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Posted 5/8/2014 5:55 AM (GMT 0)
I was newly diagnosed with anaemia for the first time ever. These were the results of my last monthly blood work (I get monthly and weekly bloodwork to keep track of how the azathioprine is affecting me).

My doctor said I could try taking iron supplements but he cautioned that they can cause problems for UC patients... so not sure if I should try taking them, I'm nervous about making my flare worse.

I'm currently doing SCD and not really eating a lot variety at the moment (doing stage 1 as outlined on pecanbread.com). So far I've been eating cooked chicken, fish, turkey, extra lean beef, eggs, carrots, zucchini, spinach and jello made with apple cider. None of these foods have caused me any trouble upon introduction and quite a few of these foods are rich in iron. However, I have no raw fruits or veggies in my diet at all yet. I know that vitamin C is important for iron absorption, so I've started taking vitamin C supplements as of yesterday. Hopefully that will help.

I've also read that anaemia can be a side effect of azathioprine... plus I was having blood in my BMs last week when taking the bloodwork which has since greatly reduced when I increased my pred dose again. So I can see how collectively with these three factors I have developed anaemia. I really hope I can reverse it as my diet becomes more varied and when I'm in remission.

So, does anyone else on here have anaemia? What do you do to combat it? How long have you had it? Were you able to reverse it eventually?

Post Edited (annadee) : 5/8/2014 12:09:42 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/8/2014 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
It's been a while since I've had it but I used to become anemic every time I was in a severe heavy bleeding flare. Iron Rich foods never helped me get my counts back up so I had to take iron supplements. I used to take Slow FE - Ferrous Sulfate.

There are some here that get anemic so severely they need iron infusions.
Posted 5/8/2014 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not severely anemic, it's just a few counts below for the different variables they look at. I will try iron supplements if I can't shake it by my next monthly bloodwork.
Posted 5/8/2014 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
annadee, not sure why you need weekly blood tests, or even monthly blood tests. Most of us have quarterly blood tests.

There are several different kinds of anemia. You seem to be talking about iron deficient anemia, but you should read your test results carefully to understand exactly what's going on.

I've been borderline anemic or frankly anemic for most of my adult life, and have taken iron supplements several times. They can be rough on the stomach, for sure, but there are several different formulations out there to try. Some are harder to take than others.
Posted 5/8/2014 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I'm taking monthly and weekly as my doctor instructed in order to see any significant trends. I won't see my GI until June 26 so she wanted me to keep doing them until I see her again.

That is true kazbern. My results didn't show iron levels, but my (regular family) doctor pointed out low hemoglobin, MCH and MCHC. He just assumed that my iron levels are probably low too since I am bleeding.
Posted 5/8/2014 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
Low hemoglobin (if it is below 11 for a woman) is consider iron-deficient anemia. What was your hemoglobin level?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/basics/tests-diagnosis/con-20019327
Posted 5/8/2014 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
My number is 105 and the range is 115-160.
Posted 5/8/2014 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Assuming that you are in the UK and that these numbers are a factor of 10 relative to the test data given in the US.

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/full-blood-count

The next test I would ask for is one that measures iron stores (serum ferritin). That should guide your decision on whether to take iron supplements. Your levels are not that low and better management of your IBD plus more iron in your diet might be sufficient. If your iron stores are low you will need to take supplements.
Posted 5/8/2014 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
Nah, I'm in Canada.

Thanks for all the info!
Posted 5/8/2014 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
When you eat leafy greens, you always need a source of vitamin C so that your body will have an easier time absorbing it, which you know. Instead of the supplements, you can also sauté the spinach with some lemon juice or make a smoothie with spinach, a whole green apple and about 1/4 of a lemon (juice only). Red bell peppers also have vitamin C. :)

I don't take any iron supplements at all since they make my stomach churn, at least not the pill ones. I take a yellow doct extract which is an asian herb/root that has a lot of iron it in. You mix 60 drops in water and drink 3x daily.

I've been chronically anemic for a while but eating right is what helps me. I get back in shape probably within 1-2 months after a bleeding bout. Lowest hemoglobin on a scale of 11 was a 4, lol.
Posted 5/8/2014 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have been reading about best practice for treating anaemia for people with IBD and it seems that iron infusions are recommended, yet this gets ignored too often - I am just about to try to push for them to see if it helps with the general tiredness. Research suggests too that generally it can help the condition if iron stores are replete. Iron sucrose is common but there's another prep called Ferric Carboxymaltose that seems to be doing well in trials. My bloods make me borderline and Ferritin is around 40 but they don't want to treat it even though my nails are in such poor condition it suggests malnutrition as I don't quite reach the criteria.

