Anaemia in RA

jackie1955

Hi folks,

I've been told I am 'slightly anaemic 'with a blood reading of 11 or sometimes just under . I was first told this eighteen months ago when my RA was diagnosed. However, neither the rheumy team nor my gp thought it sufficiently low to require any treatment.

Last month my rheumy nurse phoned to ask how I was feeling because she said my hb (thinks its that one) had dropped to under 10, and she thought that was a bit low for me.

As I have a rheumy appointment later in August she decided not to do anything about it, just advised me to drink plenty of orange juice, and increase my intake of iron-rich foods.

I've looked on here for anyone else suffering with anaemia, and wonder what blood results you are getting for this? Also for any tips on how to 'treat' it, but I can't find anything...... surely I'm not the only one :?

So, anyone out there who knows anything about this problem, and how I may get treated for it, please let me know!

Cheers, Jackie

tkachev

I have been given iron tablets due to anaemia for several years. I take 2 a day but was not given any other advice.
Despite the tablets I still had to have a blood transfusion after my THR.

Sorry I cant help any more .I dont know if they help as I am always tired.

Elizabeth

tinkerbell3

Anemia is quite common with RA because of the inflamation. Mine went down to about 7.9 and I did feel awful. It's treated with Ferrous Sulphate tablets which you can get over the counter at the Chemist.

Ask the pharmasist advice as to how many. I was on 1 three times a day but as yours isn't too low you shouldn't need that much. Your GP should also be able to give advice on how many.

Don't take too many as that can be quite toxic.

Always take them with food - I tried without and the side effects meant I was permanently in the loo.

Good luck.
Tink

marion1952

Hi Jackie

You must feel very tired with that low HB.

My HB dropped when I first developed RA and I really didn't like those Ferrous Sulphate tablets, so I took (and still take when necesary) a liquid iron and vitamin supplement called FLORAVITAL made by Floradix. It is expensive - costs bout £9 - and I don't think it's available on the NHS - I get it from my local chemist or a health food shop..

I first read about Denise Lewis , the athlete, taking it - she said it really helped her energy levels and she had put all her family on it!

Best wishes

Marion

pols090607

hi jackie,

spatone is a good iron supplement - you can get it in boots, most of the time on 3 for 2. it's a small sachet of liquid that you just add to a drop of water or fruit juice.

my hb is 11.4, slightly low but not too bad. funnily enough i have just bought lambs liver (eughhh) from sainsburys and am gonna get my husband to do a receipe i've found on the bbc good food web, ic an't bear the thought of cooking liver but could prob eat it if he does it plus it gives me a chance to sit back and let him cook !

dreamdaisy

My liver levels fell quite badly after the enbrel rebelled against me - they were between 4 and 5. I had iron tablets for nine months in 2007 and I try to regularly eat iron-rich foods, including liver. My figures have remained steady at 13.6-14.8 since January this year. I still feel tired tho! Energy? What's that? DD

marion1952

Ugh - liver! I remember school dinners. when I used to wrap up the liver in my handkerchief and hide it in my pocket to flush down the loo afterwards (I went to a strict convent grammar school and we were not allowed to leave any food on our plates!)


Marion

agslegs

Hi Jackie

I was diagnosed with RA in March 2010. Back then my blood tests showed Hb level of between 11.5 to 11. I have always been slightly aneamic. My last two blood tests have shown my hb has dropped to 9.4 which is quite low. My Hb has been down at this level for the last two months and I don't think my rheummy is too concerned about the level :roll: . I however am since I hate feeling constantly tired. My GP has put me on 3 ferrous sulphate tablets a day and she wants to retest me in 8 weeks time.

I have heard that many people with RA also suffer from anaemia. I do not know if my aneamia is as a result of RA or blood loss elsewhere in the body. I would like to know but I am not sure who is responsible for checking this - ie my GP or my rheummy team. I am going to ask both to check when I next see them.

