Anemia and possibly ceoliac

[sjm1308]

Hi guys so 2 months ago I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and started on ferrous fumarate. I had repeat bloods done today and seen my GP. My levels have only risen slightly from 9 to 13 (these are the only numbers I remember and not sure what the reference range is). My GP thinks I may be celiac so I'm having the test for that next tues. Is there anything else I can do to help myself? I've felt exhausted for so long I don't know what to do. My diet isn't great so I'm going to try and eat more fruit and veg. Foods to avoid? I feel a bit overwhelmed. Think I just needed to offload. Thanks for listening

 

[GrantGam]

Hi guys so 2 months ago I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and started on ferrous fumarate. I had repeat bloods done today and seen my GP. My levels have only risen slightly from 9 to 13 (these are the only numbers I remember and not sure what the reference range is). My GP thinks I may be celiac so I'm having the test for that next tues. Is there anything else I can do to help myself? I've felt exhausted for so long I don't know what to do. My diet isn't great so I'm going to try and eat more fruit and veg. Foods to avoid? I feel a bit overwhelmed. Think I just needed to offload. Thanks for listening

Hey @sjm1308

I do hope you get a resolve to your issues asap! I know the exhaustion thing, I'm struggling with it myself, alongside sore joints and brain fog to name but a few. Still trying to work out what it may be...

If you don't mind, can I ask what symptoms you have that makes your GP think you have Coeliac disease? See if I match many of them.

Thanks and wishing you well!

 

[Engineer88]

Don't do anything yet, you need a diagnosis before you start changing foods if you're coeliac (uk spelling)

Keep on eating as you are including gluten. It might seem counterproductive but its very short term hopefully.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @sjm1308 It's good that you've now had the diagnosis for iron deficiency as once you start getting your levels back up then you will feel better quite quickly, however the Coeliac diagnosis would in part explain the iron deficiency as it can affect the absorption of iron. I've had iron deficiency a few times in my life and the best product and most gentle product I used was Spatone which you can get from a health food shop. Definitely keep up with eating your veges, dark green veges like broccoli and kale are great for replacing iron stores, as your going for a coeliac test then you will need to keep eating the gluten products so this contributes to the result. I know it might seem over whelming at the moment, but once you get your head round adjusting your diet and increase your iron intake, you will feel alot better

 

[Engineer88]

Hey @sjm1308

I do hope you get a resolve to your issues asap! I know the exhaustion thing, I'm struggling with it myself, alongside sore joints and brain fog to name but a few. Still trying to work out what it may be...

If you don't mind, can I ask what symptoms you have that makes your GP think you have Coeliac disease? See if I match many of them.

Thanks and wishing you well!

There are hundreds of symptoms @GrantGam not all digestive by anymeans.

I was overweight with terrible control before diagnosis.

 

[GrantGam]

There are hundreds of symptoms @GrantGam not all digestive by anymeans.

I was overweight with terrible control before diagnosis.

Guess I'm asking an impossible question @Engineer88!

Shall run things past my GP when I see him next, the last bloods turned up nothing untoward.

 

[sjm1308]

Hey @sjm1308

I do hope you get a resolve to your issues asap! I know the exhaustion thing, I'm struggling with it myself, alongside sore joints and brain fog to name but a few. Still trying to work out what it may be...

If you don't mind, can I ask what symptoms you have that makes your GP think you have Coeliac disease? See if I match many of them.

Thanks and wishing you well!

I think mainly the anemia as I don't have heavy periods and eat meat so she is thinking I'm not absorbing the nutrients is what I'm taking from it anyway. I also suffer from depression, aches and pains, fatigue, toilet troubles and uncomfortable after eating certain foods. I think there is a long list of symptoms though. Thanks for your help and hope you find a resolve also

 

[sjm1308]

Don't do anything yet, you need a diagnosis before you start changing foods if you're coeliac (uk spelling)

Keep on eating as you are including gluten. It might seem counterproductive but its very short term hopefully.

Thanks for pointing that out I hadn't realised that would affect the test! I'll put my gluten free bread on hold for a bit!

 

[sjm1308]

Hi @sjm1308 It's good that you've now had the diagnosis for iron deficiency as once you start getting your levels back up then you will feel better quite quickly, however the Coeliac diagnosis would in part explain the iron deficiency as it can affect the absorption of iron. I've had iron deficiency a few times in my life and the best product and most gentle product I used was Spatone which you can get from a health food shop. Definitely keep up with eating your veges, dark green veges like broccoli and kale are great for replacing iron stores, as your going for a coeliac test then you will need to keep eating the gluten products so this contributes to the result. I know it might seem over whelming at the moment, but once you get your head round adjusting your diet then your increase your iron intake, you will feel alot better

Thanks so much Justine. You don't happen to know if I can take spatone alongside the ferrous fumarate? X

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @sjm1308 It's fine to take both together, however spatone on it's own should do the job nicely, just make sure you don't drink tea or coffee when you take it as these both can affect the absorption, water or juice should be fine

 

[TheBigNewt]

Hi guys so 2 months ago I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and started on ferrous fumarate. I had repeat bloods done today and seen my GP. My levels have only risen slightly from 9 to 13 (these are the only numbers I remember and not sure what the reference range is).

