Anemia

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Anemia
3
Wed, 05-02-2007 - 4:39pm
Hello! I have a situation that I was hoping to get input on. Let me give you a breif rundown. I have an eating disorder and have for the past 6 years. The first two years, it wasn't that bad. I took diet pills constantly and occasionally starved and purged food. Four years ago, it started to get worse. I started starving myself all week and then binging to the point of being completely stuffed on the weekends. I then began purging my food when I binged. I started binging/purging around 3-4 days a week. Three years ago, I noticed a slight weight gain from my previous behavior, so I changed to still starving myself all week long and binged/purged only on Saturday and Sunday. For more than a year, my routine was starving myself on the weekdays, mon-fri (eating around 900-1100 calories per day) and then binging on Saturday and Sunday until I was completely sickly stuffed, and then purging. I lost about 15 lbs quickly. (I was never big before, I'm 5'3 and my heaviest weight was 135lbs) Last year, I stopped purging because I hated it so much. I haven't purged in almost a year now! However, I still restrict my calories to no more than 1100. Although, on Saturday and Sunday, I do allow myself to eat what I want, but I don't binge. Monday through Friday, I eat anywhere between 900-1100 calories daily and on Saturday and Sunday, I eat around 2000-2,500. So, I'm slightly anorexic, but not SEVERELY. Right now, my weight is around 108lbs without clothes on, and I'm 5'3.
For the past couple of years, I've been mildly anemic. Not an iron deficiency anemic though, nor folic acid or B vitamin anemic. My red blood cells are small. My hemoglobin is always around 11, 11.5, 11.3, etc. A normal level is supposed to be 12-18. I've tried taking more iron supplements, but, it never goes up. I'm also a vegetarian by the way. However, all of my nutrients that would normally cause anemia, are at normal levels. I take supplements (iron, b complex, multivitamin, calcium). The doctor has checked me for a bunch of different things and I seem to be fine, so she can't figure out why exactly I'm anemic. She says my red blood cells are just small. My biggest question is, do you think this has something to do with my eating disorder?? Has anybody else run into this?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2005
In reply to: kristymay_c
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 7:01am

HI there, kristymay_c,


Welcome to the ed board!


I don't really know, you might ask to see a specialist on this.

 

 

~Diana~

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2003
In reply to: kristymay_c
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 9:23am

Yup, it is related to your ED. I have had monthly labs since February 2006 and my RBC counts and WBC counts are chronically low. I researched online and talked to my doctor and we determined that it is due to my anorexia. I see a hematologist next week to rule out anything more serious, but we are 99% sure that it is ED related. Supposedly, once I reach a normal weight and all things will get back to normal. It is weird though, because I am eating more normally now than I have since my diagnosis and my labs are getting worse in some areas. Some areas are better though... Doesn't make sense.

Ilse

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2005
In reply to: kristymay_c
Mon, 05-07-2007 - 12:07pm

Hi Ilse,


Good to *see* ya.

 

 

~Diana~