Do you feel tired and listless?
Do you find your mind drifting during the day?
Do you get dizzy or short of breath whenever you climb the stairs?
There are a few possible reasons for the way you feel, but you could have anemia.
You could even have anemia without noticing any symptoms at all.
Anemia is a problem with hemoglobin,
a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body.
Without enough hemoglobin,
your heart and other organs can’t get the oxygen they need to work optimally.
When your organs slow down, you slow down and you start feeling tired and listless.
Many different health conditions can cause anemia,
from heavy blood loss during a woman’s period,
to pregnancy, to an underactive thyroid gland.
Healthy red blood cells are made in your bone marrow,
the soft tissue in the middle of your bones.
Any disease that damages bone marrow,
like lymphoma or leukemia, can also affect your red blood cell production.
Also, not getting enough iron can affect red blood cell production.
Iron is needed for hemoglobin.
Or, getting exposed to a heavy metal, like lead, can decrease production as well.
Anemia can also be caused by an immune system problem that damages red blood cells
that have been made, or surgery to the stomach or intestines.
How do you know if you have anemia?
You may feel tired, dizzy, and have trouble concentrating. You may get sick more often.
People with anemia sometimes complain of chest pain, headaches, or shortness of breath.
Your skin might look pale, like you haven’t seen the sun for months.
But because these symptoms can also be the symptoms of other conditions,
your doctor will confirm that you have anemia by taking a blood test
to check your red blood cell count and hemoglobin level.
Blood tests can also look for problems
that may be causing your anemia, such as a vitamin or iron deficiency.
If you are anemic, it’s very important to treat it.
When your body isn’t getting enough oxygen, it can starve vital organs like your heart.
This could even lead to a heart attack.
But how you treat anemia really depends on the cause.
If the problem is with your bone marrow,
you might take a medicine called erythropoietin,
which will help your bone marrow make more red blood cells.
If the problem is a vitamin or mineral deficiency, your doctor may prescribe iron,
or vitamin B12, or folic acid supplements.
Or, you may even need a blood transfusion to replace damaged red blood cells
with healthy ones.
How well you do really depends on what’s causing your anemia.
But call your doctor if you have any symptoms like fatigue or shortness of breath.
Once your doctor can find and treat the cause of your anemia,
you should have more energy and start feeling like your old self again.