Iron Deficiency Anemia

Question: What treatments, drugs, or vitamins would you suggest to someone who has iron-deficiency anemia? What treatments, drugs, or vitamins would you suggest to someone who has iron-deficiency anemia? What would you suggest to someone who has pernicious anemia?

Answer: I have iron-deficient anemia and the nurse told me to stop drinking so much tea (b/c tea blocks iron absorbtion), eat more greens, fish, eggs, take vitamin B12 or iron. not sure about the other.

Question: How do I know if I have iron deficiency anemia? Sometimes I have moments when I get really cold, pale, dizzy, my legs and arms feel heavy, and I feel like I'm going to faint. I suspect it may be iron deficiency anemia but I want to get a second opinion. Any help?

Answer: You are exhibiting most of the signs and symptoms of anemia. but anemia can be caused by several other conditions and not just the iron deficiency. It would be wise to go to your doctor so he can run some blood/lab test to rule out any other problems you have. A family/general practice doctor will be good enough to do this for you. or you can go directly to an internal medicine doctor. try taking some over the counter iron supplements to alleviate your symptoms while you are waiting for the doctor to see you.

Question: people with iron deficiency anemia, how long do they usually live to? I have iron deficiency anemia and i was looking for some research on how long people with iron deficiency would live, im just really curious.

Answer: Iron deficiency anemia isnt usually a factor in mortality. anemia can be easily controlled with diet and iron supplements. i too have anemia...at times pretty low iron (I've had to have iron i.v. infusions)

Question: If not treated, can iron deficiency anemia become life-threatening? I have a mild iron deficiency anemia, but lately I haven't been taking my iron pills and eating food rich in iron. Can it get worse if I keep doing like this?

Answer: Definitely not life threatening but it can get worse.

Question: Can regular Iron Deficiency Anemia be life-threatening? My sister has a bad case of Anemia that she needs iron shots. Iron pills aren't enough to build up the iron level and hemoglobin in her blood. That's how bad it is. I know that Aplastic and Sickel Cell are life-threatening. The Iron Deficiency Anemia I know causes fatigue, listlessness, pallor, shortness of breath, nausea, and lightheadedness. I think it can either cause congestive heart failure or cardiac arrest if not treated. Do you know if it can become really dangerous?

Answer: Has your sister ever had blood transfusions for the anemia? I have had transfusions twice for severe anemia. I have congestive heart failure. Please get her to a doctor immediately if she has these symptoms: Sudden weight gain (three or more pounds in one day, five or more pounds in one week, or whatever amount you were told to report) Shortness of breath not related to exercise or exertion Increases in swelling of the lower limbs (legs or ankles) Swelling or pain in the abdomen Trouble sleeping (waking up short of breath, using more pillows) Frequent dry, hacking cough Increased fatigue More info on the anemia and the heart: Complications Mild iron deficiency anemia usually doesn't cause complications. However, left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can become severe and lead to health problems, including the following: Heart problems. Iron deficiency anemia may lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat. Your heart must pump more blood to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood when you're anemic. In people with coronary artery disease — narrowing of the arteries that feed the heart — unchecked anemia can lead to angina. Angina is chest pain caused by decreased oxygen and blood flow to the heart muscle. Iron deficiency anemia symptoms also may include: Inflammation or soreness of your tongue Brittle nails Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or pure starch Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia Some people with iron deficiency anemia experience restless legs syndrome — an uncomfortable tingling or crawling feeling in your legs that's generally relieved by moving them. Hope this helps :)

Question: Can getting frequent bloody noses cause Iron deficiency anemia ? I get frequent nose bleeds, and I want to know if this causes Iron deficiency anemia? Because I am really unhealthily pale, have dark circles,even though I eat and sleep well. :( BTW please try and avoid a long paragraph on causes of dark circles.

Answer: Yes, you might be anaemic. If you keep losing blood, you might be anaemic and must increase your uptake of iron by eating meat, pills to prevent fatigue/passing out. You're body is prob too heaty. The yin and yang of a person should be balance. Go drink something cooling and stop taking any deep fried food or any fried food for that fact.

Question: I have iron deficiency anemia, what can I eat to feel better? I'd like to know what foods can help me feel better (I already take iron pills). And I drink big amounts of milk and tea, can I keep doing that? Are tea and milk bad for anemia?

Answer: green vegetables,, pomegranate in fruits.. i mean to say u need to eat food high in iron... fish in non veg... go for iron food but also eat pulses pane er curd ..u know make a chart or take help from dietitian in planing what to eat..

