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Posted 6/10/2010 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
last blood test showed a level of 10.4...anyone else have this issue...everything else was normal...should i be concered...anything i can do ?
Posted 6/10/2010 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Are you male or female?
Today my hemoglobin is 8.4. The hematologist told me that at my age and a female, above 8 is ok. If it goes below that, they will want to transfuse tomorrow.
Normally, above 10 is considered ok for a female

Yay, it was 9 today so I don't need a transfusion
Posted 6/10/2010 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yes it's somewhat important to know if you're a female or male.  The normal rang for Hg for a male is usually between 14-18 and for a female 12-16.  You are slightly anemic and most docs would recommend starting with an iron supplement.  It's more important to know what is making you anemic in the first place.  How is your UC?  Do you see a lot of blood in your stools?  Even if you don't a value of 10 is too low for me, I definitely notice I feel tired when I don't have good Hg values.  You could also be anemic due to having low B12 and or folic acid.  I get those checked every so often.

Hope this helps.

MyUC

Posted 6/11/2010 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
I developed iron deficiency anemia sometime in 2006. I don't believe I ever felt more exhausted and morbid in my life. After telling my GI of symptoms he said I looked a little washed out and ordered the CBC. My HG was around 8.0. He put me on one 125 mg iron a day for a long time. The next HG count didn't change. I was then scheduled for and appt. with an oncologist/hematologist. Another blood test. He put me on three 325 mg pills a day. It was a long time before even getting close to normal. The oncologist told me something I did not know about iron deficiency anemia. After asking me if I had been eating ice or anything crunchy, I told him no ice but, I was going through 2 large bags of pretzels or more each day. Some people with low hg have a desire to eat ice or things similar. It's called mica. So, if you feel like you're going to die but just have to go to the store for pretzels, you have iron deficiency anemia. Better yet, insist on regular CBC tests. I'm still irritated at both family dr. and GI for looking at warmed over death and not catching it for months. By the way, I'm an older male. Good luck.
Posted 6/11/2010 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
The hematologist asked if I crave flour. I don't but I do crave ice and eat it a lot. I might have to have a transfusion tomorrow if my hemoglobin is lower than it was today. It was 8.7 yesterday and they started me on iron tablets and today it was 8.4. I've had several, though, both during and after surgeries, so it's no big deal
Posted 6/11/2010 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
i give self b 12 shots weekly to keep mine up
tk care
lyn
Posted 6/11/2010 3:16 AM (GMT 0)

Howlyncat said...
i give self b 12 shots weekly to keep mine up
tk care
lyn

How much do they hurt?
I was told to get them for 3 days, then once a week or once a month, but I asked for the dissolvable tablets instead (dr hasnt ordered that though) because the nurse told me the b12 shots hurt a lot and hurt for an hour
Posted 6/11/2010 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
It takes quite a while to raise your iron levels with pills but it's necessary. Eating more red meat especially liver can help. I make a fantastic liver pate, yummy.
The iron pills also tend to constipate a person so you might take some fiber pills too (I take Citrucel).

I remember reading that our bodes metabolizes iron from meat much better than from plants/veggies.
I've had a transfusion myself in the past when my iron was under 8 (female over 50), 2 pints brought it to over 8 and it's been upward ever since with no iron pills in the last 5 years just meat and veggies.

