Last week I went to the ER with severe heart palpitations. I thought it was my thyroid needing an adjustment but that was fine. They kept me Sun, Mon and Tues. until 7pm. Ran all kinds of heart tests and determined it was not a heart issue but an anemia issue.

My dr. relayed the info to me- "you are grossly anemic". Placed me on iron 3 x a day and a multivitamin. She advised me on the routine fecal occult test which came back fine and advised me to see my GYN.

I saw my GYN Nurse practioner and she looked at my blood results and said I was low but not "grossly anemic". Kinda made me feel foolish though I was just repeating what dr. had said Still she did an exam and sent me for further ironblood tests and a pelvic ultrasound to rule out problems there.( will get results Mon)

I am 32, 3 kids, normal periods, easily fatigued but feeling a bit better the past 3 days compared to the exhaustion I had before. I would say I am "pretty tired" versus " completely exhausted" like I was.

Here are my numbers. Does anyone have an opinion? Is this just semantics?

Not sure how worried I should be. Thanks in advance!

white blood count 6.1
red blood count 4.31
hemo 10.9
hemocrit 33.1
MCV 76.7
MCH 25.4

It would help if you would post reference ranges with your results. And do you have your TSH and FT3 and FT4 test results? You can have heart palps with anemia and hypothyroidism.

It would help if you would post reference ranges with your results. And do you have your TSH and FT3 and FT4 test results? You can have heart palps with anemia and hypothyroidism.


white blood count 6.1 (3.8-10.8) in range
red blood count 4.31 (3.8-5.1 ) in range
hemoglobin 10.9 (11.7-15.5)
hemocrit 33.1 (35.0-45.0)
MCV 76.7 (80.0-100.0)
MCH 25.4 (27.3-33.0)

My TSH, FT3 and FT4 were normal.

Just posting an update. Any opinions on what this might add up to would be helpful. I am a little worried.

first number is old bloodwork, then normal range, then New blood results after 2 1/2 weeks of iron supplements 1000mg /day are in bold.

white blood count 6.1 (3.8-10.8) in range 5.4
red blood count 4.31 (3.8-5.1 ) in range 4.22
hemoglobin 10.9 (11.7-15.5) 10.8
hemocrit 33.1 (35.0-45.0)32.7
MCV 76.7 (80.0-100.0)77.3
MCH 25.4 (27.3-33.0)25.7

RDW (not sure what this is) 15.5 (11.0-15.0)

total iron 32 (35-175)
%saturation 8(15-50)
ferritin 7 (10-154)

b-12 and folate normal


Also, my US showed a 14mm cyst on left ovary and anechoic fluid in the uterine cavity ( anyone know what this means?) GYN is doing a endometrial biopsy on Mon. little worried about this.

It will probably take several more weeks of taking iron tablets before you will see real improvement. It takes a long time for your body to build up your iron stores and to replenish your blood supply. If you have heavy periods you may well lose faster than you gain. Normal Hgl levels for women typically run 11-15. "Grossly anemic" at a 10.8 is a bit of an overstatement. Everyone's normal is different. I feel pretty wiped out at a 10 but I still function reasonably well. Also depends upon how fast you may be losing blood (if that is the cause for the anemia.) The quicker the more rotten you feel. Your body will adjust within reason. There are many forms of anemia but it sounds as is you are suffering from Iron deficiency Anemia. Keep up with your dr appts and follow their reccomentations and you should recover reasonably soon (if not as quickly as you'd like.)

I have to agree with Kritterkeeper - "grossly anemic" at 10.8 is quite an overstatement. While I don't want to diminish any symptoms that you're feeling, I just wanted to let you know that those numbers aren't cause for such an alarm at all. I've been dealing with anemia for a long time and my hgb tends to hover in the 9's. Most doctors consider an hgb that is below 12 but above 10 to be mildly anemic. That said, I do hope they can get to the bottom of your symptoms.

You will have to take supplements for at least six to nine months for your levels to come up. 2 1/2 weeks was too soon. You might wont to check it again in about two months just to see if you are absorbing it, and then again in a six months. Ask for ferritin test too (stored iron) And remember that testing while on supplements may give you a little off readings, it's recommended to stop supplements for 4 days prior to blood test. But don't worry about it now while you are anemic.

"Grossly anemic" at a 10.8 is a bit of an overstatement. Everyone's normal is different. I feel

I believe in this case that the word Gross did not mean bad or good. It meant that in general there is an indication of anemia. This is possibly a descriptive word meant to describe that there are no specific indications at this time as to cause.
Sometimes when doctors get in a hurry they forget to take into consideration that their patient may not understand medical lingo.

In medicine a gross picture means that what you see is what you get. Whereas another type of picture might be a close up a specific cell group or tumor. The doctor may have just meant that the labs indicate anemia and to not point to a specific disease.