Iron deficiency anemia

[Gail]

Has any one ever been diagnosed as having iron defieciency anemia? This will be a new dx for me.

[PamelaRose]

I was anemic with each pregnancy. Since I couldn't tolerate iron supplements, we just kept an eye on it with frequent blood checks, and then after delivery made sure I got my levels back up. The only time it was a problem was when I lost blood during delivery with my last baby; I had to take a lot of iron and had no energy after that, and I struggled with breastfeeding. But my hemoglobin was back up within normal range by my 6-week postpartum check, so good food and resting with baby definitely helped.

[IslandDreamer]

I struggled with anemia after miscarrying Hope, but never before in my entire life...including HG pgs.

[nomore]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with this when I hit puberty and started getting my period (which apparently is not super uncommon). I tested "normal" again after 2/3 years and again was diagnosed in pregnancy. I hear its not super uncommon then either, epsecially if you have HG, since the baby takes EVERYTHING from you

I was put on iron again after delivery of my DD. I took it for about 3 months, and finally couldnt take the side effects from the iron anymore. I have not be retested since, but I also take a prenatal with iron (food based), which is MUCH easier on my tummy.

Ive never been overly worried about this. Amenia does make you very tired. Not pregnant, I try to make sure I eat iron rich foods (IE: brocilli, dark green veggies, some red meat, etc).

Good luck

Robin

[chichie]

When I was hospitalized for HG they told me I had a slight anemia, this is all I know they gave me pills of iron by of course I threw them, what a surprise...

[Gail]

Thank you everyone for responding. I'm not sure if this is what's wrong w/ me or not. They did a bone marrow biopsy b/c there were other things going on besides my low iron levels. I started out w/ an extremely heavy period that lasted for over a week. When I had my blood drawn, things didn't look to good. My blood counts were all low. I had a platelet transfusion and 2 blood transfusions. I know what they're looking for w/ the biopsy, but I'm hoping for the best. While in the hospital, I had high doses of iv premerin to stop my bleeding. It worked but it was like being pg all over again. The nausea was just as severe. Now I have to double up on BC pills, so I don't get my period again for awhile, and take iron pills three times a day. I feel like crap these days and waiting for the test results is torture. I was planning on ttc this summer but it looks like that may be off for now, possibly ever.

[emily]

Hi Gail,

I have thalessemia anemia (type II). It is a GENETIC anemia. It might be worth looking into since it causes my blood counts to come up VERY low as well, but no amount of iron in the world will cure it. In fact, I had two great aunts who died in the 40s from iron poisioning from the doctors who didn't know any better at the time.

Emily

[PamelaRose]

I'm so sorry you're going through this, Gail! It sounds horrible. I hope they can figure out what's going on and get it under control soon. I was wondering if I'd missed that you were expecting, but now I understand. Hope you're soon able to go ahead with baby plans. Good luck!

[mammaclare]

Another common missed diagnosis with very low iron stores (this is part of what they will look for in the marrow) is celiac disease. There is a simple blood test for it and then some docs want a large intestine biopsy to confirm. It is basically an "allergy" to gluten (in wheat and alot of other things) and your body loses the ability to absorb nutrients.

If nothing else comes up, I would bring it to the docs attention--especially if you have ever had bouts of diarrhea, constipation, tummy bloat (not PG of course!), etc.

[Gail]

Thanks guy's. I'm on my way to my appt now, so we'll see. The Dr. sounded hopeful it was just iron defiecency anemia, the biopsy was just a precaution.
I was wondering how many other hg'ers have iron defieciency as well. A friend at work, prior to being pg, has it as well. Was just wondering if there was a link

[Lil7Deb]

I was severely anemic with my first pregnancy. I wonder though if it's more of a by product of not being able to eat.

Hopefully if it's an anemia problem you can handle the Iron supplements. I did very well with mine, they tasted like chocolate!

[Gail]

It turns out that I am severly iron deficient. The Dr. believes that this may have initally have ocurred when I was pg last yr and then had the m/c. After the m/c I also bled alot, so that didn't help matters either. So 1 yr's worth of periods later and I was close to death. They're still not sure why my platlets were low, thought it might have been a response to the severe anemia. Now I have to take high doses of bc pills so I don't have another period until my platelets are higher, (so I don't almost bleed to death again) and take iron pills 3 times a day. It's almost like being pg again, constant nausea and constipation

[IslandDreamer]

Hi Gail,

Glad you have an answer and a solution. Sorry you have suffered for so long.

Love,
Suzanne

[Jeanne]

I also have iron deficiency anemia,. My counts had gotten so bad that they were giving me weekly iron infusions. Now I have graduated to getting them monthly. I have heavy periods but have had them my entire life so I don't think it is the cause of this now. My counts had looked horrible for more than 6 months with a ferritin of 3. It was when all my counts bottomed out that they finally did something. I still haven't found out the root cause; although I did a capsule endoscopy (where you swallow a camera) and it showed some areas in my duodenum that were healing. We are not sure if that is where the blood loss was coming from. I don't absorb oral iron, because I take antireflux meds which inhibit the absorbption of oral iron supplements. I have had horrible GI trouble since my last HG pregnancy (2001) and am starting to figure things out. Good luck.

[HelenA]

I had an iron deficiency from about half way into my pregnancy, as I was unable to handle any type of pill until at least 25 weeks I was completely shattered, in addition to the HG I pretty much stayed in bed. The first kind of iron tablets they gave me were Ferrous Gluconate 300mg twice a day, I really heaved on them and refused to take them, at 30 weeks they changed it to Ferrous sulphate 200mg three times a day. However if I took all 3 pills I was violently sick, but I could manage one tablet a day if I took it an hour after the phenergan.

[IslandDreamer]

Anemic again with Five (aka Jack). Blah.