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What blood disorder could it be besides iron deficiency anemia. Am I dying? My dr hasn’t responded yet. I mean I walked the dog a half hour and did Zumba yesterday. I a started a new job and am alert and learned it fast. Maybe it’s from getting my period more often for the last year in perimenopause? One day I bleed for 2 weeks (not very heavy) but that was a year ago. I do have a large fibroid that I’ve had for years but it hasn’t caused me to bleed abnormally except for that one time last year (but that might have been hormonal).
So... I am definitely in perimenopause. When I was 47, I had my first abnormal spotting between periods. Completely freaked me out. I went to a gynocologist who I was told was one of the top menopause experts in the field. I told her about the spotting, in person, during our first visit. She immediately denied my guess that it was perimenopause, and she insisted it was likely due to stress and that my periods sounds normal so far. I can tell you with 100% certainty, she was completely wrong. I never went back to see her. Right after that, my cycle switched from its every 26 days (which was normal for me for 30 years), to every 21 days. So instead of it being every 26 days like clockwork, it was reliably every 21 days for about a year. Then I skipped a period, sort of.. it went about 41 days with no period. And then I started having a period about every 2 weeks. Then it would do this weird thing where it was an extremely heavy period with horrible cramping, for like 8 days, and about 7 days after it ended I would spot brown blood for another 6-7 days. I am 49 now. It is haywire. I can have a period now, for the first time in my life, with very light cramps.. or almost no cramps at all. They have sped up.. it's often every 2 weeks, but sometimes it will still go longer, like 30 days no period.
Ok, so when I was about 46 I started to feel like I was on a boat at times, and out of breath after walking to the top of the stairs. I would get out of the car and have a dizzy spell, have to hold onto the car until my blood pressure evened out, people would stare at me in the parking lot. I was like "I'm ok". So at 48 I finally got my iron checked. I was anemic, but it was borderline low.. so it was flagged but I was just below the normal range. I felt pretty bad as it was. I would sit there at night and hear my heart pounding in my ears, and I was having the sh!ts every morning. I thought there was something wrong for sure.
Once I got my bloodwork back, I was relieved. I could fix this. I asked my primary doctor at the time, who was a man, if my frequent and heavy periods could be contributing to the low iron. He said he didn't think so, and he wanted me to get a colonoscopy. He was concerned about me having loose bathroom every morning.
So I said, "let me try taking iron supplements first". There's one I like, it's called Floradix Iron and Herbs (not FloraVital). I take it as directed on the box, and it only lasts 30 days in the fridge once opened. After about 10 days of taking this, I was no longer out of breath at the top of the stairs, my muscles didn't burn after walking or riding my bike, my sex drive came back with a vengence, I didn't have digestive upset anymore, and my bathroom was now normal and becoming constipated at times, which was a good thing. My heart stopped throbbing in my ears.
I still have heavy periods, and they can still be every 2 weeks. After I have a period, it takes about 4-5 days before I feel the low iron symptoms again. So I buy this iron supplement often. When you take iron, you have to take Vit C with it for abosorbtion. This supplement includes Vit C with it.
I'm not sure if heavy periods are your issue, but it is my issue. I just got test 1.5 years later and my iron is at the low end, but it's in normal range. The reason why I had all those other health issues with low iron was because when your organs aren't getting enough oxygen, they don't work at optimal levels, including the digestive system. Also the heart has to work harder.
I just wanted to share my story, I hope this helps.
Once I got my bloodwork back, I was relieved. I could fix this. I asked my primary doctor at the time, who was a man, if my frequent and heavy periods could be contributing to the low iron. He said he didn't think so, and he wanted me to get a colonoscopy. He was concerned about me having loose bathroom every morning.
The abnormal uterine bleeding is related to menses and those complications are in the young. For women who are not menstruating and for men over 50 then it is colon cancer until proven otherwise which is why the doctor was pushing for the colonoscopy.
Iron deficiency anemia is either a production or a storage problem. You need a GI work up or if you are a female having a having heavy periods. It could also be an absorption problem taking medications such as Nexium can interfere with GI absorption.
Iron deficiency anemia is either a production or a storage problem. You need a GI work up or if you are a female having a having heavy periods. It could also be an absorption problem taking medications such as Nexium can interfere with GI absorption.
I have taken 20 mg of Nexium for years but wasn’t anemic until recently. I don’t think that is the cause?
So... I am definitely in perimenopause. When I was 47, I had my first abnormal spotting between periods. Completely freaked me out. I went to a gynocologist who I was told was one of the top menopause experts in the field. I told her about the spotting, in person, during our first visit. She immediately denied my guess that it was perimenopause, rder.
I just wanted to share my story, I hope this helps.
I don't understand the aversion to colonoscopies. There is a significant asymmetry in the harm done by missing a menses/other cause diagnosis and missing a colon cancer diagnosis. If you do a scope and find out it's not cancer, fine. If you assume it is menses and find out it's cancer...not fine.