Question: Is iron deficiency anemia can be treated just by taking iron supplements like ferrous sulfate? At first, I felt pain on my stomach and suffer it for few days. I thought it's just an ordinary pain until i decided to see a doctor coz after few days i felt so much pain under my right ribs everytime i breath and when i lay down i can't breath. After the blood test we find out that i have anemia. My red blood cells are just 4.31 while the normal for a female is 4.5 - 5.1 and i also need more hemoglibon coz mine is just 8.7 while the normal for female is 12.3 - 14.3 and also hematocrit is 27.1 while the normal is 35.9 - 44.6. I did not go back to my doctor, instead i just take foods rich in iron and vitamins like ferrous sulfate.

Answer: you can bring back ur haemoglobin reading to the noral rate by taking iron supplemen or food reach in iron.. but sometimes they just do not work..because ur baody might be lack in vitamin c which is very important in iron absorbtion. so, uve to take this supplementray also....vitamin k will also help...its important to have ur doctor monitor ur recovery..:)

Question: Suggestions to cure iron deficiency anemia? What should I do to treat my iron deficiency anemia? how long will it take to cure it?

Answer: You need to focus on consuming foods that are rich in iron. Foods that are rich in iron are eggs, liver beef, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, almonds, avocados, beets, blackstrap molasses, dates, dulse, kelp, kidney and lima beans, lentils, millet, peaches, pears, pumpkins and watercress. Also you need to include in your diet apples, apricot, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, leafy greens, okra, parsley, plums, purple grapes, squash, turnip greens and yams. To enhance iron absorption you should also eat foods that are high in vitamin C. Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, collards, grapefruit, lemons, mangoes, onions oranges, papayas, green peas, sweet peppers, persimmons, pineapple, radishes, rose hips, spinach, strawberries, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens and peppermint. Consume at least 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses twice daily. You also need to drink twice per day drink made from green leafy vegetables, carrot, ginger, and lemon juice combined. If you stick closely to this diet, within a month you should start seeing signs of improvement.

Question: Can iron deficiency anemia be causing my headaches? Could chronic daily headaches and/or migraines be caused from iron deficiency?

Answer: Jamie - Yes! Signs/Symptoms During the early stages of anemia symptoms may be lacking; and when they do appear they may be vague and confusing. Among the typical symptoms are abdominal pain, coldness, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, headache, inability to think clearly, irritability, loss of appetite, pale blue whites of the eyes, pale skin, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath during exercise, and weakness. Specific signs of iron deficiency include a strong desire to eat ice, paint, or dirt, and fingernails or toenails that break easily.

Question: Is it possible to develop iron deficiency anemia, without having heavy menstrual periods? Today I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. I can't seem to think of a reason for this, because I don't think I have heavy periods . Can anyone help me?

Answer: Yes. Most women are a little bit anemic because of menstruation. For a woman who is naturally anemic menstruation can make it worse even if it isn't heavy. You just need to get more iron in your diet is all.

Question: Can getting frequent bloddy noses cause Iron deficiency anemia ? I get frequent nose bleeds, and I want to know if this causes Iron deficiency anemia? Because I am really unhealthily pale, have dark circles,even though I eat and sleep well. :(

Answer: I doubt that your nose is bleeding enough to cause iron deficiency anemia. You would have to really be having some major nosebleeds!! However, you should be asking your doctor about the cause of your frequent nose bleeds and of your anemia. They are both treatable conditions. Good luck to you...

Question: What are iron deficiency anemia, pericious anemia, hemolytic anemia, thalassemia, and (continued)? and and sickle cell anemia, and aplastic anemia? Which one results from a deficiency of vitamin B12? Which results from destruction of red bone marrow from a variety in of drugs?

Answer: Pernicious anaemia results from an inability to absorb vitamin B12 from the gut due to a lack of intrinsic factor which is needed to absorb B12 from food. It is a form of megaloblastic anaemia. Sickle cell and thalassaemia result from abnormal amino acid substitutions in the protein chains that make up the haemaglobin molelule. They are both haemaglobinopathies. This results in the decreased lifespan of red cells produced and changes in red cell shape. Haemolytic anaemia results from the increased destruction of red cells. This can be a result of drugs, antibodies to the red cells, hypersplenism etc. Iron deficiency anaemia is caused by lack of iron. Aplastic anaemia results from marrow failure affecting all three cell lines so the red cells, white cells and platelets are all affected.

