Healthy eating for anemia???

kzertuche
kzertuche Posts: 48 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My husband has severe anemia (had to have 2 pints transfused) and his body is having a hard time producing enough red blood cells, he is taking supplements, eating more meat, more leafy greens, etc, but he is still at roughly 1/4 of what he is supposed to be at. Any tips? Am I over-cooking the meat, like is it supposed to be more rare? Dr keeps saying supplements and diet, but after 3 weeks of no alcohol, no nicotine, low sodium (has to keep his blood pressure down) and all natural food we have lost weight, but he is still weak and anemic.

Replies

  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited July 2016
    What is this severe anemia caused by? Find the cause, then you can solve the problem.
    I am sure that by now, you have read that vitamin c aids in iron absorption.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    well, then it sounds like an issue with absorption.

    http://patient.info/doctor/gastrointestinal-malabsorption

    There are many potential causes so i would seek further treatment.

    some tips specifically for iron absorption:
    Take an easily absorbed iron supplement such as Spatone (i suggest 2 packets for anemia)
    take the iron with a source of vitamin C (such as OJ)
    Take the iron on an empty stomach atleast 2 hours before/after eating.
    Do not take anything with calcium within 2 hours of iron supplementation
  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
    My understanding is that it takes time to rebuild iron levels. Three weeks just may not have been long enough? Is his doctor periodically checking his iron levels to make sure they are rising? I've never been severely anemic, but even with mild(?) anemia it took at least a month if not longer for me to start feeling better after I started taking iron supplements.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited July 2016
    cappri wrote: »
    My understanding is that it takes time to rebuild iron levels. Three weeks just may not have been long enough? Is his doctor periodically checking his iron levels to make sure they are rising? I've never been severely anemic, but even with mild(?) anemia it took at least a month if not longer for me to start feeling better after I started taking iron supplements.

    ah yes, this too. I thought OP meant over a couple months.

    I started taking 2 packs of the highly absorpbable iron a day (with the rules above) and i only had minimal results in 6 weeks. at 3 months in i was within normal levels.

    So it definitely takes time.
  • kzertuche
    kzertuche Posts: 48 Member
    They aren't sure exactly what caused the anemia as there were a few things all at once. Even though his bilirubin is at the high end of the normal spectrum his liver doesn't seem to be working full force. They discovered that when he was hospitalized for throwing up blood. He lost a lot of blood due to tears in his esophagus, so he is anemic both from liver not helping produce enough red blood cells and the loss of a lot of blood from internal bleeding. The bleeding has stopped, as has all alcohol and anything else (including Tylenol) that might effect liver function, and he started taking iron and vitamin c supplements, as well as milk thistle for the liver, it just seems like he is still so weak and lethargic that it isn't enough
  • kzertuche
    kzertuche Posts: 48 Member


    I started taking 2 packs of the highly absorpbable iron a day (with the rules above) and i only had minimal results in 6 weeks. at 3 months in i was within normal levels.

    So it definitely takes time.

    Oh wow, didn't realize it would be that long, thank you.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    You said he feels weak - if he's losing weight, how many calories per day did he cut to?
  • kzertuche
    kzertuche Posts: 48 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    You said he feels weak - if he's losing weight, how many calories per day did he cut to?

    He is actually eating more than before, just healthier food, probably 2k calories a day, and several times a day instead of his old habit of eating one big meal and lots of soda the rest of the day.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    kzertuche wrote: »
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    You said he feels weak - if he's losing weight, how many calories per day did he cut to?

    He is actually eating more than before, just healthier food, probably 2k calories a day, and several times a day instead of his old habit of eating one big meal and lots of soda the rest of the day.

    Since you mention probably, is he counting it? A lot of times, healthier food can be very low in calories even though high in volume and bulk, and one could possibly not be consuming enough calories or certain nutrients. Some foods that tend to get the boot when diets are improved are also heavily supplemented. Did this feeling of weakness start recently at all, or is it all part of the recent major illness?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    kzertuche wrote: »

    I started taking 2 packs of the highly absorpbable iron a day (with the rules above) and i only had minimal results in 6 weeks. at 3 months in i was within normal levels.

    So it definitely takes time.

    Oh wow, didn't realize it would be that long, thank you.

    I just also want to add that if he had digestion/stomach problems that definitely will add time to the iron levels.

    but yes, make sure he's getting enough calories.
  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    I was treated for anemia a few months ago and also had to have a transfusion. When does he eat iron-rich foods? As said earlier, it's most likely an absorption issue, as elemental nutrients tend to fight for absorption. An example is consuming dairy with iron-rich foods [the calcium in the dairy fights the iron for absorption, and lowers the absorption rate of the iron]. What I do to counter this is to take a ferrous sulfate supplement an hour before meals, which gives it time to be absorbed properly.
  • connieb619
    connieb619 Posts: 7 Member
    I am also anemic, but vegetarian as well. I started eating Grape Nuts cereal for breakfast and in my yogurt for snacks. I noticed on those days on my MFP log that I would get 100% iron intake. Coincidentally, just today I looked at the box, and Grape Nuts has 90% of the iron that you need for the day! It's helped me feel a lot better. I'm not weak and tired as I used to be. You could even top oatmeal with it, or crush it and use it to bread chicken or veggies (zucchini sticks, etc) or add/sub it to baked goods like muffins!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    The most common symptom of celiac disease is anemia. Malabsorption and stomach issues are par for the course there. Has he been tested? Celiac tests are not the most reliable so he should have as many tests done as possible to avoid false negatives.

    The tests are:
    • tissue transglutaminase IgA and IgG (tTG IgA and tTG IgG) - most common tests
    • deaminated gliadin peptides IgA and IgG (DGP IgA and DGP IgG) - newer tests, good for catching early cases
    • endomysial antibodies (EMA IgA) - similar to tTG but shows more advanced disease
    • total serum IgA - a control test since 5% of celiacs are too low in IgA to test accurately
    • anti-gliadin antibodies IgA and IgG (AGA IgA and AGA IgG) - older and less reliable tests, replaced by DGP tests

    He must be eating gluten (~1-2 slices of bread per day) in the 8-12 weeks prior to testing. Do not go GF prior to testing because you'll need to eat gluten again to test accurately. Once GF, most celiacs will eventually test negative.

    There is also the endoscopic biopsy. It requires a 4-6 week gluten challenge. Ensure at least 6 samples are taken.

    Good luck. I hope you find answers.
  • kzertuche
    kzertuche Posts: 48 Member

    Since you mention probably, is he counting it? A lot of times, healthier food can be very low in calories even though high in volume and bulk, and one could possibly not be consuming enough calories or certain nutrients. Some foods that tend to get the boot when diets are improved are also heavily supplemented. Did this feeling of weakness start recently at all, or is it all part of the recent major illness?

    I have been counting mine and am hanging at right about 1700-1800 and he eats more than I do, so it's a pretty fair estimate. Going to take a closer look at how he is taking his supplements and make sure he isn't taking with dairy, and that he takes it with orange juice since vitamin c supplements really hurt his stomach.
    I appreciate all the tips, it helps when someone else out there has been there and done that.

Categories