aniemia and weight loss?

Question

i am 37 and have been suffering with pains in my arms, it feels like deep bone pain, worse at night, i put it down to having 5 children and wear and tear over the years. i went to my gp as was noticing i was feeling unwell tired and losing weight, my weight is usually 9st 2. i now weigh 7st12, which is quite low for me. my doctors done some blood tests and my iron count was 7. so she has given me some iron tablets. im really worried as dont understand how its become so low as i dont have heavy periods at all. has anyone got similar symptons would relly help if anyone knows anything to put my mind at rest. I have to go back in 2 wks for my iron level to be checked again to see if it goes up.

Answer 1

Iron Deficiency Anemia (also called IDA) is a condition where a person has inadequate amounts of iron to meet body demands. It is a decrease in the amount of red cells in the blood caused by having too little iron.


Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men are iron deficient.


What is Iron?

Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the oxygen -carrying pigment in the blood. Iron is normally obtained through the food in the diet.


What Causes Iron Deficiency Anemia?

The main causes of iron deficiency are:: poor absorption of iron by the body (Vitamin C aids in iron absorption), inadequate daily intake of iron, pregnancy, growth spurts or blood loss. Blood loss can be acute as in hemorrhage or trauma or long term as in heavy menstruation


Anemia develops slowly after the normal stores of iron have been depleted in the body and in the bone marrow. Women, in general, have smaller stores of iron than men. Women also lose iron more frequently than men because of the blood loss during menstruation.

In men and postmenopausal women, anemia is usually due to gastrointestinal blood loss associated with ulcers, the use of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), or colon cancer.

Gaucher Disease may also cause anemia.

Am I at Risk for Iron Deficiency Anemia?

High-risk groups include: women of child-bearing age who have blood loss through menstruation; pregnant or lactating women who have an increased requirement for iron; infants, children, and adolescents in rapid growth phases; and people with a poor dietary intake of iron through a diet of little or no meat or eggs for several years. Risk factors related to blood loss are peptic ulcer disease, long term aspirin use, or colon cancer.

Vegetarians are at risk of developing anemia. This usually occurs because they don't eat meat, (especially red meat) which is high in iron. However, vegetarians don't always develop anemia. There are many vegetables that contain iron (such as broccoli and spinach).

Can Anemia be Prevented?

Yes. If your diet is high in iron, you probably won't be anemic. Iron can be found in red meat, liver, raisins, spinach, broccoli, and egg yolks.

What are the Symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia?

There are many symptoms of anemia. Each individual will not experience all the symptoms and if the anemia is mild, the symptoms may not be noticeable. Some of the symptoms are: Pale skin color, fatigue, irritability, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, sore tongue, brittle nails, decreased appetite (especially in children), headache - frontal.Some people with iron deficiency anemia always feel cold. They feel cold because iron plays a role in regulating the body's temperature


How will I know if I'm Anemic?

If you believe you may be anemic, ask your doctor and he will perform some tests. The tests are simple. Some of the tests are: red blood cell measures of hemocrit and hemoglobin; size of red blood cells, serum iron level, and iron binding capacity in the blood.


You tire easily because your body is starved for oxygen. Iron is also part of myoglobin. Myoglobin helps muscle cells store oxygen. Without enough iron, the body's fuel cannot be properly synthesized


Because of the symptoms of joint pains and bone pains that you describe- ,along with the other symptoms of anemia; such as fatigue and weakness; I strongly suspect that you have : Sickle cell- Anemia I have taken care of a lot of patients with sickle cell anemia and in crisis. They c/o so much pains. Your weight loss is due to decreased appetite.


What is Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle Cell is an inherited, chronic blood disease where the red blood cells become crescent shaped and function abnormally. When the blood cells become cresent/sickle shaped, they are unable to deliver adequate amounts of oxygen to other cells. The Sickle Cell Disease results in anemia (low blood counts), episodes of pain and increased susceptibility to infections.


Sickle Cell produces a chronic anemia which may become life-threatening when hemolytic crises (the breakdown of red blood cells) or aplastic crises (bone marrow fails to produce blood cells) occur. If repeated crises occurs, damage of the kidneys, lungs, bone, liver, and central nervous system may result. Occasionaly, acute painful episodes may occur. These acute episodes may last hours to days affecting the bones of the back, the long bones, and the chest.


What makes the red blood cell become a sickle shape?

"Bad" Hemoglobin causes the red blood cell to develop a sickle shape. "Bad" hemoglobin is hemoglobin that contains a rod shaped substance. The red blood cell develops the sickle shape when it attaches itself to the "bad" hemoglobin. The red blood cells have a normal shape until they attach themselves to a "bad" hemoglobin.

Sickling of the red blood cells in persons with sickle cell results in cells of abnormal shape and flexibility. The sickling is promoted by conditions which are associated with low oxygen levels, increased acidity, or low volume (dehydration) of the blood. These conditions can occur as a result of injury to the body’s tissues, dehydrating states, or anesthesia.

How do you get Sickle Cell?

Sickle cell is inherited from your parents. It occurs in people who have inherited the gene hemoglobin S from both parents. In order to inherit the disease from your parents, each parent must be a carrier for the sickle cell trait. You can also inherit sickle cell anemia if one of your parents is a carrier for the trait and the other parent has sickle cell.


Sickle Cell cannot be "caught" by touching someone who has it. It can only be inherited from your parents. If you have Sickle Cell Anemia, you are born with it. It will not go away.

