Disclaimer…I am not a doctor and I definitely can’t give you medical advice. I am simply sharing my experience with what has been pretty much a lifelong medical condition for me.

According to WebMD, there are more than 400 types of anemia that are divided into 3 categories based on cause. Anemia caused by blood loss. Anemia caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production. And anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells. As far back as I can remember I have struggled with what is called iron deficient anemia, a condition in which your blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Per my many blood work results throughout the years, I also have what they (doctors/lab specialists) call immature and/or irregular red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the body. Without enough iron you can’t produce enough hemoglobin (oxygen carrier). This condition can leave you with a number of symptoms including fatigue, weakness, pale skin, brittle nails, chest pain, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, increased heartbeat, dizziness, and headaches.

Unfortunately, I have experienced most of those symptoms at one point in my life or another. When I was a teenager, I remember often having dizzy spells. They never lasted long, and they would come and go, but they were annoying and disruptive to say the least. Judging from some of my school pictures around that time, I also had paler skin than what’s normal for me. I have had shortness of breath and heart palpation’s, which can be scary. I was diagnosed with having anemia at 15 yrs old, and at that age I didn’t ask any questions about it. But I have certainly asked a lot since then. And one of the biggest things that I have learned through the years is that no matter how much I loved my doctor, I had to be the one in charge of deciding what’s right for me. You know your body best. You have to be your own health advocate.

Over the last 25 years, I have taken different combinations of vitamins, minerals, etc. I believe we are all a little different and have to figure out what works for us as an individual. For many years I was told by doctors to just take iron supplements for my anemia, which made sense to me at the time since I had iron deficient anemia. But I wasn’t getting good results. I was not absorbing the iron. It wasn’t until I did a little research that I discovered I might get better results if I take vitamin C and a vitamin B complex to help the iron get where it needed to be. I’m not saying that everyone would have the same experience, but it definitely was the missing piece for me.

Thankfully, I have found the right combination of vitamins and supplements, through much trial and error, that has me feeling pretty good today. My blood work looks much better today than in years past. I no longer have the symptoms that I had in my younger years. I still have iron deficient anemia and my red blood cells are still immature/irregular. I’m not sure if there is a cure for a condition like this. If there is, no doctor has informed me of it. All I know is that I feel better. I also know that it is so worth the time and effort to do a little research for yourself, no matter what your health condition is. I have learned so much from reading other peoples health and fitness journeys. Obviously, you must talk to your doctor first about anything that is happening with your health. There is no substitution for proper medical care. But don’t be afraid to ask questions. Speak up. After all, we only get one body. It’s up to each of us to take good care of it.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a happy and healthy day!

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