Low Iron, what are the risks?!
Question: Low Iron, what are the risks!?
I went to donate blood about a month back, and they said i couldnt because my iron was too low!. they referred me to a GP who then did a full blood test, and i got my results back the other day!. basically my iron level is suppose to be atleast at 10, and mine is at 4!.
the doctor has said i need to give her 'samples' to test for the nxt three days to see if im losing blood!. and also gave me a prescription for iron tablets!.
my diet hasnt changed in the past 5 months and i have never had low iron when donating before, what are some things that may result from me having low iron!? should i be worried, or would the doctor have seemed more urgent about it all!?
any information would be great!. thanx!Www@Answer-Health@Com
the doctor has said i need to give her 'samples' to test for the nxt three days to see if im losing blood!. and also gave me a prescription for iron tablets!.
my diet hasnt changed in the past 5 months and i have never had low iron when donating before, what are some things that may result from me having low iron!? should i be worried, or would the doctor have seemed more urgent about it all!?
any information would be great!. thanx!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
The same thing happened to me!. At first I wasn't worried because I thought it was just from lack of eating properly the day before and the day of the donation!. Then I took it more seriously after the doctor gave me my levels!. I think mine was about 3!.2!. I was tired all the time!. I would sleep and still be exhausted so I would nap every two to three hours be up for a while and then have to lay back down!. I was also very dizzy and had trouble concentrating!.
In my case my anemia was due to lack of iron absorption!. I had to get an iron iv, because taking the iron pills didn't help me any!. This is rare, so don't worry!. Some other symptoms to look out for are headaches, insomnia, easily brusing (which is my quickest way to tell when my levels are dropping - I get big dark bruises from the littlest amount of force and then they last a long time)!. To this day I still cannot donate blood because the doctors fear my levels may drop again!. You should be okay when you get back up to 6 - 7, and "normal" in the range of 10-12!. But once the red cross has your number, they call every week =) They need that blood!!
You may find these webmd articles helpful!. They tell you what to look for, how it occurs and what you can do!. I know they gave me some good information and calmed my nerves!. http://www!.webmd!.com/a-to-z-guides/under!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
In my case my anemia was due to lack of iron absorption!. I had to get an iron iv, because taking the iron pills didn't help me any!. This is rare, so don't worry!. Some other symptoms to look out for are headaches, insomnia, easily brusing (which is my quickest way to tell when my levels are dropping - I get big dark bruises from the littlest amount of force and then they last a long time)!. To this day I still cannot donate blood because the doctors fear my levels may drop again!. You should be okay when you get back up to 6 - 7, and "normal" in the range of 10-12!. But once the red cross has your number, they call every week =) They need that blood!!
You may find these webmd articles helpful!. They tell you what to look for, how it occurs and what you can do!. I know they gave me some good information and calmed my nerves!. http://www!.webmd!.com/a-to-z-guides/under!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Your doctor would be more concerned if it was a serious issue!. The biggest things you need to watch out for are dizzy spells, blacking out, and passing out!. Iron pills are definitely recommended, and not only is donating blood extremely bad for you, you are not doing anyone any favors by giving them your blood!. Your blood cannot even sustain you, much less them!. People in need of blood need "good" blood, which you cannot give them!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
If I remember, and that was a very long time ago, when I was pregnant, the doctor prescribed an iron pill!. You may want to check with a pharmacist and see what it is and if would help you or if there is an over the counter medication you can take!. This is just a suggestion if you want to try something else!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Anaemia will limit the amount of oxygen your blood is able to carry round your body!. This will generally just make you feel more tired or breathless, but your heart will also be working harder!.
Eat more red meat and/or take tablets!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Eat more red meat and/or take tablets!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
i know this all too much!. i came home from school one day and ,my father told me i had to take 8 iron tablets a day!. now keep in mind that i am egyptian i am coptic orothodox!. and in our religion we fast for 200 days out the year where we are basically vegan!. but aside fromt that most middle easterns and north africans suffer from anemia its not as severe as sickle cell anemia which can be found in south africans!. now also my mother has been anemic ever since she could remeber!. anemia is a low iron deficiency in which the red blood cells are not viable enough to produce an abundent amout of hemoglobin to circulate oxygen!. therefore the iron supplements!. also another risk is that the red blood cell count is low and the white blood cell is high!.
something that i am able to do is take a ton of other vitmins along wiht iron!. do not drink anything with caffiene as it will constirct the blood vessels and viens from distrubuting oxygen!. taking vitamin c will also help the iron supplement to produce faster in your body!. i also take fish oil tablets to help my cariovascular system which a great asset!. also i ahve had to alter my diet quit dramatically since i began fasting!.now also in our religion it is not required to fast it is more or less a spiritual choice that one has the option to do or not!. but since i have decided to do so!. in our culture we eat alot of green rich foods!. dark leafy vegetabes a ton of beans!.!. things you hear of quit often!. also a ton of protien!.!. not alot of redmeat but alot of fish and lean turkey or chicken!. also getting enough sleep will do some good!. you will often get tired or dizzy many times so make sure to keep your body on a good schedule go to bed early wake up early and schedule your meals also drink ppppppppppppppppppppppppplenty of water i cannot stress that enough!. it is possible to dehydrate yourself when drinking water or green tea beacuse it wahses out your system but regardless of that it is best to do so anyway!. also you can eat liver!.!.!. now i personally donot like liver but my mother lovesit and eats it quit often due to the fact that its rich in iron!.
i hoped all this helped!.!. and i hope it works out well!. and your doctor was right in acting so urgent!. but again do not be surprised about anything!.!. you just hve to take it as it comes!. best of luckWww@Answer-Health@Com
something that i am able to do is take a ton of other vitmins along wiht iron!. do not drink anything with caffiene as it will constirct the blood vessels and viens from distrubuting oxygen!. taking vitamin c will also help the iron supplement to produce faster in your body!. i also take fish oil tablets to help my cariovascular system which a great asset!. also i ahve had to alter my diet quit dramatically since i began fasting!.now also in our religion it is not required to fast it is more or less a spiritual choice that one has the option to do or not!. but since i have decided to do so!. in our culture we eat alot of green rich foods!. dark leafy vegetabes a ton of beans!.!. things you hear of quit often!. also a ton of protien!.!. not alot of redmeat but alot of fish and lean turkey or chicken!. also getting enough sleep will do some good!. you will often get tired or dizzy many times so make sure to keep your body on a good schedule go to bed early wake up early and schedule your meals also drink ppppppppppppppppppppppppplenty of water i cannot stress that enough!. it is possible to dehydrate yourself when drinking water or green tea beacuse it wahses out your system but regardless of that it is best to do so anyway!. also you can eat liver!.!.!. now i personally donot like liver but my mother lovesit and eats it quit often due to the fact that its rich in iron!.
i hoped all this helped!.!. and i hope it works out well!. and your doctor was right in acting so urgent!. but again do not be surprised about anything!.!. you just hve to take it as it comes!. best of luckWww@Answer-Health@Com