Of course I have been eating ice which I found out was a sign.
However, I switch back and forth between wrigleys spearmint or doublemint gum and sunflower seeds all day. I crave that gum, no other kind, and sunflowers seeds all day and night.
I posted earlier I found out last week, hemoglobin is a 6.5.
I am just wondering because I have never had cravings like this and it has been going on for about 4 months, could this be related?
hannahhannah57--I also had the craving for ice, it's called PICA. People that have PICA crave non food items, many different things from dirt, clay, paint, starch, baking soda, paper and much more. Thank goodness that I didn't crave those but the doc asked me if there were any other things that I was eating. In your case regarding the gum and seeds, perhaps it could also be a deficiency in some other vitamin or mineral as a direct result of the anemia or just PICA itself. With the PICA, they actually ingest the non food item, so I don't know if gum would be the same. I found a forum where the people were discussing what and how much they ate per day, it's really crazy. FLFLOWERGIRL
I've had this WEIRD craving which started probably about 2 months before I found out that I had a Ferritin Level of 10 and a B12 Level of 172 and it is Peanut M&M's!!
The thing that is sooooooo weird is, ALL of my life I hated Peanut M&M's. I never ate them, never wanted them. All the sudden I started buying them and I eat them EVERY, SINGLE day. It's like I have to have them. I was buying two 45 ounce bags per week, and I eat them all myself. Just recently, I started going through one bag a week, instead of two bags per week. But, I still always have to have them (everyday) and always have to have an extra bag in the house as a back up just in case.
I never did the ice thing .... I just started this weird Peanut M&M thing for some reason!! I am not sure why I started and not sure if it would be a craving related to the Low Ferritin and Low B12 or not.
hannahhannah57--Wanted to add that I was reading over my list of iron rich foods. On the list was sunflower seeds for iron, maybe that's why you are craving seeds for iron. You get nothing from ice at all and it is a non food item which makes it PICA.
Tifferzz--Sounds like you might be craving protein. If it continues you should consult your doctor. FLFLOWERGIRL
Last edited by FLFLOWERGIRL; 02-14-2008 at 05:49 PM.
Reason: sp
Thanks FLFLOWERGIRL, you know ... I never thought of that! I know I have been CRAVING Filet (Steaks) too, for the past like 3 months or so. I have to eat them at least 3 times a week. If they were not so expensive, I could eat them every single day of the week LOL. I never thought of the Peanut M&M's as Protein!
With that being said, back in January my Family Doctor ran a complete blood work up and she also wanted to see where my B12 (Is 455 Now) and Ferritin (Is 20 Now) Levels were since being on the B12 And Iron Pills. The two things that were a little off were my "Globulin Level" (Mine Was: 2.1 -- Lab Ranges: 2.2-3.9) and my "Albulin Globulin Ratio" (Mine Was: 2.5 -- Lab Ranges: 1.0-2.1). My Doctor told me not to worry about those two numbers because she said they were "non-specific". My Protein Total at that time was 6.7 (Lab Ranges - 6.2 - 8.3).
Should I still tell my Doctor about the Peanut M&M cravings since my protein levels were ok? I've had the Peanut M&M craving since like around August of 2007. What about the Steak cravings? I am embarrassed to say something, because I am afraid she'll look at me like I am crazy for thinking something is wrong because of what I am craving LOL. I was thinking the Steak craving was just because I want my Ferritin Levels to go up fast, that's why I thought maybe that was why I was craving Steaks.
Last edited by Tifferzz; 02-14-2008 at 08:18 PM.
Reason: Wrote wrong lab level above.
Should I still tell my Doctor about the Peanut M&M cravings since my protein levels were ok? I've had the Peanut M&M craving since like around August of 2007. What about the Steak cravings? I am embarrassed to say something, because I am afraid she'll look at me like I am crazy for thinking something is wrong because of what I am craving LOL. I was thinking the Steak craving was just because I want my Ferritin Levels to go up fast, that's why I thought maybe that was why I was craving Steaks.
It may sound silly to you, I can understand that. When I started eating ice I thought that sounded crazy and didn't tell the doc until I had a 2 ferritin. Now, I wish I had listened to my body because it was trying to tell me and I didn't listen to the warning signs that were clear as day! It's just better to be on the safe side if it continues, could just be anemia.
When I get sick I need to eat. I told the doctor this and he said that's not normal, but it was for me. Later, I found out that I was anemic, so I think that's my problem with wanting to eat when I'm fighting off something.
FLFLOWERGIRL
I have the M&M peanut craving as well. I go through bags of the darn things! Also, potato chips as well (barbeque flavour for some reason and I use to HATE that kind). My cravings are mostly salty and sweet. Don't know if it's related to being low iron or what but it's becoming rediculous!
Thank you all so much for posting. I was thinking, am I crazy?
Its the salty- sweet thing, I think you are correct and yes like you said FLFlowergirl they are high in iron, I bet that has alot to do with the craving, makes complete sense!
