Ice cravings and anemia - Anemia Message Board

MandyPandy · 11-23-2005, 02:53 PM

I have been anemic most of my adult life off and on. I have weight loss surgery 2 years ago and it has gotten worse because of the mallabsorbtion issues (no other complications though). I have had ice cravings over the past few years but over the past year it got way worse to the point that I was eating 7 pounds of ice (the small bag that you can buy) every 2 days (and this was only the evenings when i was home). About 6 months ago my surgeon did a blood count and my iron and B12 was low. They told me to get a B12 shot at my family doctor. I got a B12 shot and my blood drawn again. After the B12 shot i felt much better and didn't crave the ice as much anymore. My PCP called and said my blood counts were normal!

How is it that i have this crazy ice craving that got better after the shot if I am not anemic??? I want to quit chomping ice but I can't help it. it's like a crazy adiction that I can't control. I'm driving the people I work with CRAZY! I feel bad but I can't stop. Anyone else have this?

cookingmom · 11-23-2005, 05:41 PM

Hi MandyvPandy

I can certainly relate to your ice cravings. I used to rate restaurants by what kind of ice they had - I always preferred the smaller cubes that I could chomp on easier and I knew which restaurants had them! My husband would eat a bowl of potato chips and I would eat ice.

When I found out that I had low hemoglobin and iron counts I was sent to a hematologist. He asked me if I chewed ice ! When I told him yes he said that is a symptom of iron deficiency but to refrain from chewing it because it was not good for you. To make a long story short, in February I had to have an iron transfusion. Since then my iron counts have stayed up and I have not craved the ice.

Are you iron counts still low? Did you know that chewing ice is also bad for your teeth? I knew that but it didn't stop me from chomping. Let me know how you're doing. Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. B.

Merimac · 11-23-2005, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookingmom

Hi MandyvPandy

I can certainly relate to your ice cravings. I used to rate restaurants by what kind of ice they had - I always preferred the smaller cubes that I could chomp on easier and I knew which restaurants had them! My husband would eat a bowl of potato chips and I would eat ice.

When I found out that I had low hemoglobin and iron counts I was sent to a hematologist. He asked me if I chewed ice ! When I told him yes he said that is a symptom of iron deficiency but to refrain from chewing it because it was not good for you. To make a long story short, in February I had to have an iron transfusion. Since then my iron counts have stayed up and I have not craved the ice.

Are you iron counts still low? Did you know that chewing ice is also bad for your teeth? I knew that but it didn't stop me from chomping. Let me know how you're doing. Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. B.

I also have a chronic iron deficiency, but because I have very sensitive teeth, I only crave shaved ice such as what you would get in a slushy or Italian Ice treat. But the crunchies still occur in the form of pretzels salted or not, doesn't matter, or peanuts, or the fake fat fried potato chips, (don't like taste of real oil any more, it all tastes stale)My theory is that in some way or shape the iron craving makes us want to eat which makes us want to chew just as we lose our appetites for nutrition, so we end up chewing or eating non-nutritious foods, due to the altered perceptions and tastes due to the anemia. Isn't that just a squirrel loop and a half?

MandyPandy · 11-23-2005, 09:40 PM

thanks for the replies. Yes, I know it's bad for my teeth LOL. I can't seem to stop though. it has gotten better after the B12 injection but still not cured. it was so bad at one time that i could not fall asleep if i did not have a bag of ice in the house, could not leave the house w/o a cup and knew what kind of ice every supermarket had etc. the doctor said my blood result were now normal. i had them take them again because i thought maybe they got the results messed up. I'm waiting on the 2nd test results.

giiiii21 · 11-23-2005, 11:51 PM

Wow! I never even knew anamia caused this! I have been obsessed with chomping ice since i was like 8 yrs old..and thought it was just me..and was normal.. I've always had low iron aswell! But i didn't know it was because of anamia! I am anaemic with very low ferritin! Do i need to go see a doctor about this??...-.-