 and my GP said it's comfortably in the range and wouldn't even condone me taking supplements at home because that level is absolutely fine.

Yeah right.

Hmm, you'd be out of range in some parts of the country because the acceptable range varies widely! 'Normal' should be over 500.

Yeah exactly. It's ridiculous that despite everything coming under one NHS, you might not get a diagnosis or treatment depending on where you live in the same country. Really is a health lottery.

I take high dose supplements and still can't get my levels above 350, my folate is also poor, so I've taken the decision so have private B12 injections and hope for the best. Can't hurt.

I had exactly those symptoms for nearly two decades and was told it was anaemia due to large babies and young DC and just given iron with no other follow ups or investigation into why I was persistently anaemic. Then a nurse suggested it may be due to very heavy periods so I had a scan of my womb and I had fibroids so everyone thought we’d found the answer but it didn’t improve - I lost over half my hair and was struggling to function.
Just over a year ago DS was diagnosed with coeliac disease and after reading up on the symptoms I asked to be tested for it as well and it turns out I’d also had Coeliac disease for all those years and that is why I never absorbed the iron. I’m now a different person. Hope you find an answer soon

It's not as though coeliac is a rare, unheard of disease. There is no excuse for them to have not diagnosed you until now.

At least you're better now. :)

Breathlessness
Full on hair loss
Fatigue that hits you like a train out of nowhere
Pica (wanting to eat things like chalk, soil, plaster - basically anything minerally)

Mine was only diagnosed yesterday (got a call from doc yesterday evening (only had bloods taken on Thursday - bless the NHS) from a FBC and am waiting for actual numbers and rest of blood results (B12, ferratin etc) which I'll get when I see the doc on Monday morning, when he'll put me on iron tablets.

Mine has been caused by being on blood thinners for a recent pulmonary embolism and loosing shit loads of blood with every period and it being general side effect of the medication.

Oh yes, palpitations as well - I had a 24 hr monitor on this Tuesday for them - wondering if it was now a wasted exercise considering we've now found the cause.