Dealing with anemia?

Hi guys,
This anemia is kicking my butt! Any suggestions or helpful hints on how to deal with it? I am so tired of feeling weak, lightheaded, cold all the time, and like my brain has a permanent fog bank surrounding it..... I'm taking iron supplements as well as a multi vitamin and trying to eat right, but nothing seems to be helping....
HELP!!
Thank you!

Drink a lot of water, make resting and sleeping a priority, think positive thoughts, take deep breaths and HOLD them, stand up and breathe deep while stretching your arms in different directions. This is a form of tai chi that expands your lungs. Open the windows. Open the window and door while you're taking a shower, and make sure you have a non-slip mat. There's not a lot of air in a steamy bathroom, and it's not a place you want to faint. Always make sure you have healthy food on hand, or you may not have the energy to go get something. Since your anemia does not seem to be getting better, you need to schedule the surgery ASAP, unless you qualify for iron injections or blood transfusions. You DO NOT want to let this get any worse.

Hi Purple!
Thank you for responding. I will follow all of your suggestions. I have surgery in little more than a month and am going to stop working after next week so that I can rest and take care of myself before hand. In the mean time, I'm just trying to take it as easy as possible.
Thank you! And good luck!
Hugs
Jen

Jen,

I was extremely anemic for at least a year before the doctors finally figured out what was wrong with me. I thought I was tired because I was working a part-time job (25 hours a week) and going to graduate school full-time. Some nights I slept 15 hours.

After the anemia was diagnosed but before they knew what was going on I was put on iron pills, but I also starting eating foods high in iron - spinach - mostly fresh - I used it instead of lettuce in salads or on sandwiches. I also made sure I was getting potassium, since this helps you absorb iron - so two bananas a day was on the menu. I also started to like liver - fried in olive oil with grilled onions, mashed potatos and gravy - but you do have to have a taste for that. I was able to stablize everything so I didn't need to have a transfusion or iron injections.

I also took ducalax to help with the contipation of the iron pills.

I'm almost six months post-op and I feel great - I have not had this much energy in ages!

Hang in there and take care,
Cat

I took iron supplements from the time my surgery was scheduled until I went into the castle, and I was only able to keep the anemia from getting worse -- it did not get better. I was just "treading water" because of all of the blood loss each month.

Keep doing the best you can, and take comfort in the fact that things will get better soon when you're no longer bleeding so heavily!

My best wishes to you.

Glad to hear your surgery has been scheduled. I was finally told that I had anemia but it took a branch retinal vein occlusion(a vein in my retina hemmoraged-in Feb. 04 brought on by the anemia) to diagnose it. Have been on iron supplements since last March but my dr said that surgery will be the only thing that will end the anemia. I have been so tired lately and have messed my gallbladder up with too much caffene. Am working on straighting that out. Can't wait til surgery and feeling better. Best of luck to you!!!! Lainie

I was also very anemic before my surgery. I was able to build my blood count up from a 6 to a 9 before my surgery by having 4 blood transfusions and taking 650mg of iron a day.

Talk to your doctor he may want to increase your iron.

I had my surgery on 1/26 and I went to see my hemotologist on 2/9 and my blood count was an 11. This is the highest it has been since September! I am almost normal and feel better than I have in a long time!