Question: Best ways to fight iron deficiency anemia? My iron deficiency is killing me day by day and I am so weak. I am vegan. Please tell me some foods/fruits and fluids enriched in iron that I can start eating. Also, is iron deficiency curable or I am gonna have to live with this for whole life. Is it true that iron pills are fake and dont help at all and make you sick? God Bless you

Answer: iron defiency is curable but it may take alot of time for it to be reversed.I have a book that says almost everything about all the vitamins and minerals we need.It says alot anyway for starters if your going to eat something with iron it helps to drink or eat something with vitamin C in it so it can help absorb all the iron possible.But do not overdue iron too much can kill you.Food sources include with iron are: Cream of wheat cereal,cooked,1 cup---10.9mg Lima Beans,fried3 oz--------5.3mg baked potato,with skin ----------2.7mg Broccoli,cooked,1cup-----------1.4mg turnip greens,cooked,1cup----------1.2mg Also if eating iron dont take an antacid it will reduce how much you absorb. Good luck.

Question: How serious can iron deficiency anemia get? Can you end up in the hospital from being really weak from it and dehydrated? Can you pass out? Can jaundice occur with iron deficient anemia? Any answers greatly appreciated.

Answer: Iron deficiency anemia is just one cause of anemia. Yes, it can be severe. It is very important to make sure that iron deficiency is really the cause before you start taking iron supplements. Talk to your dr. Basically - anemia means that your body's red blood cells are unable to carry the correct amount of oxygen to your cells. It can cause all kinds of problems. In general, anemia causes extreme fatigue, pale skin, weakness, shortness of breath, headache, lightheadedness, and often cold hands and feet. Iron deficiency anemia symptoms also may include: Inflammation or soreness of your tongue Brittle nails Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or pure starch Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia Some people with iron deficiency anemia experience restless legs syndrome — an uncomfortable tingling or crawling feeling in your legs that's generally relieved by moving them. If you or your child develops signs and symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia, see your doctor. Initially, iron deficiency anemia can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify. Mild iron deficiency anemia usually doesn't cause complications. However, left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can become severe and lead to health problems, including the following: Heart problems. Iron deficiency anemia may lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat. Your heart must pump more blood to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood when you're anemic. In people with coronary artery disease — narrowing of the arteries that feed the heart — unchecked anemia can lead to angina. Angina is chest pain caused by decreased oxygen and blood flow to the heart muscle. Problems during pregnancy. In pregnant women, severe iron deficiency anemia has been linked to premature births and low birth weight babies. But the condition is easily preventable and treatable in pregnant women who receive iron supplements as part of their prenatal care. Growth problems. In infants and children, severe iron deficiency can lead to anemia as well as delayed growth. Untreated iron deficiency anemia can cause physical and mental delays in infants and children in areas such as walking and talking. Additionally, iron deficiency anemia is associated with a greater incidence of lead poisoning and an increased susceptibility to infections.

Question: Is having iron deficiency anemia something to take seriously? I have been a vegetarian for 15 years, with only a few indulgences of feta cheese or pizza outside the home through the years. I have had MS for over 20 years, I am now 38. I have thought that compared to MS, my iron deficiency anemia isn't that serious, but at times I wonder if I am not helping matters with fatigue/weakness that comes with MS. I have taken an iron supplement for about 14 years now. I have been brushing this off for a long time, outside of my husband, who is a type 1 juvenile diabetic, no one gets why I refuse to eat meat....the only carnivores in our home are our family of indoor cats......I also take a vitamin B complex... I have had to learn so much about nutrition dealing with my hubby and his insulin pump, that I always felt that I was doing the right thing ....should I worry about the long term regarding anemia? My husband doesn't have anemia/nutritional issues, thank goodness.....

Answer: anemia can be cvery serious. last year it alone almost put me in my grave 4 times in one week. it causes all kinds of thing to happen as it gets worse. woemn lose iron each month with their monthly cycle, hence why it seems to never go away once you have it. eating meat isnt the best way to get iron. you can get a lot of iron eating seaweed type foods. some of your darker green veggies are rich in iron, bananas have iron as well. if nothing else. you can try an iron supplement, but if it bothers your stomach too much, than the absolute last resort may end up being - going to a hemotologist and having an iron infusion. i was told last year to have a transfusion or die. i said no and prayed for healing. i am doing much better now, but still have a slight deficiency. hope this helps!