Ok, I just quit smoking and cut down on caffine intake and now I am having all sorts of problems....

I have almost all the symptoms of anemia + a headache that I have had for about 3 months now. Minus the headache all the symptoms have started since I have quit smoking. Then yesterday my lower back started hurting and I have a history of UTI's and kidney infections. I went this morning for a CBC and HGB test and won't get the results til this afternoon or in the morning. I guess my ? is can the back ache and anemia symptoms go together. I seem to have a Dr that thinks I am over reacting and that all my issues are cause I cut out the caffine............:mad: :confused:

I see where you are concerned with the symptoms but you don't mention that you have ever been diagnosed with anemia of any sort.

I know that quiting smoking and caffine causes the brain to starve for the surge of electrical impulses which in turn affects the body in strange ways. I cut way back on caffine a long time ago and it was horrible. Since I have never smoked I can only guess that this addiction is harder to break.

From my experience the pains and muscle aches always started at the outer limbs first. It wasn't until I was really ill some 3+ years into anemia that my hip lower back area started to show the signs.

It never hurts to keep a journal - this way you can tell if things are getting better or worse as time goes on.

Good luck.

I haven't been diagnosed yet just went for the testing this morning. I was highly anemic w/ both my pregnancies but nothing afterwards til my last pregnany and they wanted me to contimue to take iron supp for a bit after he was born but I haven't had any symptoms of it til now and I have a new Dr. I started researhing my symptoms myself and asked for the CBC and HGB test. I have an IUD and no menstral period at all.

When my ex-husband gave up smoking he had a lot of side effects ranging from light headedness to bad headaches. He then wanted to cut back on his coffee, but decided to give it up altogether. He ended up with the same types of symptoms as from giving up cigarettes. He wasn't even a chain smoker, not even a pack a day and with the coffee it wasn't like it was 10 cups per day, he may have had approx 5 cups at the most, some days less, but he always made it very strong.

At the end of the day, no matter whether it's cigarettes, coffee, coca cola etc, they are all addictions if you cant live without them or you start getting weird side effects when you dont consume these products and you simply have to see this time through and once your body begins adjusting to not having these things in your system you will begin to feel better as time goes on.

With the UTI's, it could be simply a coincidence, especially as you say you have a history of them. Do you drink much water? A lot of people don't drink anywhere near enough water to flush out the kidneys and this can lead to UTI's in people too. Coffee and cigarettes are very dehydrating so people who consume these products should make sure they get enough water.

With your back, have you ever had back problems in the past? As you have a UTI, could it be your kidneys which are hurting as that is when a lot of women have experienced what feels like lower back pain. Did your doctor do a urine test? The UTI infection could have affected your kidneys. Are you on an antibiotic?

A lot of women who have had children say their backs have never been thesame due to the pregnancy and later from picking up and carrying kids around. If you work eg: sitting at a computer, your posture can contribute to back problems.

I have never heard of anyone getting back pain due to quiting smoking or drinking coffee, nor from anemia. Anything is possible i suppose, maybe another poster will shed more light on this issue.