Anemia

[fashionprincess7]

Ok, so here's my problem and I was wondering what you all think of if anyone else has had a problem. I started doing Cathe's a couple of months ago and I noticed particularly after hard workouts like IMAX that I couldn't seem to calm down. So anyway long story short, about a week ago I had noticed shortness of breath and what seemed like irregular heartbeat. So I finally said something is wrong and went to the doctor. In having the tests done they found I was anemic. I also had some heart tests done in the hospital for peace of mind (waiting on results) and then they found that I'm anemic beause of VERY low iron. Now I have to go to a gastroendo to see what the problem is and I guess I'm just a little scared. Has anyone else had low iron and do you know if it could be due to hard exercising. I recently went to Vegas and had no balance bars and ate mostly salads so I know that's not enough in my diet. Yesterday I had 1 pria bar, 1 Balance, plus a multi vitamin. I am afraid that I could get too many vitamins too! What kinds of vitamins do you all take? How much do you think is too much? My mom wants me to take iron tablets until I see this other doctor (in 2 weeks) but I am afraid to take that plus a multi. Any advice? I love my Cathe workouts and am bummed out that I have been feeling this way!!:-( I am cutting back my 6 workouts a week to about 4 now until I learn more but I heard a rumor that women who exercise intensely need more iron! Sorry I rambled, just concerned and frustrated. Any info or advice from the "educated crowd"? Thanks

Dana

 

[dmd]

Hi Dana,

Here is my looong story short: In May I was at the end of a Kickbox class when I felt strange. I began to feel numbness on my right arm that eventually grew up my arm the right side of my face. I was taken to emergency and given every heart test, blood panel,even and MRI. At first Dr.'s thought I had a TIA ( sort of a mini-stroke), and even in the course of these tests found that I also have a small hole between the two top chambers of my heart (which apparantly is not very serious or uncommon). They also found that I was extremely anemic. Well, after many, many tests and meetings with two cadiologists and a neurologist they found that I did not have a mini-stroke but something called a migrane aura. These auras are sometimes brought on hormonally ( I am peri-menopuasal). I have never had a full blown migrane, just the aura. As for the amemia: I now take 325mg. of Iron + 1000mg. of Vit.C and am no longer vegetarian. So there. Get it checked out. It could be as simple as a dietary change or as complicated as a hormonal symptom.

Good Luck~Deb Dailey

 

[NurseLRT]

I have anemia also. If you are menstruating and not getting enough iron in your diet this is probably the cause.

My hemoglobin is somewhere around 10 or 11 when I am not watching my diet or taking my vitamins. You should aim somewhere between 12-14 for hemoglobin.

I would take 325mg of iron on top of multi. Eat some red meat if you like it, and take your vitamins with orange juice or eat citrus because Vitamin C increases absorbtion of iron.

Be extremely careful with iron tablets, they are LETHAL in the hands of a child. They are extremely dangerous and one of the leading causes of accidental death in children.

They call iron the "hard to get mineral" because it is difficult to increase your hemoglobin numbers. I remember that because I would try to donate blood to the American Red Cross when I was a college student and they would have to turn me down sometimes because my hemoglobin was low.

You might have what they call a "GI bleed" but probably not. If you are young, menstruating, and eating mostly chicken and salads that is not enough iron.

That is just my opinion, I am not a physician, only they will know how to treat your condition.

good luck,
Lori

 

[mogambo]

The other women have mostly covered it, but also, cook in cast iron cookware, and eat prunes, raisins, prune juice, fortified grains, greens and Spirulina.

I take iron every day too, maybe 25 mg. Otherwise I get too low too.

 

[NurseLRT]

Dana just to clarify:

Hemocyte tablets (the pharmicist keeps them behind the counter because they are dangerous and they have to give you the speech, but they are not a prescription) are Ferrous Fumarate 324 mg

Feosol (ferrous sulfate) are 65 mg.

Your doctor can tell you what to take.

good luck again,
Lori

 

[fashionprincess7]

Thanks to each of you for your replies. It really made me feel better. I have been eating mostly chicken and salads. I also was oding on carets (they kept me from grabbing the chips --until my knees started getting a little orange. Then I cut way back on those.) I can see that my diet hasn't been up to par for the iron and my mom just picked up some of those iron tablets for me. I do have to go see a gastroendocrinologist though. So we'll see. I don't think I have been getting enough vitamin C either. Thanks again for replying!

Dana

 

[saia11]

I have always been a regular donator of blood to the Red Cross and they check your iron before every donation to make sure that you have enough red blood cells to safely donate that day, I never had a problem before until I started Cathe workouts and in doing some research found that intense exercise and muscle building uses up a lot of iron, since I'm a vegetarian I've found that Black Strap Molasses is one of the best sources of iron (and you already know that Vit. C helps you absorb iron more readily). You can get Black Strap Molasses cheap, in bulk, at most health food stores and then use it in baked goods, freeze them and eat one everyday. I made whole wheat health bread, with raisins and dried cranberries and molasses, and eat it toasted with peanut butter, whole wheat banana molasses muffins, and whole wheat wine drop cookies with dried raisins, dried cherries, and dark chocolate chips (hey, those are good for you!) And I try to eat one of these every day ( I cut way back on the sugar in the cookies and muffins or use Splenda, I add soy flour to them for extra protein, and use applesauce or transfree baking shortening). I've never had another problem with low iron since I've made these changes in my diet, and they all taste better than spinach.
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