Anemia & Thyroid Probs

[plashae00]

So a couple days ago I was diagnosed with Anemia and the doctor also told me that my neck looks a little swollen and its because of something to do with my thyroids . However when i went to another doctor after that , they found nothing wrong with my neck so I'm confused . Does anemia cause thyroid problems ? Or is it the other way around ? How do I even know if I have thyroid problems ?

[greygoose]

I think it could be either way, depends.

The way to tell if you have a thyroid problem is to get a blood test. On what grounds did the second doctor say you didn't have a problem? Is he psychic?

What you want are :

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPOab

TgAB

But it's rare to find a doctor that will test all of them - they are rather ignorant on the subject. But, get what you can. If they won't do any of them, you could always get private tests done...

Did they test anything except ferritin? How's your vit d, vit B12 and folate?

[plashae00 in reply to greygoose]

I got a blood test done on Friday . I'm waiting for the results on Tuesday . And the other doctor he felt my neck all the way down and he said that it's perfect . I've seen three doctors and only one said I had thyroid problems so idk. But I'm patiently waiting on my test results . Also , is still supposed to be black after taking iron pills ? And how can you know if you are taking too much iron/how can you avoid taking too much ?

[bluebug in reply to plashae00]

plashae00 do yourself a favour by finding out exactly what blood tests the doctor did, with the results and ranges. Otherwise you will find your doctor stating your result is "normal" or "OK" and it may not be. If you are in the UK it is your right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to obtain a copy if you wish to, and any difficult reception/admin staff in the doctors surgery should be firmly reminded of this. If they are still difficult take get their full name for any complaints and post a new thread for help.

And yes it is normal for your bowel movements to be black after taking iron pills as apparently it means according to various sources I've read that the pills are working.

In regards to taking too much iron the standard procedure is to have a retest about a week after finishing the first course of iron pills.

Then if the result is ok you need to continue taking them for another 3-6 months to ensure your ferritin levels have risen. You won't be retested.

Quite a few doctors now don't bother to tell people who are anaemic that they should continue with their iron pills for 3-6 months afterwards to ensure they don't become anaemic almost immediately again. (3 months if you continue taking them 3+ times a day and 6 months if you take them less than that.)

A simplistic explanation of why you need to continue is that ferritin is a protein which are your iron stores, and this needs to be at a good level which is around halfway though it's lab range. That way your body is able to move stored iron (ferritin) into the blood cells to keep your haemoglobin level up.

[plashae00 in reply to bluebug]

They did a CBC and Thyroid Profile .

[bluebug in reply to plashae00]

Good you know that however unfortunately NHS thyroid profiles rarely include FT3 which is the most important hormone, this link explains why - thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... and a CBC doesn't include ferritin levels.

Anyway once you get your results start a new thread with them then you can get advice from other posters on what you should do next. (Apart from continue to take your iron pills )

[plashae00 in reply to bluebug]

Okay ! I just looked in the mirror and noticed the bottom part of my neck look a little fat when i bend it . Sigh I can't wait for these results . I'm super anxious . ( im 16 btw )

[plashae00 in reply to bluebug]

Got my blood test results . Doctor said everything is ok from what he can see . However I feel all the symptoms of iron deficiency. Is ferritin level included in CBC ?

[bluebug in reply to plashae00]

Nope however as you have iron deficiency anaemia if you take your tablets for 3-6 months after you haemoglobin level has gone up then you should have a decent ferritin level anyway.

Get a copy of the results anyway. Many doctors say "normal" when they aren't and this is even more annoying if you can easily self-supplement.

[plashae00 in reply to bluebug]

I have a copy I my results . Hemoglobin is 13.1 . Isthis normal for a 16 yr old female ?

[bluebug in reply to plashae00]

Yes.

However at your age for particular measurements you are considered an adult menstruating woman.

How long have you been on the iron tablets for before you took the test? And did the doctor inform you that you should be on them for at least another 3 months?

[plashae00 in reply to bluebug]

He didn't say . And I've been taking the pills a day before I took the test . Does anemia get worst around your period ? Cause I think mine is getting worse now and my period starts in a day and a half

[bluebug in reply to plashae00]

Firstly if a doctor doesn't say then bring it up with the doctor.

You need to be proactive with your care and make it clear to the medical professional that:

1. You are interested in it,

2. You know something about your condition(s),

3. You won't be fobbed off

Otherwise you will end up as many of the other posters who come to this forum after years of suffering due to their GPs dismissing their concerns.

In the case of iron supplements the advice to supplement for a further few months up to a maximum of 6 is on the patient information leaflet which comes with them. (Always keep the patient information leaflet and take it with you if you have queries about a medication.)

Alternatively it is here - patient.info/doctor/iron-de...

You can print the page of and show it to the GP as it is under "If there is a response to treatment".

And yes your haemoglobin levels can fall during your period.

However in my case what tends to happen is if my ferritin level isn't high enough I notice it e.g. am breathless just walking.

Ferritin and haemoglobin are linked. Ferritin are your irons stores, and haemoglobin is what is used to carry oxygen around. If you lose blood then the stored iron is used to help make more haemoglobin, so if your stores are low you have problems making haemoglobin. This is why you need to get your ferritin levels up and maintain them.

[greygoose in reply to plashae00]

Feeling your neck anywhere cannot completely rule out a thyroid problem. I suppose he was looking for a goitre. Well, not everybody has them. With all due modesty, I have to say, I have always had a beautiful neck (blush blush). It's always been my best feature (there wasn't much else to shout about! lol). And yet, I've been hypo for most of my life - and I'm 71 now. So, whilst you can prove a positive, you can't prove a negative that way. Let's hope the blood test is more conclusive.

[plashae00 in reply to greygoose]

What are some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

[humanbean in reply to plashae00]

hypothyroidmom.com/300-hypo...

For a more concise list :

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...