Anemia - is this normal

[SeatOfMyPants]

33w now, and it was evident from my blood tests from 14 weeks that something was up. (I was stupid enough to listen to the midwife's 'everything is fine' and not check these and my 28 week tests thoroughly.) so now am pretty obviously anemic, as diagnosed by my GP yesterday who took one look at my blood tests and yelped) and have been prescribed ferrous sulphate and having other tests for thyroid function.

I am not functioning or coping at all. I get to a point in the day where I can't move and that's it. I'm finding it really tough to do basic things - even DS bedtime - he's 5 so bedtime isn't hard!- and it took my half an hour to get dressed from the bath last night because I lacked the energy to get up. My heart races regularly and I get shortness of breath. I'm also swelling more than I did last pregnancy. I can't work (self employed) and I'm desperate to...its been getting worse for the past few weeks but us only this past week that I've been severely debilitated.

My mood is awful too: I've been in tears regularly for the past 24hours because I just feel so shit (and my other half isn't being particularly suppprtive - to be fair he's got work deadlines but there's a generally lack of consideration and obvious care that I'm finding tough to deal with). I'm very low.

I just don't feel at all like myself and - even though the anemia is obvious from the results - it's not as if it's so bad that the gp recommended a transfusion!

I just wondered whether all of this is normal for anaemia? I was in and out of my gps so fast I didn't get a chance to fully outline how crap I am actually feeling. A couple of times I've wondered whether i should go to hospital because I feel so shit. But then I just go back to feeling bad....

I'm 21 weeks and have been anaemic since quite early on. I take 2 ferrous sulphate a day. I get short of breath, heart palpitations and teary. If your Hb doesn't improve then they'll give you an infusion, I think. I'm not having my blood tested again until 24 weeks.
Take ferrous sulphate with orange juice as it absorbs better. I have felt better since I've been on it. Apart from the smelly, tar-like bowel movements. Do you know what your hb is?

Yes it is normal and if you start taking iron and folate supplements you should start to feel better in less than a week.

Completely normal - you'll feel better after a week or so.

Take the iron with some orange juice - it helps to absorb it better.

What was your iron levels at? Mine were 9.7 and are now at 11.5 after being on iron tablets x2, I was feeling quite shaky and tired/out of breath before they kicked in- it took about 3/4 days and I felt a lot better. As someone else has said - take them with orange juice, avoid milky drinks near to taking them and also gaviscon/rennie.

I'm the same (28 weeks). Is your B12 level ok? Mine was very low and it looks like I have Pernicious Anaemia so have to have B12 injections.

Thanks for the advice and support everyone. My b12 are fine, folate on the lower end but within range. Hb and ferritin both under about 10/15% what they should be. I also have enlarged blood cell size and low red blood cell count. So I don't think it's extreme on paper... Just feels it.

Had a couple of episodes where I've woken from sleep with my pulse racing, nearly fainted and then vomited everywhere. Nice.

Crazy tho because for the past few werks (suspecting anemia) I've made an effort to eat iron rich foods (red meat a go go) and my diet is filled with folate because other half is veggie and we always eat pulses...hmmm.
My diet was way worse last time and I had non of this rubbish. I was 6 years younger I suppose....

Once it is depleted, it takes a lot to replenish. Hope you feel better soon but any worrying symptoms, get yourself checked out, no one would want you to be at risk.

@SeatOfMyPants I suffer with acute anemia so completely understand how you feel . I am 34 years old and I have had it pretty much all my life . It's only in the last year or two that the doctors gave realised that I don't absorb the iron tablets through my stomach so it's a pretty useless way for me to up my iron .

Once iron is depleted it takes quite a few months to up even either a good diet and tablets .

A blood transfusion would be a last resort because it's only a quick fix which would be a very short term solution . You will feel great instantly but it doesn't stay in your system long enough

The best solution I found was a monofer transfusion which you can only get in the third trimester . It is an iron infusion straight to your veins and takes about an hour . It will take about a week to ten days for you to gradually feel better day by day and then you will feel like a new person and it stays in your system much much longer .

Because my anemia is so bad I have it every 3 to 4 months pre pregnancy.

