When I am pregnant, I am anemic. However, I am not your “normal” anemic person. My hemoglobin has been as low as a 7 and yet I am still walking around with what I would consider a normal level of energy. My palor continues to look fine and I do not sleep any more than usual. It tends to stupify medical personnel when they see my numbers and see me at the same time.
The OB usually prescribes iron pills early on (even before a blood draw)and when my stomach allows for it, I begin taking them. I’ve found that taking the iron is worse than living with the anemia, but I know my children deserve a healthy mama.
The only real guage prior to having a blood draw I have as to how bad my anemia has gotten revolves around my craving for crushed ice. It was not until I was pregnant with my 4th child, that I was informed of this interesting correlation between craving crushed ice and anemia. I just thought it was one of those wierd pregnancy cravings.
Apparently, there was a study done among nursing home patients involving these two factors. Question is, for someone younger (although there are many days when I do not feel all that young!) like me, why do I struggle so much with anemia?
So, I am being referred to a hematologist. With less than 10 weeks to go in this pregnancy, the doctors are hoping to find some answers, raise my numbers, and have me in good shape to deliver this little one.
Until then, I will eat my crushed ice.
I was anemic during the middle of my last pregnancy too, and was constantly chewing ice. After my baby was born, I had no desire for ice at all. I had heard of the correlation too, and it’s interesting to find that it is true for many people!
I was always slightly anemic during pregnancy. I also was an obsessive ice chewer through my pregnancies. I learned early on that it was probably related to anemia but even with supplements and returning my levels to normal, the cravings for ice never went away until after each birth. I had a mental list of all the restaurants with the best crushed ice and we kept several bags in the freezer at all times.
After my last pregnancy, I began to have problems with TMJ disorder and I have always wondered if it began with that incessant ice chewing!
Floradix- herbal iron. Its the best stuff for helping anemia!
That is hilarious! I also know which restaurants have the best ice! Glad to know I am not the only one who has the town mapped out according to ice! lol
TriLight Herbs Tri Iron has brought my iron level up within 24 hours. It is a glycerin-based herbal supplement, which utilizes plants that contain iron. It is NOT hard on the stomach because it is not isolated iron. It also does NOT cause constipation. I take it 2-3 times a day (about a tsp. at a time) during pregnancy, postpartum while bleeding, and during monthly cycles. I’m never without it.
HOW WEIRD! In my teens I used to chew ice constantly. I found out later that I was anemic, but you couldn’t tell. My skin was great, my energy is very high, etc.Of course, children change this. I don’t have the energy to chew ice now. LOLOLOMany Blessings
Ace
I too am very anemic the last trimester, though I never know it. I try to take additional iron during that time. The only “complication” I have from it really is I tend to bleed alot after I deliver the placenta (Sorry if thats tmi) I always tell the midwife, dont worry its normal for me. I am studying to be a midwife and that whole “only 2 cups of blood loss after delivery is acceptable” just cracks me up. I must loose at least 6 cups. Its never been a problem though. Oh, and I laughed at your last post about your belly. I was just at the grocery store tonight and I heard a lady say to the person she was with (does everyone think that deafness comes with pregnancy and or having alot of children) “wow, shes about to pop!” I was thinking no I still have about 40 days left, thank you very much. Anyway I’m rambling on. I havent visited here in a while. I spent many nights though in prayer for your sweet Emily and your family. Congratulations on this new blessing!!
I’m enjoying your old posts and came across this one.
Not sure if you ever found a solution. Quite a few people stop becoming anemic when they remove gluten from their diet–it seems to cause absorption problems in a lot of people, even people not celiac (and w/o significant digestive symptoms).
I crunched ice because I needed zinc–took me quite a while to figure that out.