MY HAIR SAVED MY LIFE!!!

[caribeandiva]

How? Well do any of you remember the anemia thread I started last year? http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=214199&highlight=

I finally got my insurance situation fixed and went to the doctor. I got the results yesterday. Apparently my iron levels are a 9 (if it was an 8 i'd need blood transfusions ) Needless to say I got put on iron medication and now I gotta take further tests to see if fibroids are contributing to the iron loss.

I would've never noticed how low my iron was if my hair didn't keep breaking and growing super slowly no matter what I did. When I heard that anemia causes fatigue, heavy periods, migraines, etc... I thought no big deal. Then I heard it can cause hair breakage and sometimes stop your hair from growing altogether, then i thought: THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!! Are my priorities in the right order or what?

So thank you ladies who encouraged me to go see a doctor and not treat it lightly. Whoever said Health before Length is a genius!

 

[SunnyDelight]

I remember your anemia situation and I'm so happy to hear its all working out. Health over hair anyday!!!

Actually I've been anemic in the past and your story was the encouragement I needed to get my butt in gear and take iron supplements like I'm supposed to (I hate the side effects)

 

[Angelicus]

Yes Yes! I remember you telling us about your hair was breaking. Wow! Thank God you found out. Girl I really hope you recover. I miss youuuuu!

 

[kandi1280]

I'm do glad you made it to the doctor and yes, health over hair anyday! Hopefully they'll get everything back to normal for you.

 

[Stella B.]

I am so glad you went to the doctor about your health. All of our body systems are connected and when things go wrong in one area, it can throw our body's balance out of whack. Now you can work on healing, and giving your health and hair what it needs.

 

[caribeandiva]

I remember your anemia situation and I'm so happy to hear its all working out. Health over hair anyday!!!

Actually I've been anemic in the past and your story was the encouragement I needed to get my butt in gear and take iron supplements like I'm supposed to (I hate the side effects)

Tell me about it! Constipation is not something I'm looking forward to.

Yes Yes! I remember you telling us about your hair was breaking. Wow! Thank God you found out. Girl I really hope you recover. I miss youuuuu!

Thanks gurl!! I really missed you all too. Seeing all those long hair pictures was making me sad because I knew no matter what I did that my hair would never get that long unless I went to get checked out.

I'm do glad you made it to the doctor and yes, health over hair anyday! Hopefully they'll get everything back to normal for you.

Yes girlie!! I'm hoping for the best and staying optimistic. It takes a few weeks to start seeing results anyway.

 

[awhyley]

Thanks goodness you were paying such close attention to your hair (and your health).
It's good to know that you're on the road to recovery.

 

[camilla]

thank you for this good info i am very anemic an well AND i have fibroids as well i alson nedded a transfusion when i hav my son two years ago

 

[caribeandiva]

I am so glad you went to the doctor about your health. All of our body systems are connected and when things go wrong in one area, it can throw our body's balance out of whack. Now you can work on healing, and giving your health and hair what it needs.

Thank you. That's my aim.

 

[caribeandiva]

Thanks goodness you were paying such close attention to your hair (and your health).
It's good to know that you're on the road to recovery.

Thanks! It's hard not to pay close attention to your hair when you're on this board.

thank you for this good info i am very anemic an well AND i have fibroids as well i also needed a transfusion when i have my son two years ago

I'm glad you resolved it too.

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

I remember your anemia situation and I'm so happy to hear its all working out. Health over hair anyday!!!

Actually I've been anemic in the past and your story was the encouragement I needed to get my butt in gear and take iron supplements like I'm supposed to (I hate the side effects)

You can take Colace along with it or coconut oil supplementation to soften the stools. I hate the way iron pills make me too. I've heard that beets supplement iron. If those don't work for you, there's Slow Fe Slow or any generic brand of it for cost savings at your local pharmacy. These don't cause the constipation. In fact, I need to get mine this week.

 

[SelfStyled]

Wow CD......you are smart to listen to your body/hair. Now that you are on iron, hopefully it takes care of your breakage. Glad you are hanging in there and under a Dr's care- hang in there sis.

 

[nomoweavesfome]

Hey Carib girl!!! I haven't seen you in a long time!! I am glad that you did get it checked out. Take care of yourself and be well, that is what's important over everything. Fibroids can be pretty serious. Glad you are ok though!!!