I am trying to include more red meats and I have heard that Gojii berries include a lot of iron.

I'm glad you started this thread as I look foward to reading other peoples experiences of anemia.

Ags

tillytop

Hi Jackie
I was anaemic for a while (not drastically so) and I was told that it was something called "anaemia of chronic disease" which is, I think, due to the effects of the inflammation. As far as I understand this type of anaemia does not respond to iron treatment but tends to improve once the RA is under better control. This was certainly the case for me and it has been fine since.

Ags, you haave said that you are worried that your anaemia is caused by bleeding elesewhere in the body but I don't think you need to worry about that. When I had a stomach bleed a while back the docs reviewed my hb levels and said that they would have dropped dramatically if the bleed was serious or ongoing. I don't know what meds you are taking but, with most of the RA meds, regular blood tests are needed which your GP and your rheumatologist should review so that any problems can be spotted and dealt with quickly. Also Ags, just to let you know that I have also replied to the questions you asked me on "say hello" thread.

Love Tilly x

frogmorton

This is interesting....

I always have low iron levels

( escaped from hospital - signed self out after having Lucy with levels of 3.6)

I like the sound of that liquid stuff - the tablets are sooo yukky arent they? Sick of being offered them.

I am veggie though..... any of the rest of you??

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

Being a veggie shouldn't be too much pf a problem as long as you eat iron-rich nuts and veg. Broccoli and watercress (the big leafy stuff, not the delicate strands found with egg sandwiches) are a good source of iron, as are some nuts but I can't remember which.

For fish eaters, mackerel and pilchards are a good source too. DD

lindalegs

Hi Jackie

How nice to see you posting again, it's been a while

My Hb is usually around 11 or 12 and I was told it was slightly low because of my age :roll: and the RA

You should eat lots of dark green vegetables for iron (the darker the green the more iron is present) and marmite is a rich source of Vit B12 too. If you eat meat any red meats and liver, as previously mentioned.

Hope this helps.

Luv Legs

jackie1955

pols090607 wrote:

....spatone is a good iron supplement - you can get it in boots, most of the time on 3 for 2. it's a small sachet of liquid that you just add to a drop of water or fruit juice......

Hi, Yes, I read about Spatone in a magazine, so started taking it every morning in some orange juice. I have only taken it for two weeks and yesterday got results of my latest blood test - my hb has gone up a bit to 10

My rheumy nurse said my anaemia is due to iron deficiency (and probably not associated with the ra, more likely due to age and mentruation) so I may have to go on a 3 month course of iron tablets....... are iron tablets the ferrous sulphate that some of you have mentioned?

Anyway, I told her about the Spatone mineral water supplement, and she said that if that is what is starting to bring my hb up, to carry on with it as it is more preferable than having the tablets. (I will keep taking it, and let you know if it continues to bring my hb up)

At the same time I have really increased my intake of fruit and iron rich food too



Jackie

tillytop

HI Jackie, glad you seem to have found something that works for you. The Spatone sounds much better than the other stuff and obviously an iron-rich diet will help.

Toni, I am partly veggie-saurus in that I don't eat red meat so getting iron into the diet is more difficult than if I could just eat a hunk of liver every now and again (eeeeyyyyyyyychcchchc!!!!)

Love Tilly x

whitey44

All wonderful advice because different things work for different people.

I suffered from anaemia from teenage and it escalated with RA. Nothing from GP worked. In early 90's I discovered FLORADIX and I've not looked back. My Hb dropped recently because I stopped eating red meat for a while; Floradix wil get me back on track. Available from Health stores and local Pharmacies :!:

Pure wishes & love

Whitey X

jackie1955

lindalegs wrote:

........marmite is a rich source of Vit B12 too...../quote]

:shock: Marmite? Did you say MARMITE Linda? Oh

Just kidding! I'll have to give it a go, think last time I tried Marmite was when I was just a wee bairn!

