I have been struggling with Anemia for a few years now. I was down to 7 HGB and had to have blood transfusions. I didn't know I was anemic until the doctors freaked out.
One of the symptons I had then was memory loss. It was like all of a sudden, I couldn't think about what I was going to say, or what I had just said. It wasn't like me because I tested for "Superior Short term Memory". I even forgot my own child's name.
The doctors ran tests and found nothing. They didn't believe me. One explained that with anemia, you can have a lack of oxygen to the brain because the lack of blood flow. I was lost.
My iron had improved and I've been on the pills now for those 2 years. Now, I'm starting to have similar symptoms. My iron is 12.1 HGB and Ferritin 19.6. I used to be smart and now I'm afraid that my co-workers and bosses will start to notice this. I can't remember vocabulary words, and my 16 year old daughter said I was crazy because I repeat myself numerous times without knowing it. Sigh...
Any advice, help etc? All the doctors tell me I'm fine, but I'm not and at 36 this can't be normal. Can anemia really have such an impact?
I so understand how you feel. I go through the same exact thing with my memory. It's horrible. It makes me feel like I don't have a grip on things anymore. I have very bad anemia too. It's iron deficient and my body doesn't store iron either. I'm 43 and I can't work this way. I mean, this isn't my only problem but it all started with anemia. I haven't worked since November of 2008. I used to work in a bank and when I noticed that I couldn't express myself to my customers correctly or forgot what I was going to say to them, that's when I knew it was time to quit and I did. I wish I could help you with this but my doctor says it's all from my anemia. But it's scary. It makes me wonder if I'm going to have Alzheimer's.
Thank you for your post. I spoke to an on-site nurse yesterday and asked her to just explain ferritin to me and its importance. She explained that a 19 was ok but I would feel sluggish. I mentioned my memory issue. She stated I should ask my physician to run a Doppler test. I don't know what that is really. I explained to her I feel as if I was back down to the 7 HGB level, when everyone freaked out.
I am in a position at work, where the smartest prevails and there is no room for error, or weakness. As a woman working around mostly men, the challenge is hard enough. They aren't listening to excuses of why you forgot to do something, or can't express yourself clearly in meetings. I'm just not myself. I don't feel confident. I don't want to even speak for fear of them noticing. Is this the depression and mood changes that many anemic people talk about?
Some people do go through depression because they just don't feel normal anymore. And doctors are quick to diagnose you with depression just to push the drugs on you. It's happened to me. I'm not depressed. I don't let this anemia push me to depression. I feel I have my family and I'm still here. It's frustrating dealing with my hemoglobin dropping so low and the doctor telling me it's iron deficiency, however, anemia is a symptom. There is a cause behind this symptom anemia.
JosieO--You say you have been struggling with anemia for a few years, do you know the cause of your anemia? That will have to be corrected before your body will be able to hold onto the iron. You said, "My iron is 12.1 HGB and Ferritin 19.6." Your optimal value for Hgb is a 14.0 and for you Ferritin anything under a 10 means there are NO iron stores remaining. You will need to build your ferritin to at least 50 minimal. It took me 3 yrs to get my ferritin to a 71 it can take some of us years and all this depends on the reason for the anemia (iron deficiency) in the first place. In my case I had heavy periods and then on top of that, malabsorption of iron so it took much more in the way of iron supplements and that is forever. The way that you are feeling will also depend a bit on your past history, i.e., I have anxiety so when anemic that became much worse. Whatever you are predisposed to it will become worse with anemia. My anemia was so bad for so long I was also DX'ed with Fibro when my iron was finally repleted. I thought it was just the low ferritn for so long but not in my case. I have never been able to return to work and its been 3 yrs now. Things can happen to your body when anything is disrupted so, the sooner the better take the proper measures to replete your iron stores and Hgb. Take care. FLFLOWERGIRL
__________________ Best of luck to you! FLFLOWERGIRL
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Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Moderate Anemia (resolved) Low Ferritin-- Work in progress! Hiatal Hernia--GERD
Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Hey FLFLOWERGIRL I'm told that I'm IDA. My periods are 7 days long, with 2 heavy days. I hope this is the case since my family has a history of Thellisimia (sp?) on my fathers side. My cousin has been suffering with this. She and I have been struggling with blood related issues at the exact same time and exact same age. Wierd even if just coincidental.
I also would like to ask, because many of you have stated that you're no longer working, is this because you are on disability or just fortunate enough to have a husband or someone to help you? I really feel yucky and not sure if I should be here sometimes. I play the strong, smart female routine really well, but I am tired, just tired. I feel like I'm 36 going on 96. Can you provide any advise? I know that building my iron and ferritin back up will help, but for how long?
I enjoyed reading this thread because before I was diagnosed as anemic, I had almost decided that I was feeling so down all the time because my sinuses were so congested that my brain wasn't getting enough oxygen. I have so much trouble concentrating that I can't convince myself that I'm not dreaming (doctors refer to this as dissociation but it may just be old fashioned brain fog). I think I may have developed obsessive tendencies too, but only as a defense mechanism; if I couldn't obsess on a task I might not have the energy to get anything done.
I got hired at a grocery store about 4 months ago and I don't enjoy any of it, hate constantly greeting people that might as well be imaginary, but I need the money. For almost five years prior to that I had been depending on my parents for everything.
Lack of Oxygen to the Brain 
Re: Lack of Oxygen to the Brain 
