alleycat's mystery affliction (1 Viewer)

[AlleyCat]

i think i might be anaemic.

i haven't eaten red meat in over 6 months and i don't take vitamins. I eat vegetables but not that many greens because i never really get a chance to shop regularly.

I work late nights at a bar but get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night, but i am constantly tired, to the point that i fall asleep on trains and trams in the middle of the day.

my skin was never tanned, but used to have more colour in it, now it's paper white.

i have also lost about 10kg since i started uni, but its not consistent. I have thinner arms and upper body but my thighs and hips are still fleshy.

I think i want to go back to the way i was but i can't make myself buy, cook and eat red meat. when i lived at home my parents would cook it for me, but now i live in melbourne... many many miles away.

so what do you think is my mystery ailment?

 

[Skeeta]

probably anaemia/malnutrition

i'm anaemic.. its fab coz i'm pasty white and pass out alot

but yeah go to the doc and get a blood test because if your iron stores are really low you might need a blood transfusion

 

[glitterfairy]

Mushrooms girl!!! Eat some of those!

EXTREMELY important for girls to stock up on their iron :S Skeeta's advice about going to the doc sounds good as well...

 

[transcendent]

you're assuming this is directly linked to your red meat consumption? i think there are greater issues than lack of iron and protein. please see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. your health is your priority. please look after yourself.

 

[Skeeta]

be careful if you're taking iron tablets. This is going to sound horrible but its something you should probably know before you get scared

your poop is likely to be VERY dark.. like black
if you have lactose intolerance you need to shop around, because alot of these contain high amounts of lactose

and thats it. Just thought i'd warn you abut the poop because i got scared

 

[Skeeta]

yeah its coz we dont eat enough meat and we lose a significant amount of blood every month

 

[ElGronko]

Just take supplements.

I have Codliver Oil (Vitamin A and D), B complex (B1,B2,B6,B12), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc and Niacin tablets every morning.

Most people don't get nearly enough of these in their normal diets, so it makes sense to supplement your meals.

 

[alby]

my skin was never tanned, but used to have more colour in it, now it's paper white.

i have also lost about 10kg since i started uni, but its not consistent. I have thinner arms and upper body but my thighs and hips are still fleshy.

1) are you still outside as much as you used to be?
2) are you either on your feet and not eating very regularly or stressed?

other things in your list may be causes/effects of being anaemic, but remember that correlation does not (always) imply causation - there's usually more than 1 reason/explaination for everything

 

[AlleyCat]

1) are you still outside as much as you used to be?
2) are you either on your feet and not eating very regularly or stressed?

other things in your list may be causes/effects of being anaemic, but remember that correlation does not (always) imply causation - there's usually more than 1 reason/explaination for everything

1) i'm not outside because i live in melbourne and its a) fucking freezing and b) always raining.
2) i work as a waitress and walk everywhere.

do these two questions diagnose me?
i started eating spinach and stuff and i think i will get supplements today. i'm not lactose intolerant, so at least that saves the hassle of searching for the right pills.

it's all very stressful. but thanks all you beautiful people for your help.

 

[alby]

well not being outside much can lead to whiter skin, and being on your feet all day/walking everywhere may help to explain some of the weight loss.

i asked because, as i said before, correlation does not imply causation - what you've listed may be some symptoms of being anaemic, but do not automatically mean that you are. there's more than one answer to most questions. personally, i'd say talk to a doc before you diagnose yourself

 

[Lil Miss Karly]

Definately see the doc but because you can't just speculate what it could be without knowing exactly.

 

[Lainee]

Just get a blood test from your doctor to find out for sure. A test of blood count will tell you if you're anaemic or if you lack iron.

I'm iron deficient but not anaemic. Doc placed me on iron supplements and pretty much eat red meat morning, noon and night. Before I was diagnosed though, I felt the same way you did -- I got enough sleep every night but woke up more tired than when I went to sleep, plus my lips were fissured and my immune system was crapped.

In the meantime, if you have difficulty eating red meat try these foods that my doctor recommended for me: dried fruits, seaweed, almonds, beef liver (pate on toast maybe?) and whole grains. And avoid things like coffee, tea, soft drink and alcohol because they don't allow the iron to be absorbed properly.

Hope you're ok hun.