Anemia- anyone ?

[njshep]

I am currently struggling with anemia. My hemoglobin is 96 and my ferritin is at an all time low of 5. This despite being in iron supplements for years
I have always been in the low side but the last two years I have had insanely heavy periods every 21 days due to a fibroid
Nexr week I am having a uterine ablation and the fibroid removed to deal with the root cause of the anemia.
My question is, for any if your that have dealt my with anemia what number did it taking getting to in order to actually feel better? I feel shattered most days and am pushing myself to do HIIT classes but not sure if I should be. I am dizzy, winded, my skin and lips are so incredibly pale.
Hoping this procedure is going to resolve things but no sure how long it will take to actually start feeling better.

Have you thought about having a Mirena coil to reduce the bleeding ?

I felt dreadful and was signed off work for two weeks when my haemoglobin was 107. I'm feeling better now but not had my latest blood test results (from 3 weeks ago) to know the current measurement.

I was put in ferrous Fumarate for low ferritin, luckily I could tolerate 3 a day for a while. I also increased red meat.
I’d say I felt better within a few weeks, they refused to re test so I’ve no idea what it is now.

I've been on two ferrous sulphate tablets (200mg/65mg) a day since Sept. I can't remember what my haemoglobin was then. A particularly heavy and prolonged period in Nov set me back a bit but I'm back on track now.

Could you have an intravenous iron infusion? I became anaemic after the birth of my baby, my haemoglobin was 80 and I could barely walk I was so breathless. I don't know at exactly what haemoglobin level I started to feel better but I started to feel much better about 5-7 days after the first infusion.

Unfortunately, I am unable to get an iron infusion due to being anaphylactic- surgeon thinks too risky.
I teach all day and struggle. I’m not sure if I am being to soft to ask for a week or so off to try abs get levels up…

Don’t do HIIT! I was at 6 once ferritin wise and thought I was dying. Red meat, liver, iron tablets every second day only ( google this, it’s a thing!) no tea or coffee within two hours of above. You will start to feel less dead in a few weeks x

Have you had a review of your iron supplements? Maybe they arent enough. I was on OTC iron for years, they have something like 11 or 17mg of iron. Now I'm fully anaemic, I'm taking two 65mg - biiiig difference 😁- and the OTC one. And as PP says, are you taking them correctly?

I absorb liquid iron supplements much much better - Spatone, Floradix, or Ferroglobin, taken with vitamin C, and no tea for a few hours afterwards because the tannins impair absorption.

Just had my bloods done last week 86 haemoglobin, 6 feratin. I am knackered.
The Dr said she would give me iron tablets - I said I didn't want them as they give constipation and stomach cramps. I have the same reaction to feroglobin, spatone, floradix etc

She suggested Active Iron on Amazon. I have been on them for a week and so far so good.

I am also consciously trying to take them so that I absorb as much iron as possible. I take the tablet early in the morning with Vit C and then don't have any dairy or caffeine for 2 hours. I am feeling a bit better already.

I have never been offered an iron infusion - how do I get one of them?

@Pipsquiggle my iron infusion was offered to me by the consultant at the hospital so I guess you could ask your doctor? I went back into hospital 3 days post partum as I was feeling really poorly. They thought I might have a pulmonary embolism until they took my bloods, then they were considering a blood transfusion but decided on an iron infusion, which I went back in for a couple of days later.

The Dr said she would give me iron tablets - I said I didn't want them as they give constipation and stomach cramps. I have the same reaction to feroglobin, spatone, floradix etc

She suggested Active Iron on Amazon. I have been on them for a week and so far so good.

As per my previous comment though, these have a low level of iron (less than 20mg) which wont be enough to address full-on anaemia. My doctor said they weren't even touching the sides of what I needed, hence I'm now taking two ferrous sulphate (65mg iron) per day.

I find taking them on an empty stomach avoids the cramps. Also avoid tea/coffee/milk as that inhibits absorption. Take with vitamin C to help absorption.

@DisplayPurposesOnly

Yes I have taken ferrous sulphate before - awful, awful constipation which was way worse than the anaemia.

I guess my doctor thinks taking something is better than nothing.

