Some answers please!!! Very anemic!!?

Question

For the past few months my hemoglobin levels have been rather low.... normally around 10.2 but the past few weeks i have been feeling really really tired and all i want to do is sleep, i a also very lightheaded and dizzy...very dizzy especially when i stand up.... so i had my nursing teacher check my hemoglobin (just the finger stck) and it said 8.6 So just in a month it has dropped a lot!
I do not have heavy periods.....i am not pregnant nor have i notcied blood in my stool! Just feel really tired and dizzy and the past few days i have felt a little short of breath! I have an appointment for a physical in a few weeks so i was going to tell my doctor about it then but i was just wondering what you think i should do!!

What are some ways to check if it is that i have low iron!!!
People keep telling me that i may need a transfusion is this true!!

Oh by the way if this helps i am 17 and i am a female!!

Thanks for all of your help!!!!

Answer 1

First of all, it sounds like you have quite an ordeal and I think that you are brave to go see the doctor and find out. There are many things that can lead to anemia. One, like you said, is a heavy period, but since you don't think that is the case you are probably right. What are your ideas, I wonder? Anyway, other reasons would include the following:

Beta and Alpha thalessemia - Beta thalessemia usually occurs in people of african or meditaranean decent while alpha thalessemia is more prevalent in people of asian descent. But just because you aren't one of these ethnic groups doesn't rule out the possibility of you having it. To diagnose either you need to do a blood test.

Sickle cell anemia is another cause of anemia. This usually occurs in people of african decent, and african american decent. Again a simple blood test can determine this.

Here is a list of short description of other causes to anemia:

Erythropoietin (EPO) deficiency (normocytic anemias)
Renal insufficiency (worse after bilateral nephrectomies)
Pure red cell aplasia due to anti-EPO antibodies (extremely rare)
Anemia of chronic disease (inappropriately low EPO level is a partial contributing factor)

Quantitative deficiency of hematopoietic/erythroid progenitor cells (normocytic anemias)
Idiopathic bone marrow aplasia/hypoplasia
Secondary bone marrow aplasia/hypoplasia (drugs, toxins, infections, radiation, malnutrition)
Myelofibrosis (primary or secondary)
Bone marrow replacement by neoplastic cells (myelophthisis)
Myelodysplasia (minority of myelodysplasia patients)
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (10–15% of PNH patients)
Pure red cell aplasia (anti-erythroid precursor cell antibodies, parvovirus B19 infection)

Impaired erythroid precursor cell division and DNA synthesis (macrocytic/megaloblastic anemias)
Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency
Folate deficiency
Myelodysplasia
Cancer chemotherapeutic drugs and some immunosuppressive and antimicrobial drugs

Impaired heme synthesis in differentiating erythroid cells (microcytic anemias)
Iron deficiency
Anemia of chronic disease/inflammation
Sideroblastic anemias (particularly hereditary forms)

I know that this is alot of information but I hope that it helps out.

Answer 2

Wow, you are pretty thin. If I were you, I would go for blood tests to see how bad it is. It really does sound like symptoms of anemia (dizziness, weakness, tiredness). I am not sure about the cough but either way, you could tackle both by seeing a doctor. What you could for yourself is start eating foods rich in iron and potassium would help alleviate the symptoms you are having if you are anemic. Start eating foods such as broccoli, meat, beans, liver, and bannanas.

Answer 3

first of all, i want to say thank you to the person who posted before me. lots of good information.
now, back to the point. if you are feeling lightheaded, dizzy and short of breath you need to see a doctor right away. your doctor appointment in a few weeks is too far away.
the doctor may suggest a transfusion. depending on exactly what the cause of your anemia is determines what to do from there. you may need iron. there is a blood test to see if you're low on iron.
anyways, hope you get feeling better!

Answer 4

Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. Low hemoglobin is another way of describing a low red blood cell count (anemia). Anemia can have many causes, including:

Vitamin and iron deficiencies
Acute or chronic bleeding
hormone deficiencies such as thyroid hormone or testosterone.
Autoimmune diseases such as Lupus
sie effects of certain medications such as chemotherapy drugs.


Some of the more common reasons are loss of blood (traumatic injury, surgery, bleeding colon cancer), nutritional deficiency (iron, vitamin B12, folate), bone marrow problems (replacement of bone marrow by cancer, suppression by chemotherapy drugs, kidney failure), and abnormal hemoglobin (sickle cell anemia) and dehydration.


Other causes of low hemoglobin includes:

Digestive inflammation (with hidden or obvious blood loss) as might occur with parasites, colitis, hemorrhoids, etc.
Free radical pathology.
Adrenal cortical hypofunction
Hereditary anemia(s)
Hemodilution (pregnancy, edema)
Blood loss (lung, gastrointestinal/hemorrhoids/ulcers/colitis, uterine/menses, in urine via kidneys, hemorrhage)
Deficiency (protein malnutrition, iron, copper, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), folic acid, B12)
Chronic disease (liver, kidney, rheumatoid arthritis, Carcinoid, etc.)
Bone marrow insufficiency (infiltration with tumor or tuberculosis, toxic or drug induced hypoplasia)

Low levels of hemoglobin may be a result of:

Anemia.
Erythropoetin deficiency.
RBC destruction.
Hemorrhaging (bleeding).
Lead poisoning.
Malnutrition.
Iron, folate, vitamin B12 or vitamin B6 deficiency.
Overhydration.


Normal levels:
Hemoglobin is measured in grams per deciliter of blood. The normal levels are:

Women: 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dl
Men: 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dl
Children: 11 to 16 g/dl
Pregnant women: 11 to 12 g/dl


Symptoms of dizziness, and lightheaded and SOB are indicative of Anemia. CBC ( complete blood count) should be done to evaluate the cause of your anemia

normal iron levels:

Iron: 60-170 mcg/dl
TIBC: 240-450 mcg/dl
Transferrin saturation: 20-50%
Note: mcg/dl = micrograms per deciliter