Anemia Mystery

[JDru]

Some of you may know I was diagnosed with anemia (caused by blood loss) about a month ago and since then the docs have been trying to determine where the blood loss was coming from. They did find I had bleeding somewhere in my GI tract. So on Thursday I had a colonoscopy and an upper GI endoscpy.

The doc did find a polyp (benign), internal hemorrhoids (not bleeding) and some irritation in my stomach. None of those things are causing the bleeding! So then I had to go to radiology (very loopy from the sedation drungs ha ha!) and drink barium and take a bunch of x-rays. Barium is nasty btw..it's like drinking glue. The x-rays came back normal, so we still don't know the cause of the bleeding. So now I have to swallow a pill that has a camera in it! It is called M2A (mouth to anus...ha ha!) capsule. It takes pictures of my intestines over a few hours and it's transmitted to a monitor that I wear on my belt. Weird huh?

Has anyone else had to do this M2A capsule??

The good news is that the doc ruled out anything serious so I have scheduled my Lap-Band surgery for October 26!! Cross your fingers that everything goes well...

[NurseTeresa]

Jessica,
I personally have not had this particular procedure done. However, I have had several patients who have had this done. All but one say its a breeze much easier then the regular colonoscopy. The one that disagreed did so because she had an obsturction which they weren't aware of. This caused the capsule to be stuck in the obstruction. So she had to go for an exploritory surgery to remove a foreign body. Since your issue is just some active bleeding somewhere I dont see you having this issue at all. I had another patient last week that went thru the EGD and Colonoscopy and they found nothing(he also had a very active bleed his Hemaglobin was only 6.9) When they did the capsule they were able to find some active bleeding ulcers and then could go in and cauterize them. Hope that this helps and hope that it didnt scare you telling you about the little old ladies issue. Any more questions feel free to PM me. Good luck with your tests. Think the worst part of any of these tests is the nasty bowel prep!!!!

[Penni60]

Jessica: I have been anemic all my life. When I was two they had to give me a blood transfusion. I have never had any bleed to cause the anemia. The causes for anemia can be varied and numerous as well. As women we lose blood every month due to menstration. Sometimes our bodies just don't make enough Red Blood Cells for whatever reason.

Anemia isn't always associated with active bleeding. I take Iron pills every day to keep me built up. If I don't take them I can get flu like symptoms and feel really fatigued. That is what I have come to deal with in my life with regards to my anemia.

Could be you just have a predisposition for anemia. Might not find anything to be the 'cause' of the anemia. Just a thought.

[Goannabanda]

Hey Jess,
Good news for you so far, great to hear that you now have a surgery date. As Penny says, you might just be pre-disposed to anaemia, despite what the previous test results revealed.

You have been through the worst part with the colonoscopy and endoscopy. I hope that your M2A test is clear too (...don't be volunteering to find that camera afterwards! hehehe!). Keep us posted on your progress.
Hugs,
your band sis.

[JDru]

Thanks everyone for your replies...they makes me feel better. Teresa, you're right about the bowel prep. Disgusting!!!

This is the first time I've had problems with anemia in my life, so I think it's a new thing. I donate blood as ofen as I can and I can't donate if my hematocrit is too low. This didn't start happening until about 9-12 months ago. I just hope they find out what it is because like Penni said, it does make you really, really fatigued. I'm on iron now too.

And apparently I don't have to "find" the camera afterwards...it's disposable. :) I'll keep you updated!

[JoyceGA]

Jessica: I have been anemic all my life.... Anemia isn't always associated with active bleeding. I take Iron pills every day to keep me built up. If I don't take them I can get flu like symptoms and feel really fatigued. That is what I have come to deal with in my life with regards to my anemia


My situation is almost like Penni's. I've been anemic all my life. I have low blood pressure, used to faint all the time; took salt tablets; and have my iron level check once a year. I've taken iron on and off during my life (mainly as a teenager and in past 10 years).

My favorite fainting memory. In 8th grade, the garden club was doing a tour of homes. I was dressed as a Southern Belle -- hooped skirt and all. I fainted dead away, and was on the ground with my hoop flying over my head displaying all my charms. Thank God, it was the home of my heart doctor, who knew my condition.

I would have them do a complete blood work. It is worth discovering a clean bill of health, or discovering something the doctor hasn't considered.

[HeatherGurl]

sorry to hijack... but what should your Iron level be?

[JoyceGA]

Well, they never really tell me my iron level -- just it is too low or normal.

There are several tests that can be run on iron. The common blood test reads serum.

Normal serum iron values are as follows:

Adult males: 75-175 micrograms/dL

Adult females: 65-165 micrograms/dL

Children: 50-120 micrograms/dL

Newborns: 100-250 micrograms/dL.

[JDru]

Here are my newest lab results:

hematocrit: 34.8 (normal between 36-46)
hemaglobin: 11.4 (normal 12-16)
iron: 28 (normal see Joyce's post)
iron saturation: 6% (normal 20-50%)

The docs seem most worried about my iron saturation. I'm pretty tired all of the time. Well, not so much tired...I just have NO energy. I'm still waiting to hear if the insurance has authorized the camera pill. Hopefully it will be next week or I will have to postpone my surgery...again!

[JoyceGA]

Jessica, have you done the sleep test and had your oxygen level checked? In my case, part of my anemia recently was not processing enough oxygen. In fact, the sleep test showed that I stopped breathing 10 times during the night. I've been sleeping with a CPak and immediately my energy improved. I went from an oxygen level of 85 to 97.

What about thyroid, too.

[Barb]

Jessica, have you done the sleep test and had your oxygen level checked? In my case, part of my anemia recently was not processing enough oxygen. In fact, the sleep test showed that I stopped breathing 10 times during the night. I've been sleeping with a CPak and immediately my energy improved. I went from an oxygen level of 85 to 97.

What about thyroid, too.


Yeah sleep apnea plays weird tricks with your body...I have it also, and have so much more energy when using the cpap!! Swelling in ankles went away. It's amazing!
Best wishes to you Jessica! I hope you feel better soon!
Take care!

[JDru]

Hmmm...I hadn't really thought about sleep apnea. I haven't done a sleep test and none of the docs have asked me about this. I'll have to mention something about it next time I go in. My thyroid is normal.

The one thing they do know is that I'm bleeding somewhere in my GI tract. Now they just have to locate the source of the bleeding. I hope I don't have to postpone my lapband surgery again...

[MoOrLess]

I hope I don't have to postpone my lapband surgery again...

But look at it this way - better to know nothing is wrong - or everything is fixed BEFORE band surgery - keeping you in prayer! Hope you find out soon.

[JDru]

I'm doing the camera pill tomorrow. Wish me luck and cross your fingers that they find out what's going on!!

[Hippo's Hope]

Jessica, I'll be thinking about you tomorrow and hoping that all goes well with your test.
Hope

[JDru]

Mystery solved! I found out the results of my camera pill endoscopy. I have a duodenal ulcer (in the beginning of my small intestine). I'm starting on Prevacid to treat it for now. So I will be joining bandland for sure on Thursday!!! I'm so relieved! Thanks to everyone for being so supportive and sending good thoughts my way.

[Goannabanda]

Yay Jess!!! See you in bandland!