STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Kel · Coach

Is anyone anemic?

RyanJ · Coach

I am.

I was ALWAYS really tired. No matter how much sleep I got I would still be tired. I also bruised really easily. One time I was sitting at my computer and I was sitting on my legs for about an hour. THe next day I had these HUGE purple and black bruises my legs. I was also really pale. I am a pale person to begin w/, but this just made me look sick and washed out. Poor circulation- my fingers and toes were always cold and white. Even in the summer when is 98. Also dizzy and weak. I would get headaches usually around the same time everyday. About 2:30 I would I could feel it coming on.

Some people can have a lose of appetite, shortness of breath and depression.

I went to the doctor and he drew blood and I found out in about 3 days.

-- Edited by RyanJ at 13:12, 2005-05-24

Kel · Coach

I thought I might be border line. I feel like I am always tired. My mom said when she was my age, she had a small case of it. But I don't have all those symptoms. I just feel tired and weak. Maybe my problem is that I am dehydrated and I need to exercise.

jacL · Coach

If you only mildly suspect anemia, you can start incorporating more iron into your diet. If after a few weeks you still feel this way, you can go to the doctor, who will have a blood sample taken to determine whether you are deficient in iron. Then you will either get iron supplements or simply be told to eat more iron. Iron-deficient anemia is fixed pretty easily and effortlessly.

Hermione · Kate Spade

i was severely anemic to the point that even walking was enough to bruise my toes. i actually got such a bad bruise on my big toes that the toenails on both toes came off. it was terrible! and i am a flip-flop fanatic!

anyway, part of the reason is that i was taking alot of aleve, which somehow leeches out iron.

as some of the girls said, it is pretty easy to fix. start eating more spinach and other iron rich foods. take iron supplements or simply vitamins for women (they usually have high iron)

i started eating quaker oatmeal "nutrition for women" that has not only a high level of iron, but also calcium, soy protein, and fiber. i replace one of my meals with it, but some people like it as a snack.

please don't ignore anemia! if you got badly cut or hurt, you could lose too much blood before anyone could help you.

also, there's just no reason to feel bad like that when it's so easily solved!

RyanJ · Coach

Be careful and don't pump yourself full of iron though, because that can cause a lot of problems too.

blubirde · Chanel

Ugh - anemia sucks. I was diagnosed with anemia about 5 years ago. It all started when I couldn't give blood because my drop wouldn't float or did float or whatever it is that it's not supposed to do.

Anyway, I don't take anything but tylenol anymore (everytime I take any kind of aspirin or aleve - like indiekitten said - or advil, I get bruises everywhere). It was especially bad around my period because I'd just be exhausted and my periods started lasting about 10 days - baaaaad days, ladies, bad days. I've been better for a couple years now by watching my diet more carefully. I don't eat very much meat so I have to incorporate other high in iron foods. I also took a woman's vitamin that was high in iron. (I say took because I haven't taken it in months - bad blubirde!) I forget which one at the moment but I just went to the vitamin store and found the one with the highest amount.

Take care of yourself!

crystal · Kate Spade

well, i've never been officially diagnosed w/ anemia, but in HS my doc thought i was borderline & prescribed iron pills (i don't recall any difference). once i went to college tho, i stopped the pills. i've always been cold all the time & i guess tired a lot (but isn't everyone?), but i experienced what blubirde did w/ the blood droplet floating on the water (instead of dropping w/in a few seconds) and so i know i am/was anemic to a certain degree. however, a few months ago i started taking Centrum (just regular, not silver, pink, or whatever else they have) and since then i have given blood twice w/ no problems. i also feel like i am less sensitive to the cold. try that out, i was amazed at how well it worked!!