QUESTION: After feeling listless for some time, and tired of being told how pale I looked, a visit to the doctor revealed an anemia due to blood loss during my monthlies.
I have a prescription for iron pills, but wonder if this is enough medicine? Can you please comment?
ANSWER: It certainly will do the job, if the diagnosis is correct, and I have no reason to doubt a finding of iron deficiency anemia in a woman with excessive blood loss during her periods.
In fact that is the most common cause of this finding.
In men and postmenopausal women, the most common cause is bleeding in the stomach and intestines.
A complete blood count, including hemoglobin testing and blood smears, coupled with a test for blood in the stool is usually sufficient to make a diagnosis, although additional tests may be necessary in some cases.
Capsules of ferrous sulphate should be enough to replenish your iron stores in about three to four months, but your hemoglobin will be close to normal before that, and your listlessness will disappear.
It will be necessary for a few more blood tests to be taken as you continue your medication, as the results obtained will mark your progress and prove that the iron preparation you have been given is being properly absorbed by your body.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
