Anaemic again?

[spacey1]

I asked our lovely Heathcare Assistant for a full blood count when I had my last B12 jab last week, because I'm feeling breathless again. My haemoglobin came back at 119 (115-165), which is just in range, but it's dropped since my last test six months ago, and I've been taking Spatone every day since then. My haematocrit has also dropped just below range again at 0.349 (0.360-0.470).

I know Spatone isn't a high iron dose, but I struggle to take anything else due to IBS. I take Spatone, a multivit and folic acid every day, and have a B12 jab about weekly (8 weekly at the surgery, supplemented by SI in between).

I've not spoken to the surgery yet; I suspect they'll tell me all is well. However, as I'm breathless and tired, what would you recommend?

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi spacey1

Was Vitamin D included in the blood tests?

Lower level Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a number of non-specific symptoms, including possibly chronic fatigue (experts have for many years noted an association between sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalitis (CFS or ME) and low blood levels of Vitamin D).

[spacey1 in reply to clivealive]

No, it wasn't. My Vit D was low in late 2016 (below 30, should have been above 51), and I was advised back then to start a multivitamin. I've not had it checked since then.

[Hidden in reply to spacey1]

Coincidentally I just posted this link on Vitamin D & iron on another post, it might be of interest. Also, effective absorption of iron is dependent on cofactors such as Vit A & C, copper (with some zinc), biotin and riboflavin but these might be in your multivit.

anemiacentral.com/vitamin-d...

[spacey1 in reply to Hidden]

I'd no idea the two were linked. I take a good multivitamin / mineral, but perhaps that wasn't enough to raise my low vitamin D? I might suggest I have it checked.

[spacey1]

Incidentally, my Red Blood Cell count is also lowering, and it's now just about in range at 4.0 (3.9 - 5.4). Is that at all relevant?