Anaemia?

Lily

Gold Member
I just wanted to ask for opinions on this one.

I have to admit, I've found my latest (and hopefully last!) restart of CD really tough. I've been incredibly tired, quite low in mood, lacking energy etc. It wasn't exactly a bed of roses the first time I started CD but I don't remember feeling quite this bad. I'm on Day 23 now, so it's not as though I'm in the first couple of weeks.

Anyway, a colleague of mine startled me yesterday when, completely out of the blue, she came up to me and said, "Lily - you're anaemic!"

I asked her how she could tell and she told me that she'd been looking at my nails (we'd been in a meeting and she was sitting at the other end of the table to me. She must have damned good eyesight!). Anyway, she used to be a nurse, and after taking another look at me said that actually, she thought I might be really anaemic, not just a little bit.

Well, this freaked me out, so I have made an appointment to see my doctor tomorrow to get it checked out. But I have to confess to being a bit puzzled. I thought that CD provided all the vitamins and minerals we need - and as I've been more on it than off it for quite a while, there shouldn't have been a problem?

I suppose, if it is anaemia, it could be something other than iron deficiency causing it.

Thoughts anyone? Has anyone else had anaemia whilst on Cambridge?:confused:
 
It might not be hun - do you have white spots on your nails?
It is a myth that this means you are anaemic......
 
No, it wasn't white spots she noticed, though she was banging on about half-moons. I then compared my fingernails with everyone who'd let me look, LOL and couldn't quite see how I was different, to be honest. But I have to admit I am looking pretty washed out and I've had a couple of horrendously heavy periods lately. Plus of course, I am feeling pretty rough (funny how you feel even rougher when someone tells you you look ill :)).

I guess I thought it wouldn't hurt to have things checked out. Hopefully the doctor won't feel like I'm wasting his time. I haven't actually been to see one in more than 9 years, but it's funny how it never seems to have a bearing on how they treat you!
 
Yes, I had anaemia when I was on Cambridge. I couldn't understand it. Having said that, I was anaemic before Cambridge aswell. Perhaps some bodies don't deal with iron aswell as others :confused:
 
i'm naturally anaemic have been for a long time so yes do get tired easily from time to time, and yes on the cd diet i was really tired at one point, but like i said i have always been anaemic.
 
I have monoblastic anemia. Nowt to do with CD I just have dumb blood. Your body should have iron stores and the cd packs are balanced so if you are anemic you must of been before. there is no way you developed it in 23 days and certainly to severe anemia.
 
The doctor will settle it for you anyway. Best of luck :)
 
I have monoblastic anemia. Nowt to do with CD I just have dumb blood. Your body should have iron stores and the cd packs are balanced so if you are anemic you must of been before. there is no way you developed it in 23 days and certainly to severe anemia.


i might be wrong but i do agree with purplepixie
 
This may sound crazy, but what the heck...

When I had my kids, now 15 & 16, I was a vegan (no meat, fish or dairy). The doctor kept telling me this was mad & I would be very anaemic & she tested me every couple of weeks. Turned out I had the highest iron levels of any of her expectant mums back then, & she was baffled. Why? We cooked with iron saucepans and I am certain tiny traces of iron leak into the food!

Anyway, no longer vegan (just another way to have messed-up ideas about food in the end, for me) and now post-40 with v. heavy totm. (Peri-menopause anyone? What fun). Asked for an iron test last year as felt so exhausted, & again levels were high & healthy - we still have those iron pans! (I think now that insane amounts of choc & carbs were to blame, & CD sorted that.)

So... if in doubt, iron pans!

xxx
 
I thought my iron was low as I got tired and out of breath very easy but after a week on cd I feel much better..... But all that is not really the point.

I want you to know I think you are doing the correct thing getting checked out with the Doctor and I agree I doubt the CD could make you have low iron, but I 'm no Doctor... Good luck and let us know what he says.
 
