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Iron deficiency anemia without an apparent cause
I'm a 21-year-old female. Last year, after a routine trip to my primary care physician, I received alarming blood test results and was sent to a hematologist who diagnosed me with severe iron deficiency anemia. Initially, the anemia was thought to be caused by heavy menstrual bleeding, and so in addition to being given two iron infusions, I was also put on an oral contraceptive that has halted the heavy bleeding entirely. Over the course of the last few months, the typical symptoms of iron deficiency anemia began to return (dizziness, fatigue, restless leg syndrome, headaches, etc.) and after another trip to the hematologist, I was once again diagnosed with anemia and have at this point received the first of two more iron infusions. After consulting with my hematologist, he recommended that I take another trip to see my primary care physician who can hopefully run some more tests to try and determine the cause of the anemia. Does anyone know of any other common causes of iron-deficiency anemia or has anyone had a similar experience?
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I had my first appointment at the Mayo Clinic the first part of August.
I have low white cell counts , Low platelets, and low neutrophils. Bone marrow biopsyas normal, but there were a couple of minimal mutations. Possibly CCUS. had a blood draw which has been sent to Rochester Minnesota for further examination. ( Next generation sequencing )
what other issues do you have?
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1 ReactionHi, and thanks for your reply. I had labs done a few weeks ago. My hemoglobin has been stable, at around 10, for the past year. Recent labs show it is now 11.4. Also, HCT was 32, it's now 35.5. Everything else is in the normal range. I asked the oncologist, what could be the cause of anemia ? He said , possibly internal bleeding. May have been before I had endoscopy. I'm wondering could it have been from the Moderna covid vaccine? I don't know. Last booster was March 2022. The doctor told me to keep raking iron, and repeat labs in 6 months.
I had iron deficiency anemia which I think was diet. After the covid vaccines in spring 2021 I was extremely exhausted and sleeping 12 to 15 hours. (check for threads as this happened to others and they also ended up anemic. I don’t know what kind they had) I was given 2 iron infusions. My body did not use the iron stores and my hemoglobin remained low. I also needed 2 hip replacements due to arthritis. I was told by the hematologist’s NP that I hadAnemia of chronic disease happens when you have an autoimmune disease or other illness lasts longer than three months and that causes inflammation. Chronic inflammation can affect your body's ability to use iron needed to make enough red blood cells. My PCP doesn’t think the arthritis caused it however the covid vaccines cause inflammation. I also had enlarged lymph nodes which the PCP said was likely due to the covid vaccines. I may have started out with iron deficiency but I really think the covid vaccines caused the other type of anemia.
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2 ReactionsI am dealing with something similar.I had heavy 3 week periods for three years and they could not figure out what was going on.Nothing they tried would stop the bleeding.I got a one time 1020 mg iron infusion and the periods stopped for almost a year, but I am still showing low iron.I have gone to so many Gynocologists and GI doctors and they can't find a thing.I am thinking it might be something they are not seeing in the intestines.Have you been checked for sibo in your gut?I was doing some research and saw that sibo can deplete you of Iron and B12.
Can you share what SIBO is an acronym for…?
Could the cause be some type of genetic anomaly?
Sibo is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.It can cause a big belly,constipation,diarrhea,belly pain and gas.It can deplete the body of vitamins such as Iron and B12 because they are ingested first by the small intestine.They use antibiotics to treat sibo and some people use natural antibiotics such as neem to treat it.You can ask for a Breath test through your GI Doctor to see if you have it.
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1 Reaction@j77 OMG you just wrote all my GI symptoms under the sibo name!! I am suffering from B12 and iron deficiency. Labs have confirmed it for months and docs acknowledge but pass it off to the next doctor. I don't have a large intestine (sigmoid colon). It was taken when bowel perforation occurred! With my thyroid also missing I have a difficult time with metabolism. I'm seeing Gastro doc next week!! Glad I now have this info to share with him and also when I do take antibiotics I do feel better!! Thank you so much !!! 😁😁
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1 ReactionYou're Welcome!The GI Doctor will probably put you on Antibiotics which should clear it up.If he dismisses you or tries to pass you off I would go to a Functional or Holistic Doctor.They will give you a Natural Antibiotic that works just as well.Take Care!
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1 Reaction@j77 He probably won't lol. This doctor wanted me to take something (don't remember what it was) for constipation which would make my bowels "explode" and empty them. 😳😳😳. I had a bowel perforation. A colostomy. Sloppy resect (that took my sigmoid colon) and huge hernia surgeries and you want me to take something that will make my bowels explode !!!! OMG!! It sat in my closet for weeks. Thousands of dollars worth of meds. I just couldn't do it. I ended up returning the bottles to him. I could have died. My doctors never take my past (and present) medical history into account and I find that scary.
That is horrible,but it does not surprise me at all.If this GI Doctor does not help you go to another one.If the GI Doctors don't help you go to a Holistic Doctor.Holistic Doctors truly want to help and will not leave any stone unturned to try to get you back to being Healthy.They also have more time and can put more effort into looking into your symptoms than a conventional Doctor.