Symptoms of Sickle Cell?


There are many symptoms for sickle cell. Individuals with sickle cell may not experience all of these symptoms. The symptoms include: family history of sickle cell anemia, fatigue, breathlessness, rapid heart rate, delayed growth and puberty, susceptibility to infections ulcers on the lower legs (in adolescents and adults) jaundice, attacks of abdominal pain, weakness, joint pain, fever, vomiting, bloody (hematuria) urination, excessive thirst, excessive penis pain, priapism, chest pain and decreased fertility.


Symptoms may not appear until 4 months after birth and are most severe during an acute episode.


Is Sickle Cell Found only in African Americans?

No. Although African Americans have a high occurence of Sickle Cell, many other nationalities suffer from the disease.

Can I be tested for Sickle Cell?

You can be tested for sickle cell. Your doctor can perform a simple blood test called the hemoglobin electrophoresis to determine whether you are a carrier for sickle cell or have sickle cell. This test can also be done at a local sickle cell foundation.

Sickle Cell Statistics

1 out of 400 African Americans has sickle cell
Sickle Cell affects 8 out of 100,000 people

Pls note the following facts:

Too much iron may cause Iron overload or Hemochromatosis
Iron is nature's way rusting agent and excess levels of iron in our bodies is one of the most potent ways that the body becomes oxidized or prematurely aged. Excess iron is not readily excreted thru our body's usual excretory routes of urine, bile or sweat.

Normal
Iron:
(mug/dL) 60-180
(mumol/L) 11-32

Hereditary chromatosis
mug/dL 180-300
mumol/L 32-54

Normal- Transferrin saturation (%) 20-50
Hereditary chromatosis 55-100

Normal - Ferritin:
Males (ng/mL; mug/L) 20-200
Females (ng/mL; mug/L) 15-150

Hereditary chromatosis-
Male-300-3000
Females-250-3000

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I always suffered aniemia till when I was 21 I changed my diet and lifestly: stop smoking and stop meat of all kinds.
The real factor was that I included whole meal, like brow rice and brown bread every day, lentils, mungdahl, beans (all cooked at home).
I took pure red grape juice and cheak peas and water cress a lot in the beginning.
The iron tablets never worked for me and i doubt it really works for anyone.
Another idea that I follow everyday, is to make vegetable and fruits juices . How can we eat our 5 vegetable/fruit day recomended? I never could, since I don't like fruits and when we cook the vegetables, they simply die, lost all or most of its nutrients and minerals. So, instead I "drink" the fruits, I "drink" the vegetables. Try it. Drink a home made of 3 carrot juice, you will find your body full of energy imediataly!
Since I don't like carrots, I mix it with an apple, but don't ever mix others vegetables with fruits or many fruits with others types.
Since 15 years ago I stopped being aniemic after I became vegetarian and eat wholemeal food and recently I introduce juices and the juices goes nice with yourgurt, oats, honney (don't keep sugar at home, it is junk and very bad).
So buy a good juicer, many vegetables, fruits , oats (pure), etc and if you consider to have an opinion of a doctor that understand about health, consult a Chinese doctor. Good luck.

Answer 4

I,ve got you beat! my Iron was at a 5, not that Im proud, I,ve lived with being anemic for many years, and I know what your feeling. Mine is due to heavy periods, I know you mentioned you dont have heavy periods but when we start aging and you say your 37, we tend to lose more iron and require more iron then when we were younger. You say you dont have heavy periods? How heavy are they? I did,nt think mine were heavy either, but according to my doctor it was enough to cause anemia, so while you may not think they are, it might just be enough to cause anemia, and you add to it your diet and genetic,s and bam, you are anemic. This is not a life or death situation, lots of women are amemic, the answer and cure lies in a vitamin called iron, take them they work. P.S dont listen to this prior person regarding sickle cell anemia, If you had this your doctor would have found out within seconds of your blood test, and no person with sickle cell would be at a 7 count with iron, this is more common in the African American community, and even if you are African American like I said, you are at a 7 count that makes you slightly aneimic.

Answer 5

All i can say is ask a lot of questions and demand a lot of tests... get yourself completely checked over, weight loss and aniemia are not a good combination, best to be completely sure its nothing serious, good luck xxx

Answer 6

Go for protein as opposed to sugar to keep energy levels going strong rather than crashing. Edamame in pods would be the perfect snack since it takes time to eat and a one-cup serving offers 12 grams of necessary protein.

Answer 7

Go for protein as opposed to sugar to keep energy levels going strong as opposed to crashing. Edamame in pods would be the perfect snack since it takes a little while to eat and a one-cup providing offers 12 grams of healthy proteins.

Answer 8

has your doctor done a thyroid test this is on the increase feeling tired and drained no real drive pain in arms could be down to low calcium as well go back to GP and ask for thyroid test this is what i found out i had similar symptoms
good luck

Answer 9

I suffer from anaemia and my GP gave me iron tablets and also advised eating red meat and vegetables rich in iron. Anaemia can be caused by bad diet, stress, fatigue and generally over doing things. Take your GP`s advice and slow down making time for yourself and plan out a daily iron filled diet.

Answer 10

Sleeping will effect your blody weight so get enough sleep to looss your weight

Answer 11

Fruits. Bananas are my favorite. btw did you know that tomatoes are the #1 selling fruits? true beans