Jackie x

lindalegs

jackie1955 wrote:

Marmite? Did you say MARMITE Linda? Oh

Just kidding! I'll have to give it a go, think last time I tried Marmite was when I was just a wee bairn!

Jackie x

Did you like it when you were a wee bairn Jackie....cos if you didn't, now you're a babe you still won't

(One of my pals is a vegan and I know she has Marmite to make sure she gets enough iron.)

Luv Legs XX

jackie1955

Hi all,
Just an update on the anaemia issue.

Well, I took the Spatone drink with orange juice and after 2 weeks my hb was up to 10 from 9.6. So I carried on with it, but at my next blood test my hb was back dwn t 9.6

I've been put on a 3 month course of ferrous sulphate tablets, been on them for 5 weeks now.

I havent noticed any improvement in my energy levels, and wonder how long do iron tablets take to work - if indeed they are working? Anyone any idea?

This tiredness and lack of energy is damned frustrating!

Jackie x

dreamdaisy

My count is fine but energy is a thing of the past. I can d ate it precisely to October 2001. I think it is the continual pain that does for me, that makes one tired before anything is attempted - sleep is of poor quality and certainly not restful. One adjusts, because that is the only thing to do. I wish you well. DD

jackie1955

Thanks for reply dreamdaisy. The tiredness does come and go, but when its really bad you can't imagine that the next day is going to be better...... and then surprisingly and happily it is

Still like to hear if anyone knows how long the iron tablets take to have an effect.... and if they don't what happens next?

Jackie x

dreamdaisy

Well, if your tiredness is coming and going I reckon the iron tablets are having an effect. No-one can say definitively how long they take to work - we are all different in how we react to things. Make sure you include plenty of iron-rich foods in your diet too, these should also supply some get-up-and-go! Some nuts are a good source as is water cress and red meat, liver especially - the latter is not everyone's favourite, I know, but a little once a month may well help you. Good luck with it all. DD

alarkra

Hi,

I first realised that I was anaemic when I was away working in the Middle East. They didn't test me for RA (which of course it's now clear that this is why I was anaemic at the time). However, they make me take lots of vitamin B pills and take iron supplement capsules to try and bring my energy levels up and raise my hb levels. The Vit B worked (along with painkillers for my aching body), however, I couldn't take the iron tablets for long as I have IBS and the capsules were giving me terrible tummy trouble and painful guts, so I had to stop taking them. I took them for a couple of weeks along with the Vit B and noticed a change in my energy, but this may have just been from the Vit B in hindesight as I kept taking Vit B for 2 months before I could return to the UK. Sorry I can't give you an answer for how well the iron works in this case, but maybe a good dose of Vit B will help you? It certainly did during my time of need out in the Middle East!

My Hb levels are still relatively low, but while we are trying to get my RA under control with a cocktail of drugs, the doctors aren't too concerned about it right now.

jackie1955

Thanks for replies DD and Alarka. I have increased foods rich in Vit C, and I do have liver once a week usually. I will see what my hb is next time I go for blood tests and hope it has gone up!

Jackie x

clairc

Another recommendation for Floradix here! I got slightly anaemic after having my babies and I hated the iron tables as they made me very constipated. The Floradix was wonderful, got my levels back up in no time.

Clair

wibberley

Another sufferer here. My GP told me to just stay on the Ferrous Sulphate indefinitely and I take 2 a day with orange juice in the morning - a combination of 3 breastfed kids, periods and RA keep my iron levels pretty low.

Also, be careful if you are on anti-inflams - I had blood in my no.2s(!) after being on Vioxx for a few months as it had caused a weakening in my stomach lining (or something like that, it was years ago).

Lois x

tillytop

Hi Jackie

It can be difficult I think to separate the fatigue of anaemia from the fatigue of active RA which makes it difficult to know if the new tabs are working or not. Hopefully your next blood tests will shown an improvement in the Hb levels.

Thinking of you.

Love Tilly x