Anemia Support Group

The only bad part of infusions is that they take a few hours. You have an IV in one arm and they monitor your blood pressure often in the other. I have tried to read, but it didn't work. Most hospitals have TVs--so that is something at least--I guess an IPOD might be OK--just plan on dozing or relaxing and letting it do its thing. Nothing to fear--let us know how you did---I have had many infusions & transfusions.

there was nothing in my room i chit chatted with my friend and read the paper

Thanks Judy what a long day it was and I have been weird ever since. That is why i haven't been on the site. My stomach was queezy for about the first week and I had a very unusual headache type I have never had before. And I know my headaches including migraines. The other interesting thing is my periods are very late. They are never late and I am 45. I think I am only about 11 days late but geez i would be happy if it was menopause. I am sick of all the bleeding and even if anaemia doesn't go away, no having periods would be a nice side affect.
I did play the ipod a lot that day by the way. I had to wait 3 hours before they stuck me and then 4 hours infusing me. Then almost an hour to unhook me as they were short staffed. What a long day. The chair was very comfy! Would like to have the money to buy one and the part of the hospital I was in was the new building whereas the rest of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is old and ugly.
I didn't have the option of a TV because I didn't have my own room. I was in an area where people were coming out of day procedures. Like colonoscopy's I suspect as originally they were going to do that.
The Gastroenterologist has also told me to do a Faecal Blood test which I have. I don't know when I will get the results but apparently they will be bale to tell if and where I am bleeding in any part of my body.

I am feeling a lot better now but I would say the infusion didn't make much of a difference. I am not menopausal unfortunately. What a bummer. It is summer here in Australia so I am always happier then.

Hope you continue to feel better! My iron would go up a little and then start to go down again! You will know if you start getting really tired and lethargic. I have been through a lot of testing because they had to look for bleeding. I did have ulcers and they got healed, then I got ulcers, lesions,etc in the small intestine---so there are a lot of things that can cause it! Good luck to you! Hugs!

Thanks Judy I know it is the rollercoaster that I have felt all the years and not anything permanent so I know what your saying. I am not cured by any means.
By the way the latest Faecal test was negative so that is good. It is probably just my menstruation that is causing it as it has always been heavy from the get go.
I am also vigilant in having seaweed everyday and I know I don't get those horrible headaches at the very least if I keep it up. In general I think the seaweed takes the edge off. It doesn't fix it but makes life a little easier. I usually take a teaspoon of kelp powder in water after breakfast (an hour after) and a serve of hydrated seaweed. I don't cook it as that takes all the nutrition away. I also make sure a majority of my diet is green vegies which is hard as not we don't have a health food store in my area. I only eat organically so supermarkets are not really good at supplying organic stuff.

God Bless you, Hon,

I'm not sure I could eat as well as you. I am not a big meat eater, but it is something that my GP and Hemotologist recommended was to eat more meat! I have intestinal problems so there are a lot of foods I love, like veggies, nuts, etc that I can't have because of the roughage.
I hope this will take care of it for you, and that you will start to feel much better! Hugs, Judy

It took me many years to be dissaplined in my diet. It was a doctor that started me off but then I went out there and found out most of it myself. You will find that different doctors believe different things but that stupid belief that meat is going to solve things is antiquated and not based on science. Too many Vegans and Vegetarian will be on my side about that. A majority of the Vegans/Vegetarian that I know have good health and even the herbalist that I worked for a few years ago said that I chose this diet because I cannot process meat in my body. Another words I can not use whatever is in it effectively. My constipation and health generally was very poor as a meat eater and I have heard that there is an opinion that many Anemics should be Vegetarian at the very least. We can't break down the proteins. I know a lot of people will disagree with me but this is common knowledge. I have also had other medical conditions that greatly improved just by the diet alone. Too many things to list here.
Oh btw I went to the Gastroenterologist today and he said I don't need to have a colonoscopy because the Faecal Occult Blood test was negative so I am happy about that. He has also taken blood to see really if the Iron Infusion worked and to see if I am in the process of Peri Menopause as my period was 2 weeks late after the Infusion. That has never happened before and I was celebrating lol. Damn things did come back though. Ah well one day they will stop. It is expensive being a woman!
Thanks so much for your encouragement. I wish I had seen this site years ago as it is a good way for people to interact with others. I guess years ago the internet was not as popular so that would have been an obsticle.
Oh by the way Vegetarian/Vegan food is much lighter on the disgestive tract than meat eating. I have intestinal problems. Probably irritable bowel syndrome. The problem is meat rots in the gut and doesn't break down very fast unlike a plant diet which passes through the body very fast. That is why plant eaters need to eat more often. Anyway at least being a plant eater was a choice and I didn't know any people that did this when I started so you are free to make the same choices.
Hope you are having a good day!!!

Hi again,

I understand your point of view very well, but because of my intestinal problems,--I am simply not able to eat roughage,--I truly suffer for it and because of my intestinal strictures, things don't pass the way they normally should. GRRRR!
I feel like I am caught between a rock and a hard place at times!

Yes I understand. I am always finding out something new about this body and the things I should be able to eat I can't I suffer terribly with some food. I adore dark chocolate but Migraines are no fun!