The anemia has contributed so much to my severe anxiety , depression and OCD . I get heart palpitations , dizzy , heart racing etc etc

I hope this helps x

Oh Op, I feel your pain. I asked for blood tests at 23 weeks because I felt so crap, I've had anaemia before and knew all the symptoms but I was told I was a good colour and refused. I had my 28 week bloods done at hospital and they phoned the next day to tell me to get to GP for iron tablets. My HB was on the low side but not too bad (10.4) but my ferritin levels were 7. I started taking 210mg of ferrous fumerate x 3 a day but my levels haven't improved, mainly as the tablets make me throw up within an hour of taking them. I'm usually fit and healthy, but can't even walk upstairs without being out of breath and my heart pounding through my chest. My mum has to take my dog for a walk and I feel so sorry for my 4 year old during his summer holidays as I'm no fun and all and just counting down the days until he starts school. Even with these symptoms and the fact my levels aren't improving, my consultant will not agree to an iron transfusion as the levels aren't low enough. I'm 36 weeks tomorrow and as much as I can't wait for this pregnancy to be over, I'm dreading labour as I just don't know where I'll find the energy.

@10storeylovesong Unfortunately they really hold back on the iron transfusions . To give you an idea I had to fight for ten years for them to realise the tablets made no difference and my iron level is always at 4 as a general law. You can imagine how I'll I have been feeling for such a long time . I actually started loosing hair last year because of it , a level of 4 Which as you know is basically on the floor they also only give iron infusion in the third trimester

munchkin wow, is 4 your HB level? My MIL was rushed into hospital 3 weeks ago with HB of 6 and given 2 blood transfusions. You must feel terrible, you poor thing.

Yeah, I waited until 3rd trimester to request transfusion as read that only offered around 35-36 weeks. I'm 36 weeks tomorrow and they're still saying no. I'm taking blood thinners as well so risk of blood loss is high, and I'm really worried about my health post labour with a new born and a 4 year old to look after.

I'm not pg, but I am anaemic. The overwhelming fatigue is normal for anaemia and pregnancy I am afraid. 6 weeks ago I could barely stand up, but I have been taking iron sulphate 200mg 3 x day, and am feeling much better, knocking out 30-60 mile bike rides a few times a week. The iron supplements have made a huge difference to me. I hope they kick in for you too - took about 2-3 weeks for me; obviously pg may have an influence too.

@10storeylovesong yea they wanted to rush me in for a blood infusion but then realised that monofer was better for me . It's been an ongoing battle for years but I'm just glad they finally realised that iron tablets I don't absorb through my stomach ( no idea why)

The acute anemia gave me severe hair loss , depression , major anxiety and constantly teary! My hubby deserves medal for putting up with me to be honest lol

All I can say is that it's something you have to keep on at them about cuz it's nothing something to be ignored or sniffed at ! It's a blood condition at the end of the day and you need it to just function normally not to be super human ...

I don't know how I managed doing 11 hour days at work plus looking after my toddler when I was really bad but I didn't know any different . Until I had the monofer infusions I didn't realise just how good I could feel being just normal x

Yep, totally normal. Because Aneamia is very common in pregnant women a lot of people don't realise how crap it can make you feel.

I suffered with it before I was pregnant but I hated iron supplements because they didn't agree with me so always controlled it with my diet for years until I was pregnant.

A few weeks ago I started to suffer extreme exhaustion, dizziness and a general feeling of "not being right" went back to midwife and bloods done again and confirmed I'm anaemia again and midwife said I can't control through diet alone so back on tablets.

I felt that bad that when I went to get my prescription not only did I have to ask the pharmacist what day and month it was when I was signing my prescription, I genuinely had to ask her what YEAR it was I honestly didn't even know what planet I was on.

A few weeks into taking the tablets and I'm much better.

All I can advice is eat healthy, take iron supplements and rest rest rest!

I full time work and usually very social however I have now started to reserve the weekends for relaxing from the working week so doing things like this will help and get help around he house etc.

Xx

but I'm just glad they finally realised that iron tablets I don't absorb through my stomach ( no idea why)

Have you been checked for Coeliac Disease as that stops you absorbing iron orally.

I'm a bit anaemic this pregnancy (10.4 in UK terms) but iron supplements make me vomit and hb is staying stable so not doing anything about it for now but in my last pregnancy I was very anaemic, down to hb of 7 before they gave me a blood transfusion and remember that I felt very weak and generally crap during that time. Felt much better when my hb was back to normal.

Take your iron with orange juice and liquid iron supplements are easier to absorb than pills and make sure you don't have any dairy products or tea (even without milk) within at least an hour (preferably longer) of taking the iron as they inhibit absorbtion.

My levels were on borderline transfusion level but thankfully ferrous fumerate seems to be working for me. I've also been eating iron rich foods and making myself iron rich juices/smoothies - (beetroot, dates, prunes, spinach etc) every morning which I think has helped so I would recommend. Hope you feel better soon.