Low Red Blood Cell count - any experiences?

[quickchat]

I have just been to the docs to get a blood test after an adjustment to my thyroid meds (under active thyroid).
The nurse told me that my last blood test showed a low (I think she said low) red cell count.

She told me they would just take a full blood count and the doctor would be in touch.

Naturally - I came home and googled it and i have lukemia, cancer, kidney disease, heart problems.....oh and maybe anemia but the hypocondriac in me feels that is the least likely !

I would just be surprised to hear I was low in iron as im a healthy eater I think. I have no other signs of anemia (I know im spelling that wrong)!

I suppose im worried about cancer as i've had malignant melenoma in the past so I live in fear now. It was nearly 8 years ago though so im well clear of that.

I was breast feeding or just finished feeding my 1 year old at the time of my last blood test - would breast feeding cause low red cells? (straw clutching)!
posted this in health but it's much less busy there so no replies.

Are you or your parents/grandparents from Asia, Africa or Mediterranean country? Could it be beta thalassemia?

No, just white scottish.

Not sure this will be much help, but I was diagnosed with anaemia (just means a low red blood cell count) at my 6 week post-natal check. I felt fine, my diet was good etc so I elected not to take iron supplements and had it re-checked a couple of months later (had lost a lot of blood in labour so assumed that was the cause). I continued to feel fine but blood count remained low so then took supplemts and vitamin C (to aid iron absoprtion) for a month or so. Not had any further tests as doctor said would definitely rise after supplementation.

So I suppose my point is that standard iron depletion anaemia can readily occur despite a good diet. And remember- common things occur commonly!

Thanks beetlebat. I did like that little saying, common things occur commonly. It makes sense just to believe it is anaemia as it's the most likely.

I will get Vit C. I have tons of pre natel multi's with iron left over from breast feeding which I had slowly got out of the habbit of taking.

Is your thyroid level normal now? It's quite common to be anaemic when undertreated as you need thyroxine to stimulate the bone marrow.

Also hypothyroidism can be a type of autoimmune condition that occurs commonly with other autoimmune diseases, for example pernicious anaemia donut is more likely to be something like that

Sorry meant more likely to be that than cancer.
Dietary deficiency, post pregnancy or menstrual loss also common causes

Interesting isthismadness, I didn't know the bone marrow thing. I take it this can be reversed with iron supplementation?

I won't know if my levels are ok until the results next week. They recently doubled my medication and I do feel much better.

Someone on my other thread has told me that pregnancy and breastfeeding deplete iron stores for a good 6 months after stopping so im reassured that this must be an iron deficiency and not anything too scary!