Here is a iron rich food list I found on another site FWIW

FOOD AMOUNT AVG. MG. IRON
GRAINS Bread (white or whole wheat) 1 slice 0.5
Bran muffin 1 1.5
English muffin 1 1.5-1.9
Tortillas 1 1
Cooked cereal 1/2 cup 0.7
Dry cereal 3/4 cup read label
Wheat germ 1/2 cup 4
MEAT
Organ meats 3 oz. 7
Liver 3 oz. 8-9
Liver sausage 3 oz. 4-6
Shellfish 3 oz. 4-5
Red meats 3 oz. 4
Fish and poultry 3 oz. 2-3
MEAT SUBSTITUTES
Tofu 4 oz. 2.3
Sunflower seeds 1 oz. 2
Pumpkin seeds 1 oz. 3.2
Cooked dry peas (beans, lentils, lima beans) 1/2 cup 2-3
Egg 1 1
Nuts 1/3 cup 0.5-2.0
Peanut butter 1 tbsp. 0.3
FRUIT Water melon 6" x 1/2" slice 3
Strawberries 1 cup 1.5
Banana 1 cup 1
DRIED FRUIT
Raisins, dates, prunes, figs, apricots 1/2 cup 3-4
JUICES (CANNED)
Prune juice 3/4 cup 7.4
Tomato juice 3/4 cup 1.6
Apple juice 3/4 cup 1.1
VEGETABLES
Cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collards, kale)
1/2 cup 3
Raw dark leafy greens (spinach, collards, kale) 1 cup 2
Jicama 1/3 cup 0.8
MISCELLANEOUS
Molasses 1 tbsp. 3.2
Brewer's yeast (dry) 1 tbsp. 1.4
FAST FOODS
Pizza (cheese or pepperoni) 1/2 of 10" 4.5-5.4
Hamburger 1 reg. 2.5
Cheeseburger 1 reg. 2.5
Beef burrito 1 4.6
Bean burrito 1 2.8
Beef taco 1 2.9
Posted 6/11/2010 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
The last time (well, second to last) that I was in the hospital (a couple weeks ago), my HG had dropped to 7 (male, 29). They transfused me - 2 pints.
Posted 6/11/2010 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
Imagardener2 - I have had the book, Life Without Bread, for sometime. Two weeks ago, I started to reread important chapters and started back on a low carbohydrate diet, basically trying to keep the bread units close to recommended level. I made flax meal muffins and almond flour bread (like foccacia). The addiction to bread includes the oral fixation of texture. It is so much easier to stay on this diet if you include low carb substitutes for bread. I'm looking to feel better and reduce the muscle and joint pain. I have not been bleeding but, the loose stool/diarrhea is frustrating. I know, at the least, I'll lose a bunch of weight. Here's one good site for recipes.
[http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/recipes/u/lowcarbrecipes.htm]
Posted 6/11/2010 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
My hemoglobin was usually around 10, even before I had Ulcerative Colitis. Nobody seemed too worried about it.
However, in April it was at 5.6. My doctor sent me to the hospital and I was there overnight for transfusions. That's also when I was diagnosed with UC.
Posted 6/13/2010 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
hi folks,
I work hard to keep my hg from dropping and have noticed that rather than ice, I crave mint. I mean CRAVE mint - like two boxes of Altoids, 8 pieces of gum and a constant supply of mint tea every day. I know it's not right, but I can't stop. Does anyone else have this? I was going to start a new thread on this, but feel like it's a dumb question... but it's actually becoming a problem for me and I could use guidance!
BTW, I also have taken up "popping" my gum (drives the husband crazy)... maybe that's like something crunchy?
Would sure appreciate any feedback!
Posted 6/13/2010 1:02 PM (GMT 0)

Wiped Out said...
Imagardener2 - I have had the book, Life Without Bread, for sometime. Two weeks ago, I started to reread important chapters and started back on a low carbohydrate diet, basically trying to keep the bread units close to recommended level. I made flax meal muffins and almond flour bread (like foccacia). The addiction to bread includes the oral fixation of texture. It is so much easier to stay on this diet if you include low carb substitutes for bread. I'm looking to feel better and reduce the muscle and joint pain. I have not been bleeding but, the loose stool/diarrhea is frustrating. I know, at the least, I'll lose a bunch of weight. Here's one good site for recipes.
[http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/recipes/u/lowcarbrecipes.htm]



hi wipedout

low-carb can be a start but I've found that it's more complicated than just low-carb. Others who did the research years ago developed the SCDiet which allows only "specific carbohydrates". That means low-starch veggies only(no potatoes or other starchy veg like corn), no-gluten, no grains (no rice, wheat, oats, nothing similar) no sugar (honey and saccharine allowed). I eat very well from the allowed foods and am in remission finally after 10 years of suffering.

Life Without Bread is a very good book and can help many people. My UC is more involved than just eliminating bread...but that's a good start.
:-)
I had a wonderful dinner last night with Mussels in a wine and butter sauce, salad and for dessert a muffin made with almond flour with shredded butternut squash, raisins and honey. I also make it with shredded carrots sometimes. You can't taste the squash or carrots after baking, they disappear but it is sooo delicious.

Tonight it'll be stir fried chicken (not really fried, more of a saute) with bok choy and carrots. Avocado and tomato salad. Maybe some vanilla ice cream (couldn't eat ice cream until lately so that's a thrill).

I used to LOVE bread in it's many forms (french loaf, donuts, croissants, oh really anything) and never had any direct problems showing from eating it. But when I stopped eating bread (gluten really) my bleeding stopped within days. So yeah I had a big problem with bread but didn't know it.

To get rid of my other issues (urgency being #1) I had to go on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. That took a lot longer to see results but I did.

Best wishes to you and others on the road to health.
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