The Doctor Says You Have Anemia

by Susan Eskdale

Tired, no energy, not feeling well? Go to the doctor and he says he suspects Anemia - but what is it?

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Fatigue & Energy Loss

For more than two weeks you have been tired, so tired that you don’t have the energy to do anything. You are starting to feel short of breath and are feeling generally unwell. Your family recommends that you go to the doctor to see if anything is wrong with you. At first you think they are being ‘overprotective’ and worrying unnecessarily, so you ignore their advice. It will go away, you think to yourself.

Another week has passed and there has been no improvement in your energy level, you don’t feel any better and you are even more tired than you were last week. It is amazing because you didn’t think it was possible to get more tired than you already were. You remember the advice of your family and you decide to visit your Doctor.

After describing your symptoms, the doctor says he is going to send you for some blood tests. He explains that he believes you may have anemia. You’ve heard the word before but have no idea what it really means. Something about not enough iron, but what does that have to do with how you are feeling right now.

After the blood work comes back your Doctor’s office calls and tells you that you need to come back in for a follow-up. When you arrive at your Doctor’s office he tells you that you are anemic and that it can be treated.

What is Anemia?

Your Doctor may have mentioned that you might be anaemic, but what does this mean? What has it got to do with how you are feeling right now?

First, lets define the word:

Anemia --An inadequate number of circulating red blood cells and an insufficient amount of hemoglobin to deliver oxygen to tissues... –

From this definition, we could guess that red blood cells and hemoglobin regulate the amount of oxygen that is circulated to the body. This would be an oversimplification of the process, but it would be a good place to start our explanation.

Every cell in the body requires oxygen in order to function properly. Oxygen is transported through the blood stream and circulates throughout the body to aid cells in the completion of these functions.

Oxygen Transportation:

The body must have adequate levels of oxygen to function; it is the delivery of the oxygen to the cells and the subsequent elimination of carbon dioxide from your body that constitutes oxygen transportation.

Lets map the voyage of oxygen through the system:

1. Start with a deep breath, as you draw air in through your nose you may feel your chest begin to rise as your lungs inflate.

2. The oxygen is sent through the body.

3. The oxygen is replaced by carbon dioxide and is the product of when you exhale.

The important thing is how does the oxygen get to all the cells within the body, it comes in through the nose and into the lungs but how does it get to your cells from there?

The red blood cells transport oxygen through the blood stream to the cells. Oxygen could not be transported to the cells if it were not for a substance known as hemoglobin. What then is hemoglobin? hemoglobin (Hb) /he'mglo'bn/, a complex protein-iron compound in the blood that carries oxygen to the cells from the lungs and carbon dioxide away from the cells to the lungs.

The body runs through a cycle with every breath you take and every time you exhale. This is known as: Oxygen transport, the process by which oxygen is absorbed in the lungs by the hemoglobin in red blood cells and carried to tissue cells all over the body.

Now, imagine that your body did not have enough red blood cells and the red blood cells that were circulating contain half as many hemoglobin units as were required to complete the oxygen exchange. First, we would have to assume that little in the way of oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange would be occurring within the cells and tissues of the body.

The symptoms of fatigue and inability to catch your breath are a direct result of an insufficient number of red blood cells circulating through the body. Without adequate numbers of these blood cells carrying oxygen to your cells and tissues, the body becomes overwhelmed by the toxins that are being stored by the cells instead of being disposed of through exhaling.

If your body is unable to clear its system of toxins and wastes then it would be no wonder why you would not feel well.

How do we fix it?

There is no fixed treatment for anemia since there are many causes of anemia and the treatment is dependant on the cause of the illness.

Most commonly, an iron deficiency in the diet is the cause of anemia and can be treated by the individual eating a balanced and nutritious diet and taking supplements.

It is important for you to visit your health care professional if you believe this disorder is something that you might have. It is through blood tests and other diagnostics that your doctor will be able to define a treatment plan for you.

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