anemia Archives - HHO Hunterdon Hematology Oncology

Iron is an essential nutrient your body needs to function properly. You may know it best for its role in producing hemoglobin, which helps transport oxygen throughout your body. It’s also needed for the overall health of your cells, including your hair and nails. So it’s no surprise that when your iron levels are low, you have a condition known as iron-deficiency anemia.

At Hunterdon Oncology and Hematology, our team specializes in many different conditions, including the various forms of anemia. Our practice is made up of five expert oncologists and hematologists. Our hematologists help you determine if anemia is what’s causing uncomfortable symptoms.

Causes of iron-deficiency anemia

Anemia is a medical condition that happens when you don’t have an adequate amount of healthy red blood cells in your system. While there are many different kinds of anemia, iron-deficiency anemia manifests when you’re lacking the iron to produce hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is the substance that not only gives your blood its red hue, but also allows your red blood cells to carry and transport oxygen to the other areas in your body. When you’re iron-deficient, it leads to anemia over time.

There are several different reasons you may be deficient in iron. For instance, you might not be getting enough elemental iron in your diet, or you may be losing iron quicker than you can replace it. Other reasons for iron-deficiency anemia include:

Pregnancy
Loss of blood
Problems absorbing iron

Any of these problems can lead to a lack of iron, and, as a result, a lack of hemoglobin. When you don’t have enough oxygen being transported due to anemia, it can lead to a number of unpleasant symptoms.

Symptoms you may experience

Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia vary from person-to-person. They also depend on the severity of your condition. They include:

Pale skin
Weakness
Extreme fatigue
Brittle nails
Dizziness
Headache
Cold feet or hands

When you’re suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, you may also experience cardiac symptoms, such as pain in your chest or an abnormally fast heartbeat.

When you’re experiencing any of these signs, there’s a chance it could be iron-deficiency anemia. To prevent further complications and worsening symptoms, it’s vital you see our team as soon as possible so they can begin much-needed treatment.

How is iron-deficiency anemia treated?

Depending on the cause of your iron-deficiency anemia, you may be able to replenish your iron through changes in your diet, or you may need to take medicinal iron. Our team helps you figure out what’s causing your anemia, so you can get the treatment you need.

There are several ways to get more iron into your system to correct anemia, and they include:

Diet

One of the easiest ways you can restore iron in your body is by adding iron-rich foods into your meals. This includes beef and organ meats, along with broccoli, spinach, and legumes. Chicken and some types of fish are also rich in iron.

Oral iron

While over-the-counter supplementation may be your go-to, it’s usually not enough when it comes to iron-deficiency anemia. Our providers may have to prescribe you medicinal iron to get your levels back up to where they should be. The traditional dose for this type of iron is 150-200 milligrams of iron a day until your levels are back to normal.

IV iron

In the case that your iron-deficiency anemia is severe, or you’re unable to tolerate oral iron pills, our team recommends iron by way of IV infusion. There are several forms of IV iron therapy, and our providers help you figure out which is best for you. This is also the method of choice if you have trouble absorbing medications via your gastrointestinal tract.

Blood transfusions

Unfortunately, blood transfusions aren’t able to fully correct your iron deficiency. However, if your anemia is severe enough that you’re experiencing chest pain or you’re currently bleeding, it may be necessary to replace the deficient red blood cells. You’ll see a temporary improvement until our team can address the cause of your anemia.

If you’re concerned you have iron-deficiency anemia, don’t hesitate to call our office in Flemington, New Jersey at 908-788-6461, or schedule an appointment online with one of our amazing doctors today.

There are a lot of things that cause you to feel tired and weak; some are medical conditions, while others are lifestyle habits. One of the more common causes of fatigue is a blood disorder known as anemia. This disorder causes the tissues in your body to be deprived of oxygen, leading to multiple symptoms.

At Hunterdon Oncology and Hematology, our team specializes in many different types of blood disorders, including anemia. Our team is led by both board-certified oncologists and hematologists, who help you identify anemia and get you the treatment you need to feel yourself again.

What is anemia?

Anemia is a blood disorder caused by a low number of red blood cells, cells that carry oxygen to the tissues throughout your body. There are many different types of anemia, each with a different cause. However, a low red blood cell count is the main cause of this disorder.

When our doctors test you for anemia, they’re looking at a certain blood test called a hemoglobin and hematocrit test. Hemoglobin is a protein within your red blood cells that carries oxygen to all of the tissues in your body. If your hemoglobin is low, it means your tissues aren’t getting a good supply of oxygen. Hematocrit measures cells in a volume of blood.

