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Nurse called....I'm anemic...is that worrisome?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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tjf
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 3238
Posted 10/5/2007 9:51 AM (GMT -6)
Hey guys! My GI's nurse finally called me back. My bloodwork from last week showed I was anemic. For now there is nothing I need to do but repeat bloowdwork in a couple of weeks. Would this help explain the exhaustion? Thanks guys! Oh and Happy Friday!
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dakotagirl
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 3402
Posted 10/5/2007 10:00 AM (GMT -6)
I've been anemic a few times. Yuck! Just try to eat things that are high in iron. People always recommend liver cooked in a cast iron skillet! Just the thought of that gives me the heebee-geebees!

Spinach, most fortified cereals, red meat, and I can't think of many more right now. Did they recommend an iron supplement? Did they tell you how low your count was? If not, I'm guessing it isn't super low.

Yes, anemic fatigue is a WHOLE new fatigue. It's like nothing I had ever experienced before! Like someone just zapped my energy and any energy I could possible gather.

Woo hoo for Friday!
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Red_34
Forum Moderator
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 23581
Posted 10/5/2007 10:02 AM (GMT -6)
Are you bleeding? If not, why are you anemic, do you know? And yes, that can definately explain the fatigue. I have had anemia more times then I can count and boy oh boy does that make you tired! Like Dawn said, total energy zapper!
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dakotagirl
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 3402
Posted 10/5/2007 10:04 AM (GMT -6)
I guess I should have asked - how are you losing blood? Was it just that time of the month? If so, then your body will probably build up those stores again by itself.
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tjf
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 3238
Posted 10/5/2007 10:08 AM (GMT -6)
I had just finished my period (which was super light) before the bloodwork. Odd. My levels were not in a range that they said I needed to take supplements yet. Um liver?! YUCK! How about chocolate...ha ha!
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dakotagirl
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 3402
Posted 10/5/2007 10:24 AM (GMT -6)
I think that Coco Puffs is iron fortified!
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expecting226
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 402
Posted 10/5/2007 11:45 AM (GMT -6)
I am/was anemic, too. They think mine started when I had the flare-up earlier on in my pregnancy. The Dr. told me to get over-the-counter iron (Slow-FE), and it has worked. I think it's 42.5 mg once per day. Many, many people get anemia for many, many reasons. Women are especially prone to it.
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tjf
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Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 3238
Posted 10/5/2007 11:55 AM (GMT -6)
Well Coco Puffs it is! Thanks guys...I tend to over worry about everything.
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princesa
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Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 2204
Posted 10/5/2007 12:18 PM (GMT -6)
It can definitely cause you to feel fatigued and washed out. Women have a tendency to become anemic because of menstruation. If you've got active bleeding with your UC, that compounds the situation. Ask your doc about iron IV transfusions and B12 shots... this can get you back on track quickly and you'll feel a whole lot better. Oral iron supplementation causes digestive distress for some IBDers, so the IV route bypasses that.
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tjf
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 3238
Posted 10/5/2007 12:43 PM (GMT -6)
I am not flaring so no UC bleeding. I had to stop taking my multi-vitamin w/ iron because the iron was giving me almost debilitating stomach aches. Thanks for the tips. I'll be sure to bring this all up w/ my gi.
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potty girl
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2006
Posts : 835
Posted 10/5/2007 2:22 PM (GMT -6)
Do you like braunsweiger. It suppose to be good for it.
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princesa
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 2204
Posted 10/5/2007 3:57 PM (GMT -6)
That's good news... if you're not actively bleeding, then your levels shouldn't be getting worse, but if fatigue is really an issue, the iron infusions could make you feel a lot better and help you get back on top of the situation, instead of struggling to compensate with iron in your diet.
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Chloe36
New Member
Joined : Oct 2007
Posts : 11
Posted 10/5/2007 4:32 PM (GMT -6)
Blackstrap molasses... lots of iron in there!
When I was pregnant (both times) I would mix a tablespoon of it into my milk in the morning!
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dakotagirl
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 3402
Posted 10/5/2007 6:39 PM (GMT -6)
Tab - pre-UC, I couldn't take multivitamins with iron because of the stomach aches! Then during the last flare, regular ferrous sulfate gave me the cramps - where in my first flare it didn't. It's super strange how things can change like that!

Apple jacks have lots of iron too!
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Sara14
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 7089
Posted 10/5/2007 8:08 PM (GMT -6)
Frosted Mini-Wheats have 80% of the daily value of iron (and lots of fiber) if I remember correctly. Just in case you get sick of the Cocoa Puffs. =)
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Wiped Out
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 71
Posted 10/5/2007 9:12 PM (GMT -6)

Tabitha,

As you can see below, I'm on some serious iron maintenance and regular checkups.  I have another in about a week. I won't go into what the last year was like only to let you know iron deficiency anemia is nothing to take lightly.  You could be loosing blood occultly and not notice any outward signs.  That is what is so insidious about it.  It happens so slowly, it's just the symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, leg cramps, that concern you until, if you're lucky, a Dr. will order a blood test.  If you're hemaglobin and iron levels are below normal, eating iron rich foods probably won't overcome the source of the problem.  For instance, it takes 10 lbs. of liver to equal the iron in one Ferrous Sulfate tablet!  One tablet a day wouldn't work for me.  I had to begin taking 3 to get out of anemia range.  Hopefully, I can start reducing that shortly but my hematologist said I would most likely have to be on a supplement for the rest of my life.  If you don't have a hematologist, have your GI refer you to one and treat the anemia as seriously as you would UC.  Let us know how you are doing.  Good luck.

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jo's life
Regular Member
Joined : Oct 2006
Posts : 48
Posted 10/7/2007 12:32 AM (GMT -6)
Ive suffered anemia due to uc and had iron injections and been been booked in for an iron infusion. I cant tolerate iron pills as they make me bleed more.

I havent had an iron infusion yet but what Im feeling good on lately is a tonic called Floradix Formula which seems to be a natural iron tonic.  All I can say is I feel better(currently) and seem to have more colour as I go very pale with the anemia.  I take about 10 mls a day and it seems to have no bad affect on the uc whatsoever.  So Ill continue this for as long as I feel good on it.

Anemia sucks and is one of the most difficult things Ive faced with the uc.

I hope you all find whatever works well for you.

Best wishes

Jo

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Another UC wife
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 2111
Posted 10/7/2007 7:40 AM (GMT -6)
Hubby had that real fatigue too. Anemia....he was on 3 iron pills a day and got a B12 shot in Aug and Sept. His most recent labs showed very mild anemia and the iron was on the high side now. Dr had him change from 3 iron pills daily to one pill and to stop the B12. They will re-test the B12 in 3-4 months. The B12 seemed to help with the fatigue factor for him.

I like the suggestion about the coco puffs, apple jacks and frosted mini wheats. Not sure which one he might like to try but some of the other iron food suggestions do not appeal to him at all...especially the liver!

I remember seeing a Dr on TV talking quite awhile back about eating "organ meats". In his opinion he did not think it a wise thing to ingest them. Reason being - he said think about what the function of those organs are. Why would you want to eat them was his feeling.

We were never fans of eating organ type meats anyway....as a kid my Mom would make liver and onions once a month - "good for you" and it was my least favorite meal. I remember kind of holding my breath when I would chew and swallow...lol.
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