Post menopausal and I have iron deffe... - Pernicious Anaemi...

Pernicious Anaemia Society

32,672 members24,065 posts

Post menopausal and I have iron deffeciency anemia and asthma

Chezza1777 profile image
9 Replies

Following a recent endoscope and colonoscopy we thought the cause of the internal bleeding had been identified. They found a very large polyp which was removed safely. I have been taking iron tablets for 3 weeks and I have just had another blood test still showing my bloods going in the wrong direction:

Hglobin 87 (was 98 before they removed a very large polyp on the 01st May)

Platelets 473 (was 586 before the iron tablets)

B12. 306

Ferritin 817 (Was 583 before the iron tablets)

I feel awful almost all of the time, I have lost 2stone in weight in the last 6 months.

I have an uncontrollable cough that I have had for a couple of years, I take salbutamol and Seretide for the asthma.

I have a fast pulse, extreme tiredness this awful cough, changed taste I have stopped drinking wine, Stopped drinking coffee and nausea. What should be my next course of action. Have I been taking the iron tablets long enough to allow things to improve. Could some of the symptoms be hormonal.

Written by
Chezza1777 profile image
Chezza1777
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
9 Replies
Yellowkangaroo profile image
Yellowkangaroo

Others would help more as I'm fairly new on here but your b12 levels have dropped from 409 on your last post 3 months ago to 306 which seems a big drop, others on here have complained of symptoms with b12 level between 300 and 400. Some of your other symptoms are same as mine too and I have just been diagnosed with b12 deficiency, my level was 105.

Chezza1777 profile image
Chezza1777 in reply toYellowkangaroo

Thank you yes I will chat to the doctor about B12 again.

KimberinUS profile image
KimberinUS

hello,

i imagine you feel quite breathless considering your hgb is so low. that will cause breathlessness and fatigue and might not be asthma.

your ferritin is off the charts high and im sure the iron they have prescribed isnt helping as, in my non medical opinion, you have anemia of chronic inflamatiin or disease.

niddk.nih.gov/health-inform...

this means your body sees iron as toxic and is shuttling it to storage (ferritin) instead of using it to form hgb for red blood cells.

treatment is to treat the infection.

please get tested for all of the causes listed in the link and for h pylori.

the reason i say h pylori is because you mentioned a chronic cough and nausea. i had those two symptoms and fatigue with h pylori.

h pylori reduces stomach acid and this can cause the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus to not close. not too bad during the day when sitting up but when we lay down the acid in our stomach gets into the esophagus (even minimal acid is bad there) and there is lots of coughing first couple hours of morning that diminishes during evening. this is called silent reflux if you dont have symptoms of painful heartburn during the day. my coughing produced globblets of disgusting phelm for years prior to treatment that got worse with time.

webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/gu...

i imagine your doctors are aware of your condition being anemia of chronic inflamation/ disease and they thought they might have found the cause with the polyp, so they prescribed iron after surgery to improve/facilitate faster hgb recovery.

this has not worked. so while their efforts were a good first attempt they definitely need to keep going and soon. as in now!, because ferritin should not ,not, not ever be that high.

best of luck and health.

Chezza1777 profile image
Chezza1777 in reply toKimberinUS

Thank you. I believe H pylori would have been checked during the endoscopy as a biopsy was taken. But all came back negative.

I am having another blood test on Monday to check for adrenal glands, another FBC and iron binding, so this bay link to your paragraph 3.

I have asked to be referred back to a private consultation for body scans. What do you think?

KimberinUS profile image
KimberinUS in reply toChezza1777

im sorry but i no longer trust medical professionals and would check my medical records to see if h pylori was one of the tests.

additiinally, i dont know what a body scan entails.

i just know your low hgb/very high ferritin is a problem that needs resolved.

i would try to get someone to go to the appt with you as 2 heads are better than one. and i would ask about anemia of chronic inflamation.

Chezza1777 profile image
Chezza1777 in reply toKimberinUS

Thank you and will do

Coastwalker profile image
Coastwalker

Have you had your vitamin D blood levels checked. Some life long, even chronic asthma can be turned around quite quickly by taking vitamin D3 ,my husbands asthma was and he no longer needs to take both his inhalers. Though always keeps one handy just in case.

Coastwalker profile image
Coastwalker

Just adding try googling to see if any of your asthma inhalers has side effects that can actually cause asthma. Yes oddly enough this is true. Also some medications can be the cause of persistent coughing.

Chezza1777 profile image
Chezza1777

After further investigations I have been diagnosed with Kidney cancer. Full kidney removal Operation is planned for the 27th July.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Pernicious anemia/Iron/Thyroid problems?

Is it common for people with pernicious anemia to go on to develop thyroid problems? I have had...
Krealan profile image

Iron deficiency anemia yes or no??

Hi there, I’ve just been reading some of the above posts and wondered if you could advise me?? I...
Onedge profile image

Have positive parietal antibodies but "good" colonoscopy and endoscopy results?

It's kind of a let down honestly. I wish my scoping yesterday found something that showed my PA...
Ladyawkward profile image

Low B12 and Iron

Hi All, I'm a new member. I have not been diagnosed with any type of anaemia but I've recently had...

Not sure I have Perniciuous Anemia

Hello, my name is Susana and I am from Mexico. I am 40 years old and I have been suffering with...
ssfoyo profile image

Moderation team

See all
Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62Administrator
Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator
taka profile image
takaAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.