It’s hard to determine if anemia is the reason you’re feeling lousy; however, there are symptoms that usually come with this disorder, including:

Dizziness
Headache
Rapid heartbeat
Cold hands or feet
Tiredness
Weakness

The symptoms you experience depend on several factors, including the severity of your anemia, and how long you’ve had it. Sometimes with mild cases, you won’t experience any symptoms at all.

Types of anemia

Although the symptoms of this condition are usually very similar, there are more than 400 different types of anemia. The type you hear about the most is due to a deficiency in iron. This type is detrimental to hemoglobin production.

The different types are split up into three categories, which include anemia due to blood loss, anemia from the destruction of red blood cells, and anemia due to decreased red blood cell production. Some of the common types of anemia include:

Aplastic
Sickle cell
Vitamin-deficient
Hemolytic

Each different type of this disorder has a different cause, but the end result is oxygen deprivation to your tissues from decreased red blood cells.

Risk factors to be aware of

There are many different risk factors for anemia, and understanding them can help you avoid this problem in some cases. Women have a higher instance of anemia due to heavy menstrual cycles or during pregnancy. Certain diets and medical conditions also come with a higher risk of developing anemia. Some of these medical conditions include:

Kidney disease
Cancer
Autoimmune disease
Liver disease
Thyroid disorder

Anemia may also be a problem if you suffer from any type of inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis. Stomach ulcers also may lead to anemia, as well as prolonged use of medications like aspirin.

Although just about anyone can develop anemia, there are certain groups of people who are at higher risk. As stated before, women are more likely to suffer from anemia due to bleeding during menstruation and childbirth. Others who are also at an increased risk include:

Those over 65
Infants
Children up to 2 years
People on blood thinners

Of course, just because you fit into these categories doesn’t mean you’ll end up with anemia. However, if your risk is greater, it’s best to be followed regularly by one of our doctors to ensure early treatment, if necessary.

Treating your anemia

Treatment for anemia focuses on treating any underlying conditions that are causing your anemia. For example, if you have iron deficiency anemia, our team orders testing to see if you’re losing blood from somewhere.

On the other hand, if your anemia is caused by a nutritional deficit, our doctors recommend changing your diet. If that doesn’t work, our team prescribes dietary supplements to give your body the nutrients it needs.

We offer many other treatments, including blood transfusions and a hormone called erythropoietin that helps your body produce more blood cells. Bone marrow transplants are another possibility if other options don’t work.

If you’re experiencing symptoms and are worried they’re due to anemia, call our office in Flemington, New Jersey at 908-788-6461 to make an appointment.

Iron deficiency anemia is a condition where the blood has an insufficient number of red blood cells; it occurs when there is not enough iron in the body to produce them. The body uses iron to make hemoglobin, which is the primary carrier of oxygen within red blood cells. Since red blood cells are the carriers of oxygen throughout the body, not enough oxygen reaches the tissues of the body. This results in the two most common symptoms: tiredness and lethargy (lack of energy). The primary natural sources of iron are meat, dried fruit, and some vegetables.

What Are The Symptoms?

The most common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include:

tiredness
lethargy (lack of energy)
shortness of breath (dyspnoea)
palpitations (irregular heartbeat)

Less common symptoms include:

tinnitus, the perception of a noise in one or both ears, such as a ringing in your ears or in your head
a sore tongue
headache
pica, a desire to eat non-food items, such as ice or clay
an altered sense of taste
difficulty swallowing
feeling itchy

You may notice additional signs of iron deficiency anemia, such as:

painful open sores in the corners of your mouth
a pale complexion
dry, flaking nails
spoon-shaped nails
an abnormally smooth tongue

What causes iron deficiency anemia?

As mentioned above, iron deficiency is a condition where the body (the blood) does not contain enough iron to effectively convey oxygen to the body’s tissues.

There are several potential causes for this condition.

Blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract.

The most common cause of iron deficiency anemia is bleeding in the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract). There are several causes of gastrointestinal bleeding:

Heavy, prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain-killing drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
Bleeding stomach or intestinal ulcers. An ulcer is an open sore in the lining of the stomach or intestines, caused when the acid in the stomach eats into and through the stomach or intestinal lining. This can cause significant blood loss, leading to iron deficiency anemia.
Cancer. Rarely, gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by cancer of the stomach or colon.

Causes in women

The most common causes of iron deficiency anemia in women are:

Menorrhagia, which is the name for a condition whereby women experience unusually or particularly heavy menstrual bleeding over several consecutive cycles. The heaviness of the bleeding causes the overall blood level to decline, triggering iron deficiency anemia.
Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the body requires extra iron to deliver the required amount of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the baby. Many women experience iron deficiency anemia because of this diversion of blood to the baby.

