Iron deficiency anemia and PMR
Posted , 13 users are following.
I have discovered that I have iron deficiency anemia. My rheumatologist is the one who first discovered that I was anemic and since my blood test was so low she was concerned about internal bleeding. So I go to a GI doctor (well she's a PA) and she order a sonogram of my stomach area and they discovered I have a fatty liver as well but they did not detect any bleeding. So she has put me on iron pills. After a week of iron pills my blood test was even lower. So tomorrow I go back in for more blood work. But tonight I was looking up iron deficiency anemia and I discovered that it can be caused by a disease with inflammation. So of course my mind went immediately to PMR. Has anyone else out there in PMR land dealt with this?
1 like, 74 replies
amkoffee
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EileenH amkoffee
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amkoffee EileenH
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Ok. Your right. It's just that I waited a month for my rheumatologist to tell me what the next step was (it was her blood test that found I was iron deficient.) When I contacted her after the month wait she just told me I needed to see a GI doctor. So after waiting that time I was a little frustrated with her and I am finding that the GI PA that I'm working with is slowest nails. To give you an example her nurse call me with the results of a blood test that I had January 30th.
EileenH amkoffee
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amkoffee EileenH
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I completely agree with you Eileen. My rheumatologist has been so wonderful and seemed to be on top of things and then she let me down. I don't know what to make of it all. I'm just so frustrated!
EileenH amkoffee
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ClaireJG EileenH
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ClaireJG EileenH
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amkoffee ClaireJG
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I don't think that you can be certain that you do not have internal bleeding without some kind of procedure. But she just ordered a sonogram of my midsection to look for any bleeding. That was really not invasive at all and she discovered that I have a fatty liver. But she has now scheduled me for a CT of my midsection, so we will just have to see what that shows. She really would like me to do a stomach emptying procedure but in order for me to do that I would have to get off my pain meds for 72 hours and that just can't happen.
EileenH amkoffee
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amkoffee EileenH
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That won't make a difference. My pain meds slow my digestion and apparently she wants to know how it is when I'm not taking any. But it has not escaped me that this is backwards thinking. I would think that we need to know how my digestion works when I'm on it since I take it everyday.
amkoffee EileenH
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Yes I know that is not her field but all she did was tell me that my iron was low. She should have told me to see a GI doctor about it or a hematologist. I really didn't think it was a big deal. Well I knew what low iron meant but she just didn't give me any direction.
amkoffee
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mary19068 amkoffee
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Did you get to see the actual B12 test result, because sometimes they will say 200 is normal but it is not for over 55 years of age....
amkoffee mary19068
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mary19068 amkoffee
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Hi amkoffe
"B12 deficiency symptoms everythimg you need to know".....go to this site and half way down it gives B12 normal and abnormal levels also about elderly levels.....
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mary19068 amkoffee
Posted
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