ChatterBank21 mins ago
anaemia
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My doctor has decided that my anaemia in just something that is common to me. my iron and vitamin count was normal, but I am still anaemic, although i feel fine. My pains from an earlier posting have gone, Doctor thinks they may have been caused by a strain. question is, do some people have low blood counts, or is the doctor giving up? He said to have another blood test in 6 months, but of course return to see him if i feel unwell meantime.
any ideas?
thanks,
Percy.
any ideas?
thanks,
Percy.
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I think this is all quite strange, i just googled low blood count and it seems that platelets could be the problem, and as I am on blood thinning tablets, could this be the cause, if so, why does my doctor not know this? i always get the opinion that He is waiting for me to die, as I had a mini stroke three years ago, and every time i see him ( once a month) He does not recognise or remember me but looks at the record on the computer, see's the stroke bit, reads on, and gives me the impression that i am lucky to be alive today, but may not be next week. Thats my opinion, perhaps He just acts that way.
Percy.
Percy.
@Percy - I havent seen all your posts, percy, but just a couple of observations.
1. Anaemia will always have some cause. Most often it is as a consequence of something like iron deficiency, or B12 deficiency. There are other reasons why you may have anaemia - decreased production of red cells, increased destruction of red cells, or an increase in plasma volume that is uncompensated.
The need to treat the anaemia is likely to be influenced by the cause of the anaemia, coupled with clinical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, or tired all the time. If you are generally feeling reasonably well, this might explain why your doctor has not prescribed a specific treatment plan.
Personally, I would like to know from the doctor what they think the underlying cause of the anaemia is, then I suppose monitoring the situation is OK - I have to say that a GP that gives you the impression that you are lucky to be here, and scarcely knows you from one visit to the next does not engender a great deal of confidence in either their empathy or their ability :)
I am not sure what you mean about "platelets being the problem" with respect to your low blood count. Do you know whether you have a high or low platelet count? Regarding the "blood thinning" tablets - I would imagine that is either warfarin or asprin, and neither is likely to be a direct cause of anaemia, although if you are suffering bouts of haemorrhage from the asprin, say ( a not uncommon side affect of prolonged regular use of asprin), that might contribute to you being anaemic.
Were it me, I would try and get a clearer picture of the likely cause of the anaemia, and I would consider changing GP ;)
1. Anaemia will always have some cause. Most often it is as a consequence of something like iron deficiency, or B12 deficiency. There are other reasons why you may have anaemia - decreased production of red cells, increased destruction of red cells, or an increase in plasma volume that is uncompensated.
The need to treat the anaemia is likely to be influenced by the cause of the anaemia, coupled with clinical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, or tired all the time. If you are generally feeling reasonably well, this might explain why your doctor has not prescribed a specific treatment plan.
Personally, I would like to know from the doctor what they think the underlying cause of the anaemia is, then I suppose monitoring the situation is OK - I have to say that a GP that gives you the impression that you are lucky to be here, and scarcely knows you from one visit to the next does not engender a great deal of confidence in either their empathy or their ability :)
I am not sure what you mean about "platelets being the problem" with respect to your low blood count. Do you know whether you have a high or low platelet count? Regarding the "blood thinning" tablets - I would imagine that is either warfarin or asprin, and neither is likely to be a direct cause of anaemia, although if you are suffering bouts of haemorrhage from the asprin, say ( a not uncommon side affect of prolonged regular use of asprin), that might contribute to you being anaemic.
Were it me, I would try and get a clearer picture of the likely cause of the anaemia, and I would consider changing GP ;)
\\\I don't know what type of anaemia it is, the doctor always asks if I have noticed blood anywhere, and the answer is no\\\
That would suggest that you have a "borderline iron deficiency anaemia which in his opinion and possibly due to you being symptom free has decided not to treat you with iron supplements and to review you in 6 months.
"Masterly inactivity".....often the best treatment in medicine.
That would suggest that you have a "borderline iron deficiency anaemia which in his opinion and possibly due to you being symptom free has decided not to treat you with iron supplements and to review you in 6 months.
"Masterly inactivity".....often the best treatment in medicine.
Thanks for the replies, lazygun and sqad,
Can you enlighten me. If I had bleeding from an ulcer caused by aspirin, where would the blood go? would it not have shown on the bowel cancer screening, or the urine sample? I do sometimes suffer with food getting stuck when I first swallow , it appears to be mid chest region, and is indegestion beyond belief, and in the past has lasted for hours, but I have now master the art of shifting it, I take a large mouthful of water and swallow hard. It shifts everything and all is o.k. I wonder if this could be associated with the blood loss problems? I did tell the Doctor, and He asked how long i had had this problem, and when i told him about 10 years or more He said not to worry about it, I agreed with that, but I may have been wrong?
and thanks sqad, wife had the iodine capsule last week,no problem, she feels fine, She has to resume the carbimazole after 7 days, I don't why, but she see's the specialist in 21 days and He will tell Her if it was a success or if She needs another capsule or has to go onto thyroxin. must have been the right decision as she had nodules on the thyroid and had been on carbimazole for somewhere around 18 years, which is not good, I am told.
regards.
Percy.
Percy
Can you enlighten me. If I had bleeding from an ulcer caused by aspirin, where would the blood go? would it not have shown on the bowel cancer screening, or the urine sample? I do sometimes suffer with food getting stuck when I first swallow , it appears to be mid chest region, and is indegestion beyond belief, and in the past has lasted for hours, but I have now master the art of shifting it, I take a large mouthful of water and swallow hard. It shifts everything and all is o.k. I wonder if this could be associated with the blood loss problems? I did tell the Doctor, and He asked how long i had had this problem, and when i told him about 10 years or more He said not to worry about it, I agreed with that, but I may have been wrong?
and thanks sqad, wife had the iodine capsule last week,no problem, she feels fine, She has to resume the carbimazole after 7 days, I don't why, but she see's the specialist in 21 days and He will tell Her if it was a success or if She needs another capsule or has to go onto thyroxin. must have been the right decision as she had nodules on the thyroid and had been on carbimazole for somewhere around 18 years, which is not good, I am told.
regards.
Percy.
Percy
percy......we do appreciate your feedback.
It is extremely unlikely, but not impossible that gastro -intestinal bleeds due to aspirin, severe enough to make you anaemic, would not show up on bowel cancer screening OR by vomiting blood. Possible but a 1000/1 outsider.
This mid sternal "indigestion" even of 10 years standing needs looking into, by oesophagoscopy ( looking and see)........in my opinion.
The difficulty in swallowing and the anaemia could be associated, but not because of bleeding, but due to an uncommon condition called the Paterson-Kelly-Brown Syndrome or as we Brits call it Plummer-Vinson Syndrome. Google it at your leisure, but remember it is extremely uncommon, but needs to be excluded.
Thanks for the update on you "Mrs."
It is extremely unlikely, but not impossible that gastro -intestinal bleeds due to aspirin, severe enough to make you anaemic, would not show up on bowel cancer screening OR by vomiting blood. Possible but a 1000/1 outsider.
This mid sternal "indigestion" even of 10 years standing needs looking into, by oesophagoscopy ( looking and see)........in my opinion.
The difficulty in swallowing and the anaemia could be associated, but not because of bleeding, but due to an uncommon condition called the Paterson-Kelly-Brown Syndrome or as we Brits call it Plummer-Vinson Syndrome. Google it at your leisure, but remember it is extremely uncommon, but needs to be excluded.
Thanks for the update on you "Mrs."