How long to recover from anemia?

I was diagnosed with anemia (hemo 9.4) 2 weeks ago and put on 300 mg daily of prescription iron. My gyn said he would not operate unless I got it over 10 by surgery date of March 19. He gave me a depo provera shot to stop this month's period, which should have started today. And, for the last few weeks, I've been eating almost exclusively iron rich foods, increasing my vitamin C, and eating very little whole grain and calcium foods to increase absorption. I've also been able to take the time off and have been sleeping a lot, taking good naps, and having zero stress. My DH has done all of the housework and told me to "rest and make good blood." So, I know I've had every advantage to get my iron up.

Gyn's office just called and my hemo is 13.0!!! What? How on earth could it be that high already? I am feeling much better, but I am certainly not feeling like a person with normal energy at all.

Of course, I'm very happy that the hemo is up to normal. I just can't understand how that could happen so fast and why I don't feel normal energy. And, the anemia was the deciding factor for me to go ahead with the hyst. Both my gyn and my gp said it would be difficult for me to keep a normal hemo with my bleeding. Should I think of this as a reason to reconsider the hyst or as proof that my periods were causing the problem and without them I can regain health fairly quickly?

Can anyone help me figure this out?

Ladies, I seem to have had a fast recovery from anemia - before the surgery. How long does it take to get hemoglobin up to normal levels? I really, really need your input. My final meeting with my gyn/surgeon is tomorrow and I'm scheduled for Monday! I want to feel more settled about this if at all possible.

Its been 5 months since I have been on iron pills and 3 months from the surgery and I am still only at a 11.4 from 5.

Ask for a blood transfusion. If someone in your family is your type ask for this. Why should you have to suffer and wonder for 2 weeks. One unit of blood can buy you 2 points. 2 weeks is not enough time to go that high merely with iron pills unless the test was incorrect. If you drink alot of fluids your count will be lower than normal. I know a transfusion sounds scarey but otherwise you are looking at a probable cancellation or emegency transfusion if they go ahead with it. Just a thought. Be really pushy.

light,
I was at 9.4 just before my surgery. I felt better that night of surgery just because of the added fluids, I was really dehydrated before and now feel much better even though I'm still anemic. My doctor didn't want to go with a transfusion and told me the anemia will improve with time. Good luck... Lorri

I was 7 after receiving 2 units of blood after my surgery (they said I lost a lot!) and 6 months later I had moved up to 14. My doc said that normally you can rise by about 1.5 a month. I'd say have another fbc test.
the Best of luck.

light, i was 10.5 before my surgery. the lab just had type and crossmatched blood on stand-by for surgery but i didn't need it. at three weeks post -op it was 11. good luck!

You got a shot so that you wouldn't have a period this month, which means your iron isn't being depleted that way. You're on an iron supplement, you're eating iron-rich foods, and you're also eating in a way to maximize iron absorbtion... So it would make sense that your levels would rise, and maybe higher than they normally might because you're taking so many steps to increase the levels.

Are you wondering if the last test was accurate? If so, ask for another one when you meet the doctor tomorrow. They'll check it again on surgery day, too.

Hope this helps.

in oct my hemo was less then 8 my gp decided to do a transfusion, (she had tried the birth control pills, and i was on iron and everything else that i knew to eat that was high in iron) well last month it was checked and it had just went to 11, did they check it once by finger prick and another time by drawing blood from arm, cause when i had my transfusion they told me that the blood drawn was the best way and more accurate...i am not a nurse i dont know that is what the nurses told me.....

A finger stick is less accurate from my experience. I have to say that there is no excuse to leave anyone at alevel below an 8 without serious thoughts of transfusing.,and pre-op especially should be adressesed quickly. Lupron helped me over 3 months go from an 8 to a 13 hemoglobin, but this was after 1 unit of blood and 4 intravenous iron infusions at the hematologists office. OB/Gyn's are notorious for being transfusion shy.