Neutropenia and mild anaemia? Causes and cures?

Is it an iron anemia? Were you told to take iron? Honestly, if I were you I would go for one appointment to a hematologist, I would not trust one evaluation from a GP or internist. I have iron anemia, and Slowfe iron pills over the counter do help bring my numbers up into normal, and I feel much better when they are. Stronger, warmer, more energy, and more resistant to getting sick. But, I do not have abnornal numbers woth my white blood cells, which I think is what neutropenia is, but I am rather unfamiliar with it. If I am right, it lowers your immunity or ability to fight off infection. I hesistate to give advice to just start taking big doses of iron if indeed you mean iron anemia, because some anemias don’t respond correctly, and the other things going on with your blood make-up might influence the treatment. If your doctor did suggest iron, again I suggest Slowfe found in any drug store, at least two a day taken on an empty stomach, best with orange juice or plain water. I take two at once, because I cannot take it within 4 hours of my thryoid med, and best to take on an empty stomach, which does not leave tons of times in the day to take it.

It is possible it is a bad test result, this happens way more than people think, and I always say before any treatments or medications get a second/repeat bloodtest. I have had wrong results more than once, it just happened to me a month ago in the hospital they tested my thyroid two days apart, and the difference in results is impossible two days apart, one was wrong, a third test at a different lab confrimed the first result.

@noodle_poodle: Should not this be a question for the doctor who ran the tests? How did he diagnose you?

@JLeslie:I suggest caution in extrapolating from your medical experiences to those of a stranger’s. It can be at best, misleading and at worst, dangerous.

@gailcalled I said in my post I would not take anything without a second opinion from a specialist and at least a retest on the blood work, and that taking iron medication can have a negative impact if not the right treatment. What the hell else can I caution? If she was told to take iron, and is going to take that doctors advice, then I told her what I take. I don’t feel badly about what I wrote at all. Recently a woman who helps my aunt had very very low iron from her pregnancy and the doctor told her to take iron. I told her to take it on an empty stomach with water or OJ, and finally her numbers started to come up. He had already told her to take the slowfe, but did not counsel her at all on the best way to take it for better absorption. After months of her numbers being very very scary low, she finally saw a lot of improvement.

True, but you buried your caution in a welter of advice. Pehaps lead with that, and then talk about your iron and thyroid.

@gailcalled Ok, next time I will try to have my warnings more prominent and maybe bold. We don’t even know yet if it is even iron anemia. The question is too vague, so I was asking questions. Is it possible you read my answer quickly and skated over the cautions initially? I think the OP will be more likely to read every word and then come back for a conversation with her own questions before doing anything rash. That is usually how medical questions go. The OP is curious about what is wrong with her, I don’t think she is going to take my one paragraph which says I don’t know barely anything about neutropenia and stop researching.

Thanks for your input all. I would have asked medical examiner but it was a medical exam for immigration (and not my doctor or a referral) and you don’t get the results until 2 weeks after the tests. I think given your answers I will definitely consult my GP. The tests state both anaemia and neutropenia borderline and as I hadn’t heard of the latter i looked it up. Cant say it enlightened me much as i have non of the symptoms and there dont seem to be any stated causes.

@noodle_poodle Oh, it might just be your numbers are low temporarily. Good idea to follow up. Get more tests done. Your being tired might be from the low iron, the doctor can confirm it for you.

thanks all i checked with my gp and tho she was a little pissy with me wasting her time (tho i didnt know i was till i asked) apparently the anaemia is so mild its not a problem and is probably largely due to the fact i drink a lot of tea, which lowers your bodies ability to absorb iron into the blood. Who knew?

The neutropenia is also not an issue at current rate but I will have to have my blood checked again as if the blood count drops it would be a problem.

I feel very unwell I don’t seem to be getting any better hot sweats I’m 62 . Tired all the time sick in the gut all the time . I hAve a healthy diet don’t drink or smoke . The doctor has taken lots of tests . He can’t find any thing wrong . Have given up .the only thing he can find is I have borderline neutropenia . What can I try . I have had a lot of proplems in the past hpylori ECT