low iron/anemia

Puppy · 25th August 2007, 10:01am

So having been told my ferritin (iron) levels are low, I'm away to make changes to my diet and take an iron supplement in the meantime. Changes to diet include swapping soy mil for dairy, no tea with meals and no more diet coke for a good while now. Im fine on the sources of iron, leafy green veggies and the like...

I have to speak to the docs on Thursday anyway as thats when my phone consultation is, but in the meantime would anyone know how long it would take to feel/notice a difference in the iron levels?

By this I mean in the absence of blood testing, how long it would be before I started feeling less tired?

I know I've probably not explained this very well, and I shall ask the doctor on Thursday too, but was just wondering.

Thank you.

Westy · 25th August 2007, 10:03am

I'm anemic and feel knackered a lot of the time. I didn't notice a difference when I started my iron and folic acid tablets. I was still knackered aw the time. So I don't bother my arse taking them anymore. It's managable.

bikuki · 25th August 2007, 10:04am

It's really really rare for anaemia to be due to diet alone - is there any reason you would be losing more blood that normal?

I'm not sure how quickly you'd feel the difference, but make sure that if you don't feel better pretty quickly that investigations are being carried out to source any excess blood loss that might be the real cause.

Puppy · 25th August 2007, 10:34am

No blood loss that I can see. No nosebleeds etc, I have PCOS and no periods much less heavy ones so no idea.

My dad had consistent B12 deficiency when he was alive and I've had it a few times, so I'm going to ask the doctor if she's tested for this B12 this time round. I'd assume that she would but I'm going to check anyway.

Just went and got a supplement with 24mg of iron per 10ml, Seven Seas stuff, so I'll take that and see how I get on til Thursday. It's not too unpleasant actually. Like orange drink concentrate

bikuki · 25th August 2007, 10:41am

Aye, a B12 deficiency would probably explain it.

Fenntastic · 26th August 2007, 10:37am

ive been anaemic twice before, the first time pretty seriously, and i would say it'll take atleast a couple of weeks before you really notice feeling less tired....
also 600mg of iron a day makes you feel like you might start to rust....

OH OH! my doc said i should get an iron bottomed frying pan and pot so when i was cooking some of the iron from the pot would go into the food.

Pantgirl · 26th August 2007, 11:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikuki

It's really really rare for anaemia to be due to diet alone - is there any reason you would be losing more blood that normal?

I'm not sure how quickly you'd feel the difference, but make sure that if you don't feel better pretty quickly that investigations are being carried out to source any excess blood loss that might be the real cause.

Anaemia doesn't necessarily mean a loss of blood inside the body eg an internal harmorrhage of sorts. Anaemia basically means lack of RBCs/Haemoglobin. ANaemia can be harmorrhagic, haemolytic and lack of haematopoeisis.

softparody · 26th August 2007, 2:31pm

I'm anaemic too, and got a bastard load of tablets from the doctor but I was really bad at taking them, but I've just started going back on them now. When I got them the first time round, she put me on one a day and I really didn't notice much of a difference. I felt a bit brighter after a couple of weeks but not really any different. I went back a wee while later and she put me on three a day and that was the time I was bad at taking them, but I was good at first and noticed a difference after about 3 weeks.

I think it just depends how bad you are to be honest. Getting yourself into a regular sleeping pattern will help alot too. Since I started working I've noticed an improvement on how I feel because I've been eating better and around the same time, and I've got a better sleep schedule.

Sarah xx

Fenntastic · 26th August 2007, 3:41pm

a bastard load of what tablets? you'll just get iron tablets if its just anaemia....

bikuki · 26th August 2007, 3:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pantgirl

Anaemia doesn't necessarily mean a loss of blood inside the body eg an internal harmorrhage of sorts. Anaemia basically means lack of RBCs/Haemoglobin. ANaemia can be harmorrhagic, haemolytic and lack of haematopoeisis.

Umn, I know what anaemia is. The most common reason for iron deficient anaemia is blood loss, usually due to heavy periods in young women, and GI bleeds in older people, which is why I asked about blood loss. The actual reason for anaemia is very commonly missed as the GP usually assumes it to be dietry related, whereas this is rarely the case (you can tell I've been spending too much time around hospital doctors - I have never heard so much hate between members of the same profession in my life!). B12 deficiency is also a cause of anaemia, due to insufficient erythropoesis.
In short, it's usually best to look for horses when you hear hooves.

**LesMTS** · 26th August 2007, 3:58pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikuki

In short, it's usually best to look for horses when you hear hooves.

Depends how fast and numerous the hooves sound.
If it sounds like an angry equine stampede its probably best not to look for horses.

bikuki · 26th August 2007, 4:01pm

Going by that logic it's best not to look at all...

softparody · 26th August 2007, 4:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenntastic

a bastard load of what tablets? you'll just get iron tablets if its just anaemia....

I thought that was kind of obvious, which is why I said tablets, as opposed to iron tablet, because I thought people would know what I meant.

Sarah xx

Fenntastic · 26th August 2007, 4:50pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikuki

In short, it's usually best to look for horses when you hear hooves.

see, nopw you would think that but i swear i heard hooves earlier but when i looked out i couldnt see anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by softparody

I thought that was kind of obvious, which is why I said tablets, as opposed to iron tablet, because I thought people would know what I meant.

Sarah xx

'a bastard load' gives the impression of lots of tablets. the most i have ever been put on is 3 200mg a day, and that was when i could barely get out of bed and had the blood of an old lady.