It may be possible to develop an iron deficiency whilst on SS as although the packs contain iron they also contain a high level of calcium which has been implicated in inhibiting iron uptake. Although iron deficiency is not the only cause of anaemia. If you do turn out to be anaemic it would be worth investigating why as red blood cells have a life span of around 100-120 days so even if your iron intake has been reduced for 23 days this should not be sufficient to produce obvious clinical signs unless there are other underlying causes (which may be as simple as low iron before the diet and a heavy TOTM)
Hope your problems resolve J
 
The 23 days thing is a bit of a red herring - cos I've been mostly on CD (as opposed to off) for the last 18m or so. In fact, even when I was off the diet, I was still mostly starting each day with the best of intentions and having shakes - it's just I'd then eat food on top (doh, what am I like?). So no, I'm not suggesting that I could've developed anaemia in 23 days.

Anyway, it might not be anaemia at all. But to stop my colleague from going on at me, I'll get it checked out. :sigh:

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep you posted. :)
 
The 23 days thing is a bit of a red herring - cos I've been mostly on CD (as opposed to off) for the last 18m or so. In fact, even when I was off the diet, I was still mostly starting each day with the best of intentions and having shakes - it's just I'd then eat food on top (doh, what am I like?). So no, I'm not suggesting that I could've developed anaemia in 23 days.

Anyway, it might not be anaemia at all. But to stop my colleague from going on at me, I'll get it checked out. :sigh:

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep you posted. :)

Well done you for getting thus far.
I have been just like you for about 18months starting everyday with good intentions, then ending them with the starting tomorrow statement.....:cry: Well done XXXX
 
Aw, thanks Fluffy. :)

I'm almost back to where I got to last summer (today I've managed to get back into the same jeans I'm wearing in the 'slim' (ish) photo in my signature). I think I'm still about a stone off my lowest weight - I'll find out on Wednesday when I finally get weighed.

And thanks newfate, Katy, Purple, Roisin, tryer, louii, KD, sleepy and disco - and anyone else I've missed :D The doctor seemed pretty sympathetic actually. He even made a joke - that it must've been a really boring meeting for my colleague to be more interested in looking at me than in what else was going on (it was). So he sent me for a full blood count test. Results on Wednesday.
 
Aw, thanks Fluffy. :)

I'm almost back to where I got to last summer (today I've managed to get back into the same jeans I'm wearing in the 'slim' (ish) photo in my signature). I think I'm still about a stone off my lowest weight - I'll find out on Wednesday when I finally get weighed.


And thanks newfate, Katy, Purple, Roisin, tryer, louii, KD, sleepy and disco - and anyone else I've missed :D The doctor seemed pretty sympathetic actually. He even made a joke - that it must've been a really boring meeting for my colleague to be more interested in looking at me than in what else was going on (it was). So he sent me for a full blood count test. Results on Wednesday.


aww good luck hun, amd i hope you are running around soon full of life and energy.
ps tell us wheat happend when tests come back wednesday....xx
 
Aw, thanks Fluffy. :)

I'm almost back to where I got to last summer (today I've managed to get back into the same jeans I'm wearing in the 'slim' (ish) photo in my signature). I think I'm still about a stone off my lowest weight - I'll find out on Wednesday when I finally get weighed.

And thanks newfate, Katy, Purple, Roisin, tryer, louii, KD, sleepy and disco - and anyone else I've missed :D The doctor seemed pretty sympathetic actually. He even made a joke - that it must've been a really boring meeting for my colleague to be more interested in looking at me than in what else was going on (it was). So he sent me for a full blood count test. Results on Wednesday.

You are more than welcome and :happy096: for getting in those jeans....

I'm getting close to day 2..... fingers crossed.

Keep us updated on your progress weight and doctor wise...
Luv Fluff
 
Well...

... I haven't got anaemia :D. My haemoglobin level was a ridiculously healthy 13.5...

LOL. It's funny, but I realised as I was driving to work yesterday that I actually felt so much better than I had for weeks. Last week I felt awful - really awful. Tired, depressed, sick... So whether I had a bug of some kind, I don't know - or whether my body's finally used to be back in ketosis, I don't know.

Feel a bit of a fraud now - but when a colleague tells you how rough you look, you sort of feel you have to do something...:eek:

:sigh: Never mind. It was better safe than sorry, right? And that's one less thing to worry about...
 
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