What are the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia? — Many people with iron deficiency anemia have no symptoms. People who do have symptoms might:
- Feel tired or weak, especially if they try to exercise or walk up stairs
- Have headaches
Is there a test for anemia? — Yes, your doctor or nurse can test your blood for anemia. It shows up on routine blood tests, such as the “complete blood count,” often called a “CBC.”
How is iron deficiency anemia treated? — The first step in anemia treatment is to find out whether your anemia is caused by blood loss. If so, your doctor or nurse will want to find out why you are bleeding. Then he or she will suggest ways to stop or slow the bleeding.
In women, blood loss is often tied to heavy periods. In men and in women who no longer have periods, blood loss can be tied to stomach ulcers or bowel problems.
Whatever the cause of your anemia, your doctor or nurse can treat it with iron in pills or shots. If the anemia is severe, you might need a blood transfusion.
Most people with iron deficiency anemia need to take extra iron. Eating foods with iron will not do enough to cure the anemia. The iron used in anemia treatment can come in pills or as a shot. Most people get it in pills. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how much to take, and for how long.
Iron pills can cause side effects such as upset stomach and constipation (too few bowel movements). If you have side effects, do not stop taking the iron. Instead, ask your doctor or nurse what to do. He or she can suggest ways to reduce these side effects.
Vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency
What are vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency? — Vitamin B12 and folic acid (also called “folate”) are 2 different vitamins that your body needs to work normally. A “deficiency” means that your body does not have as much of something as it needs.
People can have vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency, or both.
Why are vitamin B12 and folic acid important? — Your body needs vitamin B12 for many things. For example, you need vitamin B12 to make new cells, such as red blood cells, and for your nervous system to work normally.
Your body needs folic acid, too, to make new cells. It is especially important that pregnant women get enough folic acid, so that their baby can develop normally in the womb. Unborn babies need folic acid so that parts of their nervous system form correctly.
What causes vitamin B12 deficiency or folic acid deficiency? — People can get vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency when:
- They don’t eat enough foods that have vitamin B12 or folic acid in them.
- They eat foods with vitamin B12 and folic acid, but their body can’t absorb or use the vitamins normally. These things can happen with certain medical problems or as a side effect of certain medicines.
What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency? — A deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid, or both can cause anemia. Anemia is the term doctors use when a person has too few red blood cells. Anemia can cause headaches or make people feel tired or weak.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause other symptoms, including:
- Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
- Trouble walking
- Mood changes
- Memory problems or trouble thinking clearly
Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. You should see your doctor or nurse if you have any of the symptoms listed above.
Is there a test for vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency? — Yes. Your doctor or nurse can do blood tests to check for deficiencies of these vitamins.
If you have vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, your doctor or nurse will want to know why. He or she might do other tests to find out if it’s because of a medical condition or a problem with your diet.
How are vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency treated? — Doctors treat vitamin B12 deficiency by giving people vitamin B12. The anemia treatment in Kolkata comes as a shot or as pills. Most people with vitamin B12 deficiency need vitamin B12 shots, especially at first. Later, you might be able to take vitamin B12 pills instead of getting shots.
Doctors treat folic acid deficiency by giving people folic acid. This anemia treatment in Kolkata comes as a pill.
Your doctor or nurse will also treat the cause of your deficiency, if it can be treated. If you need help changing your diet, your doctor or nurse might recommend that you work with a dietitian (food expert).
Can vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency be prevented? — Yes. You can lower your chances of getting vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency by eating foods that have the vitamins in them.
Foods with a lot of vitamin B12 include:
- Red meat
- Fish and shellfish
- Dairy foods
- Breakfast cereals that have vitamin B12 added to them
Foods with a lot of folic acid include:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Oranges and orange juice
- Breakfast cereals that have folic acid added to them
If you don’t eat these foods, your doctor or nurse might recommend that you take a vitamin supplement. Vitamin supplements are pills, capsules, or liquids that have nutrients in them.
If you are a “pure” vegetarian and do not eat any meats, dairy foods, or eggs, you will not get enough vitamin B12 from your diet alone. To avoid getting a vitamin B12 deficiency, you will need to take a vitamin B12 supplement or eat foods with vitamin B12 added to them.
What if I want to get pregnant? — If you want to get pregnant, you should start taking a multivitamin at least 1 month before you start trying to get pregnant. Choose a “prenatal” multivitamin that has at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. Show your doctor or nurse the vitamin you plan to take to make sure the doses are right for you and your baby. Too much of some vitamins can be harmful.
Aplastic anemia
What is aplastic anemia? — Aplastic anemia is a condition that happens when a person has too few blood cells. There are 3 different types of blood cells:
- Red blood cells – These cells carry oxygen to your body.
- White blood cells – These cells fight infections.
- Platelets – Platelets are actually pieces of cells, not whole cells. They help clots forms so that you stop bleeding after you are injured.
Blood cells are made in the middle of your bones, in a part called the bone marrow. Aplastic anemia happens when your body stops making enough of all 3 types of cells at the same time.
What causes aplastic anemia? — Aplastic anemia is caused by damage to your bone marrow. Some people are born with damaged bone marrow. In older children or adults, many things can damage bone marrow, including:
- Certain medicines used to treat arthritis and epilepsy
- Certain chemicals used in industry and farming
- Infections from viruses
- Problems with your body’s infection fighting system
But for many people, doctors don’t know the cause of aplastic anemia.
What are the symptoms of aplastic anemia? — Symptoms include:
- Feeling very tired
- A fast heartbeat
- Trouble breathing when you move around
- Getting infections often
- Having more bleeding than normal from the skin, nose, or gums
Women with aplastic anemia might bleed more than normal during their menstrual periods.
Is there a test for aplastic anemia? — Yes. Tests include:
- Blood tests, including a “complete blood count” or “CBC”
- Bone marrow biopsy – For this test, a doctor will take a very small sample of the bone marrow. Then another doctor will look at the cells under a microscope.
How is aplastic anemia treated? — The anemia treatment in Kolkata depends on the cause of your aplastic anemia. The anemia treatment in Kolkata can include:
- Stopping medicines that caused the problem
- Staying away from toxic chemicals
- Medicines – These can include:
- Antibiotics and anti-viral medicines
- Medicines that reduce the activity of your body’s infection-fighting system (called “immunosuppressive” medicines)
- Blood transfusion – During a blood transfusion, you will get blood that has been donated by someone else. The donated blood goes into your vein through a small tube called an “IV.”
- Bone marrow transplant (also called a “stem cell transplant”) – This procedure replaces abnormal or missing cells in the bone marrow with healthy cells from a donor. These cells are given through an “IV.”
