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celiacmaine-iac
Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 1327
Location: Maine
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 Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: Anemia and CD |
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Is the anemia associated with CD primarily from malabsorption, or is some other factor involved? The reason I ask is that when I had my last physical, I was mildly anemic. At this most recent one my iron levels were low/normal (after 6 months GF). Since my disease manifested mostly in the form of DH, I'm wondering why I would have been anemic, and still am in the low range. I eat plenty of iron rich foods, and I'm post menopausal (7 yrs.), so I'm just wondering if it's even related to the CD. When I had my endo, the GI said there was no villi damage, but I forgot to ask what the Marsh rating of the biopsies were. He did see one inflamed area. He also only took 7 samples, so I'm just not sure whether we have a true picture or not. When I get glutened now, I get full-blown GI symptoms, so this is very confusing to me.
On the positive side. If you have to have 2 genetic diseases, the combo I have is good. I also have hemochromatosis, which means my body can't rid itself of excess iron. The iron can build up in the joints and organs of your body causing anything from arthritis to liver disease,cancer, or kidney issues, and a host of other things. The only treatment is to monitor blood iron levels, and donate blood if the ferritin levels are too high. So far with the anemia, it hasn't been an issue.
Have others of you with anemia had an improvement with the GF diet, or does anemia continue to be an issue?
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Steph |
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wildbill
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 32
Location: Prior Lake, MN
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:48 am Post subject: |
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Hey Steph,
My case has similarities but is not exactly what you are asking about. 10 years ago I was rejected for giving blood because my hemoglobin was low. That prompted a Dr. vist and a resulting colonoscopy and endoscopy which only found a small superficial erosion in front of a small hiatal hernia(of the stomach spincter muscle). They didn't find or probably didn't look for Celiac Sprue. I was able to get my hemoglobin history from the blood bank and it showed a slow decline over about 5 years. At that time I was just givin iron supplements and had my hemoglobin and blood cells (they were a tad small or something) monitored and they got better over a years time.
About 8 years later now I decided to have a endoscopy to check on that hiatal hernia and they could even see it. However the administer Dr. checked for Celiac Sprue based on my previous description and that's what they found(visually and biopsy). Resulting blood test showed my hemoglobin is now fine although some of the blood cell stuff was a bit off (some ratio thing).
I really have no symptoms except that I now notice that I haven't been gassed up at all in 3.5 months of being gluten free where prevously I would have been a few time by now.
So you can conclude what you like from my experience.
BTW, what's DH?
Cheers ................. Bill |
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aklap
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Posts: 10520
Location: WI, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:57 am Post subject: |
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| wildbill wrote: | | BTW, what's DH? |
It could mean...Dear Husband or Dermatitis Herpetiformis - the skin manifestation of Celiac Disease.
It appears Steph was talking about the skin condition 
Steph, I think it's primarily an absorption issue.
| AFP's Article: Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy (Celiac Disease): More Common Than You Think wrote: | ANEMIA
Anemia is the most common laboratory manifestation of celiac disease13,14 (Table 3). One half of patients with newly diagnosed gluten-sensitive enteropathy are anemic. Iron is absorbed in the proximal small intestine, where celiac manifestations are most prominent; hence, iron malabsorption is common. In addition, occult blood loss related to intense small-bowel inflammation may occur in 50 percent of patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy.17 Less commonly, vitamin B12 deficiency, folate deficiency, or both may be present. |
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Al
“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa
Last edited by aklap on Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Fifi
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 287
Location: Wauconda, IL
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: |
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What if your husband isn't a "dear" would you just say H  |
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cruelshoes
Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Posts: 3359
Location: Washington State
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: |
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| Fifi wrote: | | What if your husband isn't a "dear" would you just say H |
No - then the D stands for "d*mn." 
My anemia has been completely resolved on the GF diet. I was severely anemic (nearly low enough to be life threatening) for many years, and I responded little to iron pills. I had to have iron infusions (IV iron over about a 4 hour period in the Dr's clinic) in order to get my levels back up.
Perhaps you did have more severe villi damage that was not detected on your biopsy. It's possible they hit a spot that was not as far gone yet. Did your doctor want to do an occult blood test? Maybe your anemia is unrelated to celiac.
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-Colleen
Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart? |
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celiacmaine-iac
Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 1327
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| Al wrote: | | It appears Steph was talking about the skin condition |
Well, you never know...both get under my skin at times!
| Al wrote: | | Steph, I think it's primarily an absorption issue. |
Thanks Al, I was thinking that was probably the case, which still leaves me wondering about the anemia. Odd. Well, like I said before, it probably works in my favor. And, I can eat steak without worry!
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Steph |
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aklap
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Posts: 10520
Location: WI, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Very funny girls...  The same could be said for wives too heheheheheeee
There are other causes of anemia...
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/anemia/page2_em.htm
Have the docs ever investigated it further?
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Al
“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa |
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celiacmaine-iac
Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 1327
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| Al wrote: | | Have the docs ever investigated it further? |
At this point it hasn't been mentioned. I don't know if they would consider it where now I am at least at the low end of normal. When I was a baby, I was so anemic I had to have a transfusion, but hadn't seemed to have a problem again until recently. At least I'm not as exhausted as I was a year ago. I've seen my energy levels rebound a lot in the last few weeks, so maybe like Colleen said, there might have been damage that wasn't picked up on the endo, and perhaps I'm healing finally.
edited to add: Thanks wildbill for your input. It helps to know that someone else has "been there, done that". Glad you are feeling better too.
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Steph |
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aklap
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Posts: 10520
Location: WI, USA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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bump for Corgi
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Al
“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa |
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