How likely are we to faint/collapse with anemia?

[fishdoc]

My boss has been really good about not making me travel the last few months... but he's really gearing me up for the fall season.  I have to do a long day tomorrow, 8 hours of driving, plus a 5 hour meeting.  I have to walk quite a ways... my HBG is sitting at 11.8, three weeks ago, but I feel like can mans sitting on my chest, I get light headed really easy.... my question: how do you know when its not light headed, I am going to collapse on the nasty streets of albuquerque, and nobody I'm with is big enough to carry me??  Seriously, does anything help?  I keep thinking "if I eat something, I'll feel better"... wrong.... Open to suggestions from other anemic travelers...

also, how often do we really just "pass out".... I would be mortified..

[Tater-ToT]

No... I don't mind at all...

It was my second self injection of this interferon on my very first round... we had a nurse that was in here at the time that told me that it "must" of been that....

I have always had a fear of needles & NEVER after even like a grand total of approx 108 injections of interferon "Got USED To It" as some say... I Always trembled & Shook.. it was a tramatic ordeal to me.. the proceedure always involved me hiding in my bathroom & mustering up the courage to do it.... After about 15 minutes & several "Oh $h!t$ Later, I could emerge!

I think my sis in law actually scared the patoodies out of me that night because she was wanting to inject me & was making comments like it was no big deal & she could just wam bam thank-you maam before I'd know what happened... she made it sound like she was gonna just burry up the needle in me while squirting it & it would take like .05 seconds....

I said no I'll do it... & when I finally came out of the bathroom... I walked straight over to the kitchen sick to get a glass of water, & before I could even fill my glass, I developed tunnel vision & the world started going black.... I couldn't even get to my chair... had she not of helped me I'd of been face flat on the floor... She said I went white as a sheet & got all clamy (cold sweat) & after I got my bearings she escorted me to my bed & On the way I saw myself in the mirror.... ewww scary.... I started crying uncontrollably (I think partially out of embarrassment) & within 15 minutes I was fine & it never happened again...???

Go Figure Ehh????

I think I do well even with blood draws (As Long as I Don't look) & did manage to do my self injections although it never got so called easier for me (Okay so I'm a Whimp) but I think what got to me was the fear of someone else whom was not a nurse injecting me & how the sis in law was talkin about it...

I tell ya what, If I where on my death bed I swear to god I would NOT let that woman inject me to this day....LoL

[fishdoc]

forget what everyone else said:  Go acyclovir!! valtrex is a more expensive form, that is time released.  My family is plagued with fever blisters, and I discovered this stuff years ago.  I had a major presentation clear across the country, i was sick, and had a huge lip.  Dr. gave me steroids, and acyclovir.  I don't leave home without it, especially on tx. Dr. said no problem taking both.  It is an oral medication that blocks the replication of the herpes virus, actually developed for vaginal, but works wonderfully for the other kind.  As soon as you notice that tingling or swelling, you start taking the pills, and 24 hours later, pain is gone, swelling is gone, and its almost healed.  48 hours later, no more fever blister.  It truly is a miracle drug.

[sfbaygirl]

That anemia hit me fast and hard. I felt like I could pass out, but never did. I did have to stop every 20 feet of walking to catch my breath for several minutes. Legs got wobbly. I didn't feel safe driving, walking, talking, etc. My friend wouldn't leave me alone, which was nice of him to stay with me. I quess I looked pretty bad. Perhaps you will scare everyone off in the meeting with that pasty white face and red eyes! Quick meeting! LOL

Take LOTs of breaks and rest when you need too. Don't push yourself too much or you will feel a lot worse. When I do this, it takes me 4-5 hours of being in a comatose state to recover from having the plug pulled outta me from doing too much.

[beamishboy]

is it possible to get yur fins on some oxygen-for the altitude change?? y'all bubble the water....why not .....thks for advice on fever blister meds & GOODLUCK with the travel/conference..

[Magnum]

I take my hat off to you, working 8 hours under treatment is a tremendous feat. I remember standing in line at the bank, post office and other places, and had to sit down because I was feeling very faint and dizzy.

If I were in your position, I would ask the boss man/woman if I could work part time, if at all. Albuquerque is very hot in the summer. Be careful of the heat, especially if it's humid, because it will be harder to breathe.

I'm a little confused as to why you would want to work at all under treatment. I would think you would want to pack your bags and meds, get a beach side hotel at Paradise Island in the Bahamas, a daily massage, whirlpool, swim in the ocean, lay on the beach while listening to Jimmy Buffet on your iPod, join the islanders for the evening BBQ, kick back a few virgin Pina Coladas and send a post card to your boss to let him know you're okay and you

[Mister beagle bailey]

Fishdoc -- so glag you had a blood test today.  Your HGB must be down a lot from your baseline for you to feel like that.  Hope you feel better soon.

Dyce -- Glad you'll be starting procrit tomorrow, you'll find you'll feel a lot better.  It may take a few weeks to kick in, so don't worry if you don't feel a different right away.

Beagle