Nurse called....I'm anemic...is that worrisome?

I've been anemic a few times. Yuck! Just try to eat things that are high in iron. People always recommend liver cooked in a cast iron skillet! Just the thought of that gives me the heebee-geebees!

Spinach, most fortified cereals, red meat, and I can't think of many more right now. Did they recommend an iron supplement? Did they tell you how low your count was? If not, I'm guessing it isn't super low.

Yes, anemic fatigue is a WHOLE new fatigue. It's like nothing I had ever experienced before! Like someone just zapped my energy and any energy I could possible gather.

Woo hoo for Friday!

I guess I should have asked - how are you losing blood? Was it just that time of the month? If so, then your body will probably build up those stores again by itself.

I think that Coco Puffs is iron fortified!

Well Coco Puffs it is! Thanks guys...I tend to over worry about everything.

I am not flaring so no UC bleeding. I had to stop taking my multi-vitamin w/ iron because the iron was giving me almost debilitating stomach aches. Thanks for the tips. I'll be sure to bring this all up w/ my gi.

That's good news... if you're not actively bleeding, then your levels shouldn't be getting worse, but if fatigue is really an issue, the iron infusions could make you feel a lot better and help you get back on top of the situation, instead of struggling to compensate with iron in your diet.

Tab - pre-UC, I couldn't take multivitamins with iron because of the stomach aches! Then during the last flare, regular ferrous sulfate gave me the cramps - where in my first flare it didn't. It's super strange how things can change like that!

Apple jacks have lots of iron too!

Tabitha,

As you can see below, I'm on some serious iron maintenance and regular checkups.  I have another in about a week. I won't go into what the last year was like only to let you know iron deficiency anemia is nothing to take lightly.  You could be loosing blood occultly and not notice any outward signs.  That is what is so insidious about it.  It happens so slowly, it's just the symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, leg cramps, that concern you until, if you're lucky, a Dr. will order a blood test.  If you're hemaglobin and iron levels are below normal, eating iron rich foods probably won't overcome the source of the problem.  For instance, it takes 10 lbs. of liver to equal the iron in one Ferrous Sulfate tablet!  One tablet a day wouldn't work for me.  I had to begin taking 3 to get out of anemia range.  Hopefully, I can start reducing that shortly but my hematologist said I would most likely have to be on a supplement for the rest of my life.  If you don't have a hematologist, have your GI refer you to one and treat the anemia as seriously as you would UC.  Let us know how you are doing.  Good luck.

Hubby had that real fatigue too. Anemia....he was on 3 iron pills a day and got a B12 shot in Aug and Sept. His most recent labs showed very mild anemia and the iron was on the high side now. Dr had him change from 3 iron pills daily to one pill and to stop the B12. They will re-test the B12 in 3-4 months. The B12 seemed to help with the fatigue factor for him.

I like the suggestion about the coco puffs, apple jacks and frosted mini wheats. Not sure which one he might like to try but some of the other iron food suggestions do not appeal to him at all...especially the liver!

I remember seeing a Dr on TV talking quite awhile back about eating "organ meats". In his opinion he did not think it a wise thing to ingest them. Reason being - he said think about what the function of those organs are. Why would you want to eat them was his feeling.

We were never fans of eating organ type meats anyway....as a kid my Mom would make liver and onions once a month - "good for you" and it was my least favorite meal. I remember kind of holding my breath when I would chew and swallow...lol.