Iron deficiency anemia or something more serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thyroid is ok?

OP here. My doctor didn’t mention anything about my thyroid to me. But it looks like my numbers may be on the lower side of normal? Perhaps something to watch?

My T4: 0.9 ng/dL
Normal range: 0.9-1.7 ng/dL

My TSH: 0.61 uIU/mL
Normal range: 0.27 - 4.20 uIU/mL

I think you want these numbers to be low. They look fine to me.

Anemia causes terrible symptoms.

[Anonymous]

You should get an EGD and colonoscopy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what was the treatment recommended for your anemia? Have you started it yet?

What further testing is planned to search for the cause of the anemia?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment or further testing planned yet. My doctor that I LOVED left the practice and I’m stuck with someone else. He is not on as on top of things as I would like. He wrote “labs show iron deficiency anemia” on my portal. I called the office to ask what my next step should be. Like, should I schedule an appointment, should I take iron pills, do I need an iron infusion, should I think about scheduling a colonoscopy!? I reiterated just how miserable I feel and that I would appreciate a call back soon. I’m still waiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An iron deficiency can definitely make you feel awful! I was shocked at how much better I felt and how quickly supplements worked. It was no joke.

+100 I couldn't walk well or get up stairs OP it's not a joke, take the pills they take a long time to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was recently diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. I feel AWFUL all of the time. I have absolutely NO energy. I got tons of blood work done, and that’s all they came up with. However, I’m convinced they are missing something. I just can’t believe anything other than cancer or a life-threatening illness could make me feel so terrible. Is it typical for iron deficient anemia to cause severe symptoms? If I had cancer would it have shown up on my blood work?

What are your symptoms op? And yes anemia makes you feel half-dead most of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should get an EGD and colonoscopy

No not if she has heavy bleeding during her periods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start taking supplements daily. And see ghost you feel. You should feel better in a week of taking iron. (Maybe not 100% better, but substantially better. ). If you still feel the same after daily supplements get further testing.

For further testing, have you had a sleep study?

Why would she need a sleep study????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what was the treatment recommended for your anemia? Have you started it yet?

What further testing is planned to search for the cause of the anemia?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment or further testing planned yet. My doctor that I LOVED left the practice and I’m stuck with someone else. He is not on as on top of things as I would like. He wrote “labs show iron deficiency anemia” on my portal. I called the office to ask what my next step should be. Like, should I schedule an appointment, should I take iron pills, do I need an iron infusion, should I think about scheduling a colonoscopy!? I reiterated just how miserable I feel and that I would appreciate a call back soon. I’m still waiting.

This was me about three years ago. My treatment plan involved seeing an oncologist to supervise blood transfusions. Every few weeks I would go in for a blood draw and the docs would decide what kind of iron transfusions and how many. After about 8 transfusions I was back to normal. But I still see an oncologist every 20 weeks for a blood draw and check

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should get an EGD and colonoscopy

No not if she has heavy bleeding during her periods.

Have worked in hem-onc and GI and we do this to women all of the time. It can be both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what was the treatment recommended for your anemia? Have you started it yet?

What further testing is planned to search for the cause of the anemia?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment or further testing planned yet. My doctor that I LOVED left the practice and I’m stuck with someone else. He is not on as on top of things as I would like. He wrote “labs show iron deficiency anemia” on my portal. I called the office to ask what my next step should be. Like, should I schedule an appointment, should I take iron pills, do I need an iron infusion, should I think about scheduling a colonoscopy!? I reiterated just how miserable I feel and that I would appreciate a call back soon. I’m still waiting.

if you can’t get an appointment asap with a hematologist, go to the ER and get a blood transfusion with iron infusion. You will feel better in days. I know I’m just someone on the internet but went through this same exact thing. At a minute, take the bone builder iron supplements.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I do have GI issues, so maybe absorption is an issue. My MCHC levels are also very low— I’ve read that could be a sign of poor absorption. I also just had a baby in March.

[Anonymous]

I have been chasing down the cause of my anemia, or my docs have. My colonoscopy was moved up and I also had an EGD. That turned up stomach inflammation and an h. pylori infection. I had no symptoms other than decreased appetite.

[Anonymous]

Copy and paste your exact iron labs so I can see. Depending on how low you may need infusions and colonoscopy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make dure you are up to date on your colonoscopies.

This. And if you’re under 45 I’d ask for one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what was the treatment recommended for your anemia? Have you started it yet?

What further testing is planned to search for the cause of the anemia?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment or further testing planned yet. My doctor that I LOVED left the practice and I’m stuck with someone else. He is not on as on top of things as I would like. He wrote “labs show iron deficiency anemia” on my portal. I called the office to ask what my next step should be. Like, should I schedule an appointment, should I take iron pills, do I need an iron infusion, should I think about scheduling a colonoscopy!? I reiterated just how miserable I feel and that I would appreciate a call back soon. I’m still waiting.

if you can’t get an appointment asap with a hematologist, go to the ER and get a blood transfusion with iron infusion. You will feel better in days. I know I’m just someone on the internet but went through this same exact thing. At a minute, take the bone builder iron supplements.

You can’t get a transfusion unless your Hgb is less than 7. Start oral iron every other day and try to sort out either where the blood is leaking or why you’re not absorbing iron. MCHC and iron go together. Some insurances won’t cover iron if your numbers aren’t low enough. Recommend either hematology or gastroenterology as first stop.