What complications can arise from iron deficiency anemia?

Generally, most people do not develop any serious complication from their iron deficiency anemia. But some people do, and here are the most common complications:

Tired/lethargic: Iron deficiency anemia can make you feel tired, weak and lethargic, making it more difficult to be productive and effective in the workplace. You might feel abnormally sleepy, and find it difficult to exercise normally.
Weakened immune system. Severe iron deficiency anemia can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, the flu, and other illnesses, as well as infections.
Heart/lung complications. Severe anemia cases are at risk of developing tachycardia, which is an abnormally fast heartbeat, or heart failure, where the heart becomes unable to pump blood at its peak level of effectiveness. It has to work overtime to get the levels of oxygen where they should be.
Pregnancy complications. Women with severe iron deficiency anemia who become pregnant increase their risk for developing pregnancy complications during pregnancy and have a higher risk for post-natal depression.

Iron serves several very important functions in the human body. First and foremost, it is critical in the production of hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the entire body. Second, iron is important in the maintenance of healthy cells, hair, nails, and skin.

Iron deficiency anemia occurs when the level of hemoglobin in the blood is lower than normal; thus, the level of iron in the blood is significantly lower than normal. Your entire body cannot receive the amount of oxygen it requires to function effectively and normally. Among several other symptoms, iron deficiency anemia may make you tired and short of breath.

Iron deficiency anemia symptoms

Iron deficiency anemia can often be effectively treated with the simple addition of an iron supplement to your diet. However, one challenge in addressing iron deficiency anemia is that initially there may be no discernable symptoms, or the symptoms may appear to result from unrelated conditions. Because of these complications, additional tests and/or treatments for IDA may be necessary. This is particularly true if your doctor thinks that you may be bleeding internally. This is why detection and treatment of IDA may not be as simple and straightforward as taking an iron supplement. IDA symptoms can include:

Shortness of Breath
Headaches
Dizziness
Fast Heartbeat
Weakness
Brittle Nails
Chest Pain
Ice Cravings
Fatigue
Pale Skin

Symptoms cannot be used to diagnose IDA; if you are experiencing these symptoms it is important to consult with your doctor about Iron Deficiency Anemia testing and possible options for treatment.

Possible Complications of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Blood Loss

Certain cancers that lead to blood loss can lead to IDA. This is because when you lose blood you also lose iron.

Anticancer Therapies

Certain anticancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, can affect your red blood cells which may contribute to iron loss.

Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents

A medication that some patients may be prescribed to, to help them make red blood cells. However, erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) cause your body to use iron faster than normal. If you do not take extra iron you may develop IDA.

Inflammation

Inflammation in the body can drive up levels of hepcidin. Hepcidin is a hormone that helps regulate iron regulation. Cancer patients that experience inflammation may have trouble with iron absorption leading to IDA.

Nutrition Deficiencies

Common cancer symptoms and treatments can lead to appetite loss ultimately impacting the patient’s ability to take in food and absorb nutrients. If there is not enough iron being consumed in one’s diet it can raise the risk of developing Iron Deficiency Anemia.

Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment

Iron-deficiency anemia treatment will depend on its cause and severity. Treatments may include iron supplements, procedures, surgery, and dietary changes. Severe iron-deficiency anemia may require intravenous (IV) iron therapy or a blood transfusion. Iron supplements generally take several weeks or even several months to work at their full effect, so be patient and continue to take them as ordered by your doctor. Your doctor will monitor your blood iron levels throughout your course of treatment.

It is possible that iron supplements will not increase your blood’s iron levels; in that case, it is likely that the cause will require further testing, investigation, and treatment. This might involve:

Oral contraceptives that lighten menstrual blood flow
Surgery to remove a bleeding tumor, fibroid, or polyp
Antibiotics and other peptic ulcer medications
As mentioned above, if the iron deficiency is severe, treatment may require intravenous blood transfusions to quickly replace hemoglobin and blood iron.

Intravenous (IV) iron is given as well under several different situations:

When the patient doesn’t tolerate oral iron very well
Iron blood levels need to come up quickly (like at times prior to pregnancy or before or after surgery)
When iron absorption in the gut is an issue (e.g. people who have had a gastric bypass).
Not responding to iron tablets (e.g. due to chronic health conditions)
Have chronic kidney or heart failure
There are also several types of IV iron that can be taken without too many side effects.

Contact Hunterdon Hematology Oncology to learn more about iron deficiency anemia today!

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Understanding Iron-Deficiency Anemia