I will ask about an iron infusion if these tablets don't work

I felt okayish at 105 hemoglobin. Then perimenopause hit and after a couple of heavy periods I had to take time off work - I was having to lie down every time I walked up the stairs, would nap for hours a day, I had palpitations, pins and needles in feet and hands, foot cramps etc. After 3 months of 210 mg ferrous fumarate a day I am at 119 now and can function more or less.

Unlike others iron gives me diarrhoea, for weeks it seemed that food was going right through me so I don't know how much I was absorbing. My GP wasn't interested.

OP I would avoid the HIIT sessions until you are better. Anemia can create extra work for the heart - it has to pump more often to deliver the level of oxygen that's needed as your red blood cells are either depleted or unable to pull their weight in terms of carrying oxygen. Exercise, especially something like HIIT, will increase your oxygen requirements and put more strain on your heart.

Thank you for all the great replies- sounds like such a wide range of how doctors respond to this.
I just don’t know at what point of struggle you are justified in asking for a bit of time off to reset!!

You definitely need to stop the high intensity exercising for now, take it easy. The quickest way to feel better is to have a blood transfusion, they may consider doing that if you bleed when you get the fibroid removed.

When my ferritin was 6 I was on 4 ferrous fumate (no idea re spelling) tablets a day. Initially fine but now I have bowel issues. I got my ferritin to 23 and felt human again and now I take “well woman” daily tablets that seem to keep me on track with the lower dose of iron in that.

It was 210g ferrous fumerate tablets x4 - 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening with food. I do take them for 3 days each period but then stay on well Woman the rest of the time.

You have my sympathies OP. I’m anaemic due to heavy periods. My lowest was HB 89 and ferritin 2! I felt like I was trying to walk through treacle - exhausted, couldn’t sleep, breathless, everything was hard work!
I’d say when my HB raised to about 100/110 I started to feel better but only really felt like I had any energy when my ferritin rose to around 40 along side that.
I’d say take it easy for a bit and lay off the HIT sessions especially as you are experiencing heavy blood loss. You must be exhausted. Hope it all works out for you x

For those of you that got your haemoglobin and feratin numbers up - how long did it take you to do that?

Should I be asking for another blood test in a couple of months?

For those of you that got your haemoglobin and feratin numbers up - how long did it take you to do that?

I don't have my recent two blood test results but I feel miles better, tho still not fully 100%. That's after three months of two 65mg iron a day. At the level you're taking, I think you've got a long wait.

I was having 3-4 weekly blood tests (then I've had extra because of something else, hence two recent ones). Speak to your GP as I'm assuming they'd want to do follow up tests with you.

I've been on two ferrous sulphate tablets (200mg/65mg) a day since Sept.

Just to update that info, I'm no longer anaemic according to my most recent blood test. (Just to give anyone interested an idea of how long it can take.) I wasn't absolutely religious about taking two every day and I know my anaemia dropped again in Nov due to heavy bleeding so perhaps it could have quicker if i had/without that but you're still looking at three months or more.

It's highly likely your surgeon is out of date regarding the risks of anaphylaxis with iron infusions.

The old product was never used due to risks of anaphylaxis - the new product is given out all the time as the risks are far far less.

They also aren't considering the risk to you of feeling totally miserable all the time.

I am sure he prescribes stuff all the time that risks anaphylaxis (penicillin!) without giving it a second thought.

My anaemia wasn't period related as I'm OLD and well beyond meno.

It was caused by gastric bleeding which obv had been going on for some time, but wasn't diagnosed (no symptoms) until my HG was tested as part of a FBC full blood count for tiredness (walking through treacle is a brilliant way of describing it), dizzyness, breathlessness etc.

I was whipped into hospital and had four units of blood, and a short while later had an iron infusion. I felt like a flower opening up on a Summer's morning after that.

Gastric bleed was from tiny perforations caused by H Pylori infection, which was treated, and PPIs are now a daily thing for me to protect stomach lining. Like pp I take Active Iron daily with vit C on an empty stomach. HG is being maintained, touch wood, and I feel so much better now.

Wishing all fellow anaemia travellers all the best on your journeys.