Oral supplements are not good for me and a previous consultant told me to stay away from them.
Posted 5/8/2014 9:28 PM (GMT 0)

katarzyna said...
When you eat leafy greens, you always need a source of vitamin C so that your body will have an easier time absorbing it, which you know. Instead of the supplements, you can also sauté the spinach with some lemon juice or make a smoothie with spinach, a whole green apple and about 1/4 of a lemon (juice only). Red bell peppers also have vitamin C. :)

I don't take any iron supplements at all since they make my stomach churn, at least not the pill ones. I take a yellow doct extract which is an asian herb/root that has a lot of iron it in. You mix 60 drops in water and drink 3x daily.

I've been chronically anemic for a while but eating right is what helps me. I get back in shape probably within 1-2 months after a bleeding bout. Lowest hemoglobin on a scale of 11 was a 4, lol.

I would eat the foods you mentioned, but I'm trying to introduce foods to my SCD diet one at a time, waiting 2-3 days in between foods to see how/if I get a reaction. Makes things tough, but I'm a stickler!! I'm going to be introducing home made juices soon, apple and carrot for now, so that should give me some much needed vitamin C!

I never heard of yellow doct extract, I will look that up! Thanks for the help! :)
Posted 5/8/2014 9:30 PM (GMT 0)

London Lurker said...
I have been reading about best practice for treating anaemia for people with IBD and it seems that iron infusions are recommended, yet this gets ignored too often - I am just about to try to push for them to see if it helps with the general tiredness. Research suggests too that generally it can help the condition if iron stores are replete. Iron sucrose is common but there's another prep called Ferric Carboxymaltose that seems to be doing well in trials. My bloods make me borderline and Ferritin is around 40 but they don't want to treat it even though my nails are in such poor condition it suggests malnutrition as I don't quite reach the criteria.

Oral supplements are not good for me and a previous consultant told me to stay away from them.

Iron infusions sound so intense though!! I will ask my doctor about them though, if my hemoglobin levels don't improve by my next bloodwork. My next one will be in early June and then I've an appointment with my GI June 26.
Posted 5/8/2014 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
I suffered from iron-deficiency anaemia for years; pretty convinced the meds made it much worse at certain times, though.

I agree with kazbern about getting your ferritin tested. I would expect it to be low, as usually the iron stores are depleted before the haemoglobin drops: the anaemia is already quite advanced by the time the haemoglobin starts to drop. I would recommend iron supplementation personally, as it is almost impossible to make up an iron deficiency through food alone.

Bear in mind, iron supplements can be really harsh on the stomach. I couldn't tolerate any of them, not even so-called 'gentle' formulations. It's not like that for everybody, but if you do find you are unable to tolerate oral iron, the next logical step is an iron infusion. They're pretty good: they fixed my anaemia right up. My ferritin went from 5 to 67 and haemoglobin went from 7 to 12.

Iron sucrose is common but there's another prep called Ferric Carboxymaltose that seems to be doing well in trials.

Ask for Ferinject. That's what I got. It was ace. No side-effects at all. (A few years earlier I'd had an anaphylactic reaction to Cosmofer, which is iron dextran. Anyway, I was paranoid about another allergic reaction, and so my IBD nurse got in a different type of iron for me; miserably, but she did do it, to be fair.)
Posted 5/9/2014 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
I think iron infusions are too much of an extreme personally, unless you need it in an emergency situation. I'm trying to avoid anything that my body cannot produce or is unnatural such as synthesized iron.

To be honest, don't be worried about the iron levels TOO much if you are sitting at home. Having it low will make you fatigued quicker (mine is a 2 on the US scale for iron levels) but can be dangerous if you overwork yourself and your brain doesn't get enough oxygen.

I would eat the foods you mentioned, but I'm trying to introduce foods to my SCD diet one at a time, waiting 2-3 days in between foods to see how/if I get a reaction. Makes things tough, but I'm a stickler!! I'm going to be introducing home made juices soon, apple and carrot for now, so that should give me some much needed vitamin C!

I never heard of yellow doct extract, I will look that up! Thanks for the help! :)

what fruits or vegetables have you tried so far? it does make it tough but if it makes you feel better, keep at it! Juicing might be easier for you since all of it's broken down and there is no fiber (unless you keep the pulp). I love the NutriBullet if you want to look into that too.

i haven't had this problem with it but someone mentioned they did on this forum: i believe it increases your liver enzymes because it detoxes it and uses up stores of iron in it. so be sure to pay attention to the levels each blood work when/if you start it.
Posted 5/9/2014 4:31 AM (GMT 0)
Very bad anemia and needed daily iron infusions which I only got after a guy crashed into me head on putting me in the hospital. Fired the GI for not giving them to me when I was having visual artifacts from bright light.

Since then I began eating RS diet navy beans which have iron and grass fed beef chili. For the first time ever my RBC is inside normal range. Sprinting feels normal. I am still low in ferritin stores and working on that.

Wheat Grass is also a blood builder and good for UC flares. Gal who popularized it had UC.
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