Anemia, anyone?

Hi everyone,
I just saw my lymphoma doc yesterday for a check-up (I have a type of cutaneous lymphoma, but it's in remission). He's at a major medical center that owns several of the hospitals in my area. He told me that a blood test I had in August from a different visit to a doctor showed that I was anemic. Nobody had told me! And I've never been anemic before. He's redoing the blood test to see if he gets the same results. My hemoglobin count was 10, and the low end of normal is 12 -- so it wasn't very severe, but it was still classified as anemic.
Any experience with anemia here? Can it be another complication of late-stage lyme, or chronic disease in general? I seem to be getting more and more complications these days...

I've been chronically anemic for years. Don't know officially why I'm anemic (and the doctors I've seen all seem to blow it off as "anemia of chronic disease" and don't try to explain it further, or else just tell me to take iron pills, which I can't do), but I strongly suspect Lyme and/or Bartonella.

Antibiotics may also cause anemia as a side-effect, so you might want to ask your pharmacist if any of the meds you are taking can do that.

Good luck & take care,

alfers-

It was my chronic anemia and intolerance to OTC iron that finally brought the dx of babesia.  My iron levels have been very low for the last 15 years and the docs just rationalized it as my heavy monthly flow.  When I did try various OTC iron supplements and then on to Rx ferrex, they all caused major abdominal distress and if fact the last dosage of ferex sent me to the ER.  

My LLMD who I hadn't seen for 4 years theorized that the low ferritin was from the babesia messing with my red blood cells.  Since the modality of iron is what causes me the problem, I now go to the hospital for IV iron.  MY Goodness, I felt so much better after just one dose!!!  My energy started to rise after 2 days and then stayed up for 3 days, then slowly went back down.  The 3 days where such a "blast from the past"!!! I had forgotten what it was like to move without as much pain, and keep a train of thought longer than a minute.

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to have another dose of iron and will follow every week for 6 weeks.   

As with the other comments, I think our feritin levels play much more importance on our overall health than just our energy.  Our bodies suffer in so many ways from being anemic and it's just overlooked too often.

maggie

alfers - I had anemia on my second round of Lyme disease testing.... the horrible infectious disease doctor I saw (she's the one who yelled at me and told me there were "no ticks" in Florida and therefore "NO LYME DISEASE") even said, "I would be more concerned about the anemia and the blood found in your synovial fluid (from my knee aspiration) than any Lyme disease." And then she proceeded to never respond to my 23 follow-up phone calls. I have never heard from her since. Additional blood test performed by a LLDr. approximately 3 months later showed that the anemia had resolved.

I think I was probably "chronic" when these tests were finally done. Hope this helps.

Me! I was on and off during college way before I knew I had Lyme and Babs. I am in normal ranges now.

Lucy

Gracie's mom, that's so funny, I never thought of that. I do use a cast iron skillet, but I don't cook a whole lot. I got mine for 10 bucks or so at the hardware store. It wasn't so great at first, but it's become pretty well seasoned by now and I LOVE it. I actually believe in using iron cookware because the non-stick materials can supposedly leach chemicals. Thanks for the recommendation, though!

One of my friends has anemia. She also recommends cast iron pans for cooking. But another thing to consider is low B12 which is common with lyme and causes anemia. That is what caused hers (although she doesn't have lyme).