Haemoglobin Level of 40

[Rainagainandagain]

Went to GP as was feeling SOB and palpitations when walking. Blood test done and was sent to A and E two hours later as haemoglobin was 44 and neutrophils 0.3 and leukocytes low. Was given 4 units and iron infusion. Ok now but gave red eyes a week later. Possible tiredness as stressed and can not sleep. Non meat eater but take spatone each day for iron. They now want to do cams bowel n stomach? for internal bleeding but I know it's dietary ... no blood in poop or pee. Nothing in ct scan. Womb polyp n thick lining? But not on pill. please advise as scary time. Late 49s female SM to 3. Scared. Possible hysteroscopy that is terrifying. Any alternative?

Just get it all done. It's scary, but it would be more scary to miss something. Diet alone does not cause that level of anaemia - bodies cope incredibly well with the shite we give them to work with, so there is something else going on here and you need to get the tests done. I've had an endoscopy with biopsies taken without sedation, and while it wasn't my favourite afternoon out it wasn't terrible. Best of luck

Sorry but no, be brave and get the tests done. That is an incredibly low HB to have and I agree with pp unlikely to be caused by diet alone.

You cannot get your Hb that low through diet alone. Your other counts are low too. You need investigations.

OP I lost two litres after giving birth and my haemoglobin wasn't that low. I still had to be transfused and wait months to feel back to normal. Just have some patience as this is serious so take it seriously is my advice.

You really need these investigations doing. As PP have said, an Hb that low is unlikely to be caused by diet or even heavy periods. You need to have anything serious ruled out, I remember your previous thread. Did haematology speak to you?

I had an Hb of 56 a few years ago, I thought that was pretty spectacular considering I was carrying on with daily life and working full time! You must have been feeling ghastly, I know I was.
As others have said dietary deficiencies will not account for your Hb being so low, but that does not mean it needs to be anything sinister. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and the source of the bleeding was an oesophageal erosion caused by a hiatus hernia. I was medicated and am completely healed.
Please have the investigations.

No haematology appointment made nothing at all

No haematology appointment made nothing at all. I was feeling awful full time work and walking was awful. I don't eat red meat and haven't in years and sometimes skip lunch. Been getting slower/worse over a few years. SM to 3 and a man child too so always stressed too.
Heavy periods? Not sure what heavy is? Not something to ask friends/family.

Please do take this seriously, my son (20yrs) had a low Hb like you last Easter, we thoughtbhevwasvrun down from Exam season. He has been found to have an auto immune condition that affects his Hb.

You need to get the tests my love. I know in my case after clear CT they went straight in for a double job of endoscopy and colonoscopy same day. I was sedated and don't remember a thing about it! That's where they discovered the cause. A gastric bleed due to daily low dose aspirin over a few years that I have to take for clot prevention in my Watchman device for Atrial Fibrillation.

I was admitted, patched up by endoscopic procedure, and sent on my way with a different regime and dose of PPI (Nexium) to the one I had been taking for stomach protection due to the aspirin.

So far so good. My point in writing this essay is that a hysteroscopy was never mentioned in my case, although they did say if the endoscopy/colonoscopy were clear, that would be next! But maybe you already have some gynae issues. Best of luck to you.

Thanks so much for your reply. Been a scary time. Feel so stupid for letting myself get so ill. I will have to start eating better diet. Need to eat meat n though I eat loads of veg and carbs and dairy but lots of tea and coffee oops

I’m vegan, have chronic anaemia due to severe kidney problems, had major surgery where I lost a lot of blood and a haemoglobin of 60. You absolutely need extra tests - diet isn’t responsible for that alone! I had to have units of blood, injections of epo and iron transfusions for several months, but they knew what the underlying cause was. Please pursue it closely until you get answers as that’s honestly really dangerous.

Thanks so much for your reply. Been a scary time. Feel so stupid for letting myself get so ill. I will have to start eating better diet too. Need to eat red meat again n though I eat loads of veg and carbs and dairy I do drink lots of tea and coffee oops. Up to recent past few months I had heavy periods went to see GP and was given transemic acid as am not postmenopausal but lately they are lighter probably because i was anaemic. Apparently have thickened ET. So could be a cause?

OP Just flagging up your name change may have failed?

My DF got seriously ill as a result of internal bleeding. It took a long time to discover that one of his regular medications caused bleeding as a side effect. He shouldn’t have been on the medication for so long. Are you taking anything regularly that might have similar side effects?

Thanks I will look into it. I am not good with Social Media I will get some help thanks

I don't take any medication but sometimes Ibuprofen which I didn't know could cause bleeding I can't believe I didn't know this.

@Rainagainandagain we were horrified that nobody had picked this up. He had probably been bleeding for at least 12 months and they seemed to be unable to find the cause of it. We were oblivious to how ill he was becoming (Haemoglobin was 36 when admitted,) because we assumed it was the natural progress of dementia. If only we had Googled, the side effects were plainly there. He's like a different person mentally.

Hi all i had a ct scan that showed endometrial lining of 22mm. Had hysteroscopy and no cancer or abnormal cells found. Consultant said she would expect I have heavy / v.heavy periods. I said theyve always been like that so thouht they were normal and she said everyones normal is different. I went to gp several times.butmale gps who said take ibuprofen beforehand but i didnt so i just put up and shut up. It says normal blood loss is 40 to 60ml. I must lose that in 20 mins!!! I have horrible painful periods and a big nighttime pad is saturated in an hour sorry if tmi. I am gonna get some mini pill or something cos ill be anaemic again in no time. Sometimes blood just pours out and for first two days its awful. Feel stupid for thinking its normal.

Got the hysteroscopy done under GA. Haematology and gastro was ok. Hysteroscopy revealed multiple polyps and thick ET but was all okay. My periods are getting even heavier. I recently read that women should only lose 40-60ml a month must be ten times that. Think it's perimenopause. I got flooding and horrible clots sorry if it TMI but yuck! Periods last 4 days but scary heavy so on tranexamic acid for now

im the same. Massive drops in iron level In blood

ive been for all gastro tests and all clear. Gyne checks also clear. I’m still having regular periods and they are very heavy. I’m at haematology next. Please go for all your tests as others have said if they find anything they can usually treat it. Take care of yourself