anemia

Has anyone else been diagnosed with severe anemia while pregnant?

I'm 15 weeks with my 4th baby. I have been feeling like **** since my 3 year old was born, constantly exhausted, constant headaches, I would run out of breath on the way to the bathroom, my heart would pound and race like I was having a heart attack, for no reason whatsoever. I was always crabby, I never wanted to do anything. I have been to 2 or 3 different doctors, and while my hemaglobin is always around a 10 or 11 they never called it anemia, they just said it was a "little" low and told me that I should eat more red meat. They all said it wasn't low enough to cause such severe symptoms, even though they found no other cause. they put me on anti-depressants and pain pills.

well when I got pregnant this time the symptoms got worse. it finally got to the point where I couldn't get off the couch. I went to my ob and cried until she agreed to do something. she sent me for a full set of nutrional blood tests, to see if I was lacking any vitamins or minerals. they took about 12 vials of blood.

[mommyof3mpls]

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and called me 2 days later to tell me that I am severely anemic. even though my hemoglobin stays around 10 or 11, my ferritin, another component of iron in our bodies was only 8, normal range being 150-300. and my iron saturation was only 9%, should be 20-55%. my zinc was also really low, and my B12.

so I had to go in for a bunch of shots in my butt, and I have to take 2 additional iron pills and zinc pills and vitamin b pills on top of my prenatal. they rechecked my iron this week and called me yesterday to say they weren't happy with my progress, she said if it doesn't come up in 2 weeks, I will have to have an infusion. I was at work when she called to tell me that and couldn't talk, so I didn't get a chance to ask her what that means...

so, that's my question. Has anyone ever been so anemic they needed an infusion? what exactly is that? it's not someone else's blood is it? because that's called a transfusion, right? an infusion is something different, right? because I don't think I could handle getting someone else's blood, unless I was like in an accident or something.

and I wanted you guys to know about this, if you think something is wrong don't take no for an answer. I'm so pissed I spent 3 years feeling so bad when all they had to do was send me for more complete blood tests. especially since my symptoms fit anemia 100%. fatigue and headaches, shortness of breath, pounding and racing heart, palipations. HELLO!!!! but it was easier for them to call it depression and throw some pills at me.

[pookie1121]

I have always had slight anemia - and my hemogloben is usually around 11, give or take a few tenths of a point.

Since I got pregnant my value went down to 9.1 and I have had to take supplements the entire pregnancy.  Iron supplements were hard on my digestive system so I prefer to take something that is herbal.   My hemoglobin value is tested once a month and I have been between 9.3 and 9.7 for the past 4 months so my doctor is happy with that result.  

Make sure that you take the supplements according to the package - I am supposed to take mine 30 min before I eat so that the iron is absorbed with food.  I take mine with orange juice because vitamin C is good for absorption of iron... AND I am not supposed to have milk or tea or a few other things after taking iron because that will dampen the result and absorption into the body!!

Your baby will need a lot of iron in the second and third trimester - and since he/she will take what they need, it is you who will suffer!  

Otherwise, if you let your iron go too low, you could end up like my aunt  - with her last pregnancy, her iron dropped down to 6 or so and she gave birth 6 weeks early and needed a blood transfusion after birth!