I constantly lost my temper and barked at loved ones, do you?

Real People Stories – Rachel

What a low value can indicate besides CBC and anaemia, and what an elevated level can indicate? The topic of CBC Anaemia health and tests is very relevant to me. Until I was 16-18, I don’t remember any serious health problems. Yes, I had the usual ARI/ARVI. Yes, I went to the ophthalmologist and gynaecologist for routine checkups; yes, I had medical checkups. And yes, I sometimes went to other specialised doctors. But rarely and only when I needed it, I don’t remember any serious problems.

My CBC health problems began in the fall of 2018. I suddenly gained almost 20 kg in weight without changing my lifestyle and diet; I became lethargic and inhibited, I constantly wanted to sleep, I woke up already broken and tired, my hair fell out in clumps, and my nails began to break off, I became whiny and irritable, I constantly lost my temper and barked at loved ones, which ruined my relationships with them, dizziness and headaches became my constant companions.

At the district clinic, they brushed off any anaemia condition, saying that everything was fine with me and that I was just too suspicious; well, yes, and 20 extra kilos in a couple of months is also, in their opinion, apparently nothing out of the ordinary phenomenon.

Say no to Public

So I decided to go to a private clinic, who, after listening to me and asking all the necessary questions about my symptoms and health, prescribed a whole list of checks; first of all, of course, it was necessary to check the thyroid gland, because a lot of symptoms indicated that it could be suffering, and also anaemia tests for glucose, insulin was prescribed, and the doctor decided to check me for anaemia because when I entered, she immediately noted my painful pallor (although I have always been very pale, since birth) and added to the list CBC and tests for ferritin and iron in the blood serum.

Preparation for analysis

The Complete preparation is quite normal: fasting for 8-14 hours a couple of days before the analysis, avoiding physical activity and alcohol, trying not to be nervous, getting enough sleep, and not smoking a few hours before the analysis.

If you are taking other Anaemia medications that can at least indirectly affect the level of biomarkers in the blood, consult with your doctor about stopping them. After all, I am not a doctor and do not know all the many existing medications and how each affects the test results.

You can drink water before the test, especially if you have thick blood, but it should be regular water without additives and gas.

Where to hand in?

Is taking this Complete Full Count Blood test at a free clinic possible? I’ve taken exams at a private clinic several times.

The GPs at the public clinic pushed me to each other and said that everything was fine with me without prescribing exams. After that, I always take checkups at a private laboratory, with fewer problems and hassles and no need to sit in lines and beg for referrals. The staff at private laboratories is usually much kinder, friendlier and more welcoming than the Anaemia medical staff at public full complete count testing clinics. I am a rather problematic patient with running veins and trying to fly away in a faint. But naturally, you have to pay for convenience and good treatment, and if there are a lot of checks, then sometimes the amount is quite impressive.

Analysis

I take all the tests at the Private Peoples Full laboratory. They always get the results on time, sometimes even sending them a little earlier than promised. There were no doubts about the reliability. The prices are average. There are private Anaemia laboratories that charge more, and there are those that are cheaper.

I warn the staff that I may feel ill, so they usually make a couch for me so that I give CBC blood lying down. My veins run, they like to hide, and they are generally quite thin. I warn them that if anything happens, there will be no questions or complaints about me not warning.

There is nothing unusual in the analysis itself; nothing depends on you. The main thing is to lie down, try to calm down and not twitch, and everything else depends on the phlebotomist, on how he finds and gets into the vein, and then, in fact, have time to fill the sample tubes.

I have recently started entering the Anaemia Blood full count test results into a special application on my smartphone. An electronic document can get lost in the mail or computer, and paper printouts are only sometimes with you and can also be lost. However, all the data is always at hand and stored on the smartphone, which is very convenient, especially if the doctor suddenly asks for this or that result and you don’t have the printout.

Result

First analysis

In winter 2018, the iron level was 14 µmol/l, which is a good CBC result, close to the low limit. But ferritin is very low. Even though my Complete Count test results haemoglobin and iron were within the full reference values, ferritin suffered greatly. As the doctor explained, there was either insufficient iron or it was poorly absorbed from food. It seemed enough to not be in deficit, but it also had nothing to store. Another possible anaemia option is that there was not enough iron even for functioning, and it was drawn from ferritin reserves.

So, I was prescribed iron supplements to raise my ferritin levels and maintain my iron and haemoglobin levels.

In addition to the medications, I was told to limit my coffee consumption. For since caffeine interferes with the absorption of iron from food or drinking coffee and iron-containing medications at different times. Milk and dairy products also interfere with iron absorption. Please remember this when you consume these products, and do not combine their intake with the drug.

Second analysis

Which already included ferritin and iron, I re-checked about a year and a half after starting treatment.

The ferritin level during this time has almost reached its minimum norm despite the reference values.

Iron has also increased significantly. Both of these values ​​have increased, which means that ferritin is being absorbed from iron. Iron is not experiencing a deficiency and is not stealing ferritin.

Boosting Foods

In addition to Anemia and CBC medications, you must add iron-containing foods to your diet: liver, buckwheat, red meat, nuts, hard cheese, oatmeal, mushrooms, etc.

Treatment results

As the values ​​increased, I began to feel better. My head stopped hurting and spinning so often. I had energy. My appearance improved. And my hair stopped falling out and began to grow faster. After all, iron and ferritin are connected, so by increasing their levels, I felt much better.

Do I recommend it?

Yes, I recommend it. The analysis is not expensive, but it is informative and necessary.

If you feel tired, wake up exhausted. And don’t have enough energy for anything, This is a reason to get tested for at least iron, ferritin, and haemoglobin. Perhaps the problem lies there. The CBC Panel Full Finger Count test is good but may not be enough.

It is generally advisable for girls of reproductive age to take a CBC Complete Finger Profile 16 1 test once a year. After all, our body regularly loses blood.