So... I am definitely in perimenopause. When I was 47, I had my first abnormal spotting between periods. Completely freaked me out. I went to a gynocologist who I was told was one of the top menopause experts in the field. I told her about the spotting, in person, during our first visit. She immediately denied my guess that it was perimenopause, and she insisted it was likely due to stress and that my periods sounds normal so far. I can tell you with 100% certainty, she was completely wrong. I never went back to see her. Right after that, my cycle switched from its every 26 days (which was normal for me for 30 years), to every 21 days. So instead of it being every 26 days like clockwork, it was reliably every 21 days for about a year. Then I skipped a period, sort of.. it went about 41 days with no period. And then I started having a period about every 2 weeks. Then it would do this weird thing where it was an extremely heavy period with horrible cramping, for like 8 days, and about 7 days after it ended I would spot brown blood for another 6-7 days. I am 49 now. It is haywire. I can have a period now, for the first time in my life, with very light cramps.. or almost no cramps at all. They have sped up.. it's often every 2 weeks, but sometimes it will still go longer, like 30 days no period.
Ok, so when I was about 46 I started to feel like I was on a boat at times, and out of breath after walking to the top of the stairs. I would get out of the car and have a dizzy spell, have to hold onto the car until my blood pressure evened out, people would stare at me in the parking lot. I was like "I'm ok". So at 48 I finally got my iron checked. I was anemic, but it was borderline low.. so it was flagged but I was just below the normal range. I felt pretty bad as it was. I would sit there at night and hear my heart pounding in my ears, and I was having the sh!ts every morning. I thought there was something wrong for sure.
Once I got my bloodwork back, I was relieved. I could fix this. I asked my primary doctor at the time, who was a man, if my frequent and heavy periods could be contributing to the low iron. He said he didn't think so, and he wanted me to get a colonoscopy. He was concerned about me having loose bathroom every morning.
So I said, "let me try taking iron supplements first". There's one I like, it's called Floradix Iron and Herbs (not FloraVital). I take it as directed on the box, and it only lasts 30 days in the fridge once opened. After about 10 days of taking this, I was no longer out of breath at the top of the stairs, my muscles didn't burn after walking or riding my bike, my sex drive came back with a vengence, I didn't have digestive upset anymore, and my bathroom was now normal and becoming constipated at times, which was a good thing. My heart stopped throbbing in my ears.
I still have heavy periods, and they can still be every 2 weeks. After I have a period, it takes about 4-5 days before I feel the low iron symptoms again. So I buy this iron supplement often. When you take iron, you have to take Vit C with it for abosorbtion. This supplement includes Vit C with it.
I'm not sure if heavy periods are your issue, but it is my issue. I just got test 1.5 years later and my iron is at the low end, but it's in normal range. The reason why I had all those other health issues with low iron was because when your organs aren't getting enough oxygen, they don't work at optimal levels, including the digestive system. Also the heart has to work harder.
I just wanted to share my story, I hope this helps.
You need to see a competent gynecologist. Your abnormal bleeding can be treated.
You also need to take enough iron to replenish depleted stores. That means taking it even when you do not have symptoms. Until the cause of the loss is corrected, however, you may not be able to get the stores built up.
I agree with Wittgenstein. The colonoscopy should be done. About one person in five diagnosed with colon cancer is now under age 55.
To review some of the numbers given and a summary.
" I do have a large fibroid that I’ve had for years but it hasn’t caused me to bleed abnormally except for that one time last year (but that might have been hormonal)."
One started at 15.2 g/dL two years ago. Several months ago it was 11.4 and the most recent one was 9.2 g/dL.
The relevant amount of blood lost is equivalent to 6 units of blood. In order to take a 9.2 hemoglobin back to 15 g/dL would require about 6 units which is equivalent to losing 60% of your entire blood volume. The change from 11.4 to 9.2 is a loss of 2 units of blood. Any normal person who loses 2 units of blood all at once would possibly lose consciousness and possible death. That didn't happen and so the assumption is that it is chronic blood loss and this is reinforced with the marked microcytosis based on the very low MCV. This can not be explained by one event.
People that are experiencing symptoms of blood loss are transfused to levels above 10 g/dL I unit of blood would take a 9.2 up to a 10 g/dL level but nobody should transfuse one single unit. Nor is it recommended that nutritional anemias be transfused unless they are hypovolemic and compromised. They are simply given supplements to correct the anemia and allow the normal production of cells to occur.
One tries to correct the bleeding defect and sometimes that option is a hysterectomy when it can't be controlled. Some women get tired of the yo-yo ups and downs of hemoglobin. The working diagnosis is that it is a uterine source. The part that I and others find uneasy is that the Sammy has stated no visible excessive bleeding except for one episode a year or so ago.
Even though they are taking iron supplements one still has to be on guard for any sudden symptoms of acute blood loss. The defect is still there.
Consistent with iron deficiency anemia. That isn't a diagnosis but a symptom of either chronic blood loss or lack of iron absorption which is more rare.
A review of medical history is important. One locates the source of bleeding as either menses or gastrointestinal or urinary loss of iron. Testing and history are required. If one is over 50 years old or in some cases younger now one looks at colon or other sources of blood loss.
You might just only need Iron pills and probably a colonoscopy, if you mentioned it sorry I missed it.
Aww crap. I have been found to have nearly no Iron in my blood. I went for bloods tests too. I think it is because I didn't take Iron supplements for a year and lack of vegetables with Iron. But now I may have to go for that damn colonoscopy and drink that crud for 2 hours My Iron is fine now with the Iron pills and I am not as cold as I was. My bowels are the right form and color so I don't see any reason to panic.
My doctor insists I should have a colonoscopy but I will wait until all other medical appts are done first then decide.
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My Iron is fine now with the Iron pills and I am not as cold as I was. My bowels are the right form and color so I don't see any reason to panic. 