It has been a couple of months that I have been feeling that I was running a low grade fever, was very weak and tired, I was always suffering from a headache and I felt very irritable. I went to my doctor and he told me it was stress. It wasn't until I asked him to refer me to a dermatologist, because I had been noticing a lot of hair loss and tiny red dots on my skin, that I was told that my count was 7. It has been two and a half months now and I have been taking Palafer (and iron supplement) with orange juice (Vitamin C helps absorption of iron) and I still don't feel my usual self. I still have the weakness and dizziness and my hair won't stop shedding which is now a big concern for me.

I saw my Dr.2 months ago- my primary complaint was dizziness. She sent me to an ENT and to see my ophthalmologist - all results were fine. I had also complained of headaches, palpitations and incredible fatigue. (If I do not set an alarm I will sleep for 12 hours and then drag myself around) She never checked my blood. Two months later, still suffering all of the above symptoms plus an incredible craving for ice, dry mouth and a tongue that felt like sandpaper( I had also lost 8 pounds) I went for a routine CBC related to upcoming outpatient surgery (unrelated)they discovered a Hgb of 9.2. No wonder I didn't feel well.

Due to some heart problems, I had two CBCs three days apart, which showed a drop in my hemoglobin from 12 to 9.8. The doctor requested it be tested again in 48 hours by the same lab. It was checked again 72 hours later with a result of 9.5. My doctor seems at a loss as to why it has jumped around so much in little more than a week.

I've had anemia all my life, and for different reasons. I had bariatric surgery in 1984. Since the surgery I am unable to store B-12 or B-6.I also have thallesemia minor. After trying to treat my anemia with B-12 shots and iron pills for years, my primary sent me to a hematolgist. At that time my RBC was 7-8. I had four infusions of iron, and was told I did not have to have any more infusions for 2 -3 years. But all the symptoms are back. I have shortness of breath, spots in eyes every day; fatigue, etc.

I'm always tired, dizzy, shakey, see spots in my eyes, am unable to concentrate, and some nights have terrible insomnia. Other nights I can't get enough sleep and have headaches, and faint feeling. These are to say the least.

I had probably been living with anemia for years without knowing it. I was always cold, but otherwise felt OK. I would get fatigued, but I thought it was just hormonal and I needed to be more active, so I'd run a few blocks during my lunch break. Nothing seemed to help. Sometimes I'd get up at night to go to the bathroom and get so dizzy, I'd have to lie down on the floor for a few minutes before crawling back into bed. I attributed it to low blood pressure and premenopausal symptoms. I put myself on a high nutritional diet, took more B vitamins, and watched the carbs and exercised more. I was actually feeling quite good and energetic when I went in to have blood work done prior to having a piece of glass surgically removed from my foot. It was at that time the doctor announced my blood count was at 8 and I had low blood calcium levels -- and this was months after I came back to feeling "dandy" after increasing vitamin B and iron intake. I wonder how low it must have gotten. Scary.