Wonderful. Because I hadn’t been racked with crippling fear for almost two months! Please reassure me that I’m not going to be pushing up daisies In the next five minutes! Is this something that happens with auto immune stuff? The other stuff on google does not make for happy reading. Does anyone else on here have low rbc?
Bon x
Don't fret Bon1....pushing up daisies isn't an option on this site.
We just moan & grin & bear it, &I'd say most of us have had a low Rbc at some point along the way.
For starters, ask whoever ordered the tests what they mean for you. Unless you know the answer to that you can't begin to cope.
So cheer up & ask your questions ...you'll get honest answers here that you can relate to...not clinical statements that will scare you silly.
You don't say, but I am presuming you are newly diagnosed with RA, or think you have it?
Haematocrit is the percentage of your blood that is red blood cells. If low, you are officially anaemic. It is often associated with the long-standing inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. nce the RA is under control the anaemia can recover within a few weeks. Mine improved back to normal after two weeks of starting Humira injections. Good luck.
PS Do not take iron unless you are proven deficient. Excess iron when you don't need it, which with RA-anaemia you probably do not need, is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. Proven by Americans and Japanese research in the nineties. This is NOT a tabloid scare-story, but extensive research showed this.
Hiya Bon. No, not pushing up daisies, we won't allow such dramatic doings! You could ask whoever took the test to explain properly but as I understand it haematocrit (or PCV - packed cell volume) is usually to check if you're anaemic, have too few red blood cells, it can happen in RD. Have you been more tired, more than normal RD fatigue if it affects you that way I mean? Or breathless, dizzy or had a headache that won't go? If that is the case it could be you're anaemic, hence the test. If need be it's usually first treated with iron tablets, or folic acid. If that doesn't bring your RBC value back then sometimes ferrous fumarate is tried. Failing that a red blood cell transfusion. Be guided by who ordered the test, please don't try & sort it yourself. Depending on the value RBC's can be brought back by diet but I think it does depend on how low they are if that's an option.
Thanks NMH. It’s been a while since I’ve felt jittery about results and meds... I think I’m a bit scared because I’ve been relatively well so wasn’t expecting anything odd to come up with today’s blood test. Is this common then?
Really appreciate everyone’s insight...
If it is anaemia. There's something called anaemia of chronic disease. This from the US explains healthline.com/health/rheum...
Hi, yes I was given ferrous fumerate, & was told it had made no difference & that I had chronic illness anaemia!
Hi
I am like you as soon as they say one of my readings is high or low I always panic and think the worse, it doesn’t help when you google it. Last year my wbc was always high but never found out why and there back to normal now.
What was your reading for your rbc?
Blood Results - low neutrophils and low WBC
Foot drop, numb thumbs, numb area on back and now the sensation that something is walking up my neck and head. 
Tumeric
RA with low CRP and normal blood tests?
Methotrexate and low white blood cell count