These are hemoglobin numbers. Yours have risen substantially, not slightly. Normal is about 13.5-15 so your problem sounds like its been corrected (it rose almost 50%) with the iron supplement. Celiac disease (aka gluten sensitive enteropathy) involves changes in the small intestine due to eating gluten which cause malabsorbtion, weight loss, muscle wasting, among other things. It's not hard to diagnose, the gastroenterologist does an endoscopy, visualizes the lining of the small intestine, and usually takes a few tissue biopsies which show absence of the microvilli. It's completely reversible after abstaining from gluten. My niece has it and she's fine on her diet.

 

[sjm1308]

These are hemoglobin numbers. Yours have risen substantially, not slightly. Normal is about 13.5-15 so your problem sounds like its been corrected nicely with the iron supplement. Celiac disease (aka gluten sensitive enteropathy) involves changes in the small intestine due to eating gluten which cause malabsorbtion, weight loss, muscle wasting, among other things. It's not hard to diagnose, the gastroenterologist does an endoscopy, visualizes the lining of the small intestine, and usually takes a few tissue biopsies which show absence of the microvilli. It's completely reversible after abstaining from gluten. My niece has it and she's fine on her diet.

I've maybe picked her up wrong she said my number should be between 30 and 100. But I'm not good with numbers so I may have remembered incorrectly. I was told it was just a blood test I needed for diagnosis will I need these further tests then?

 

[TheBigNewt]

I've maybe picked her up wrong she said my number should be between 30 and 100. But I'm not good with numbers so I may have remembered incorrectly. I was told it was just a blood test I needed for diagnosis will I need these further tests then?

No. Anemia labs have 2 major numbers: hemoglobin (13-15) and hematocrit (usually triple the Hgb so 40-45). There are some other numbers like the MCH, MCHC, and they usually do iron studies. There's no "30 and 100" range involved. Your initial hemoglobin was probably 9 and rose to 13 which is great. Sounds like you responded to simple iron pills.

 

[Kristin251]

I had everything everyone has mentioned. Went on Adkins induction and off all grains and they all resolved. Still gone 30 years later, unless I have some grains. Dairy goes hand in hand with grains. They have the same protein molecules as gluten and the body perceives it as gluten

Just an FYI. Even if you don’t have celiac you could still be gluten intolerant. Neither my daughter nor myself are celiac but we are both very intolerant. She moreso than I. There is no test for intolerances. They’re not allergies.

Might be worth giving up grains after the test to see. I don’t know anyone who’s given them up and not felt loads better. However there is the detox phase that is not fun. You’ll feel worse before you feel better.

 

[sjm1308]

No. Anemia labs have 2 major numbers: hemoglobin (13-15) and hematocrit (usually triple the Hgb so 40-45). There are some other numbers like the MCH, MCHC, and they usually do iron studies. There's no "30 and 100" range involved. Your initial hemoglobin was probably 9 and rose to 13 which is great. Sounds like you responded to simple iron pills.

I don't think that's the case as she is concerned I wasn't absorbing the iron as my levels were still out of range. There goes my discalculia again! Lol. Thanks xx

 

[TheBigNewt]

My niece can drink dairy. No gluten.

 

[Kristin251]

My niece can drink dairy. No gluten.

I can eat a little of certain cheeses but no grains. Corn is the worst!!

 

[sjm1308]

@Kristin251 funny you should say that I feel so ill after any diary especially milk! Have sort of cut back on that anyway as it makes me feel so unwell. Had never realised the two went hand in hand x

 

[TheBigNewt]

I don't think that's the case as she is concerned I wasn't absorbing the iron as my levels were still out of range. There goes my discalculia again! Lol. Thanks xx

Get referred to a hematologist about the anemia. Being "concerned I wasn't absorbing the iron" doesn't make sense if your Hgb rose from 9 to 13. Uncertainty in diagnosis is not in your favor here. . And a gastroenterologist about the celiac thing.

 

[TheBigNewt]

I can eat a little of certain cheeses but no grains. Corn is the worst!!

She has no problem with corn. Or rice. Both grains.