Suspected severe anemia?

[Wistfulthinking]

Hi all,

I am in my early 40s and yesterday I had a blood test as I suspect I have anemia caused by very heavy periods.

The out of hours doctor called me several times through the night and eventually reached me when I woke for the toilet. After asking me some questions about my breathing, ankles and well-being. She said I need to go to the doctor urgently, but could wait until 8am, rather than go to a and e and wait several hours?

I am now waiting for the doctor to see me after 9. Is this normal with regards to anemia? My result was 0.68 but I am not really sure what it was a measurement of- I think probably Haemoglobin? I'm just a bit worried due to the urgency of their response.

If anybody has an similar experience or knowledge they can share, I would be keen to hear more.

Thanks

You will probably get a blood transfusion if they are that worried about your low levels. You must have felt very weak and it's good you have been picked up on.
Hopefully they do something to alleviate heavy periods or otherwise it will happen again.

No experience but I hope all ok
Are you going with anyone?

Thank you for answering. I'm on my own as my DH is with our children and sleepover playdate. The doctor will see me very soon as an urgent appointment.

I'm kind of surprised as I haven't felt that bad, just like I have overdone it a bit. It is being taken more seriously than I expected, which has caught me off guard. We have private healthcare too that I can contact too depending on what the doctor says.

Thanks again for your support.

am thinking of you @Wistfulthinking

I hope everything has gone ok x

If that's your red cell count (0.68x10^12/L; normal range 3.80-5.80) it is very low. As PP said you might need a red-cell transfusion or intravenous iron.
(Normal range for haemoglobin is 115-165 g/L, so the measurement you were given isn't haemoglobin.)

Thank you all, the doctor has referred me to the hospital for an infusion which I should have today. We are waiting on a consultant who arrives at 10.

My ferritin is4 ug/L and Haemoglobin estimation is 68 g/L. The doctor said it is very low, but as it has happened over time my body has accustomed itself and I am in relatively good shape.

I also have a prescription for tranexamic acid and referral for a gynaecologist and hopefully I should be back to normal soon.

Thanks again!

Hi, I was in your exact shoes a few months ago and here is my good news story. I got summoned to A&E on a Friday night after a blood test that day for something totally unrelated. My heamoglobin was 60-odd. They checked me over, said I was in amazingly good nick for someone with that level and glandular fever (that’s what they’d been testing for) and sent me home to see the GP on Monday. Same as you, it turned out to be because of heavy periods which had just been slowly reducing my levels over time, so I didn’t notice a massive shift in how I was feeling although I knew I was more tired and I seemed to catch every cold and have it for twice as long as everyone else. Glandular Fever was the straw that broke this camels back!

The great news is after about two weeks of iron tablets I felt like a new woman and after two months I genuinely feel like superwoman - what a difference! If you’re getting s transfusion you’ll feel such a difference so quickly.

I was referred to gynae and it turned out I had a massive fibroid which was causing the heavier periods so I got a hysterectomy. There were other options available but as my family is complete, this was the best option for me.

Hope you get seen soon, you will feel so much better!