 

[BrownEyez22]

Thank You for this post! My levels are pretty bad.

I have recently been ordered to take 65mg of Ferrous Sulfate 3x a day for a month a then go back to get my levels checked.

I really didn't know anemia had some many side effects.

 

[Candycane044]

I'm very glad you went to the doctor! And I'm also glad you shared this with us. Most importantly, I'm happy that you didn't need a blood transfusion! Thank God for this forum!

 

[caribeandiva]

Thank You for this post! My levels are pretty bad.

I have recently been ordered to take 65mg of Ferrous Sulfate 3x a day for a month a then go back to get my levels checked.

I really didn't know anemia had some many side effects.

yep it sure does. I have to take 150 mg of polysaccharide iron twice a day. After the levels go back up then it'll be down to once a day. My doctor thinks I'll be on iron supplements for the rest of my life because i'm thalessimia minor. So it's a genetic thing in my case.

 

[caribeandiva]

I'm very glad you went to the doctor! And I'm also glad you shared this with us. Most importantly, I'm happy that you didn't need a blood transfusion! Thank God for this forum!

Yes, Thank God for this forum! This isn't just about hair anymore.

 

[Carrie A]

Here are some other iron rich foods. Vit C helps the iron to be absorbed more effectively.

Blackstrap Molasses, one tablespoon 3.0
Dates or Prunes, ½ cup 2.4
Beef, Pork, Lamb, three ounces 2.3 to 3.0
Liver (beef, chicken), three ounces 8.0 to 25.0
Clams, Oysters ¾ cup 3.0
Dark meat Turkey ¾ cup

Vegies

Lima beans, baby, frozen, ½ cup, boiled 1.8
Beets, 1 cup 1.8
Peas, ½ cup frozen, boiled 1.3
Potato, fresh baked, cooked w/skin on 4.0
Vegetables, green leafy, ½ cup 2.0
Watermelon, 6 inch x ½ inch slice

 

[Ang!]

Really glad I ran across this thread. My blood work level two weeks ago discovered I was at 8.8. Mine is because of large fibroids I have had for years. Almost passed out last month during my cycle. Prompted my visit to the doctor - in the midst of scheduling a myomectomy to remove the fibroids immediately.
My energy level has gone up by 50% and it has only been two weeks of iron supplements. I combat the constipation with green smoothies. Feel 100% better!

I'm blessed to have any hair on my hair . . . let alone my lovely, soft, relaxed and moisturized 4a/b hair. Your posts explains why it has been growing so slowly. If it was not for lurking on this board and learning how to baby my hair - I would have surely been looking at a hot mess.
Caribeandiva - how has your hair been now that it is 7 months later?

 

[shamarie]

WOW im a slow grower, hair sheds and breaks easy too and Im anemic, dang man I should have known better.....back to drug to start iron pills again.erplexed
I always connected it to my energy and skin but not my hair. I just figure it was because my hair is fine tex.

uumm.... wait a minute, I was taking chlorella(vitamin shoppe) and it had iron in it. I did notice my hair got a little thicker(No increase in energy) but I stop because I could not stand the chin hairs and the terrible consitpation....the chin hair grew super duper fast and they would ingrow all the time and now I have scars that im trying to get rid of.

 

[caribeandiva]

Really glad I ran across this thread. My blood work level two weeks ago discovered I was at 8.8. Mine is because of large fibroids I have had for years. Almost passed out last month during my cycle. Prompted my visit to the doctor - in the midst of scheduling a myomectomy to remove the fibroids immediately.
My energy level has gone up by 50% and it has only been two weeks of iron supplements. I combat the constipation with green smoothies. Feel 100% better!

I'm blessed to have any hair on my hair . . . let alone my lovely, soft, relaxed and moisturized 4a/b hair. Your posts explains why it has been growing so slowly. If it was not for lurking on this board and learning how to baby my hair - I would have surely been looking at a hot mess.
Caribeandiva - how has your hair been now that it is 7 months later?

It's getting longer! Check out my fotki for the pics.

 

[BrownEyez22]

So I see I posted in this thread in March and I got my levels back up. But as of recent my iron levels are bad again (9something, they were really bad in March though a 8 something)..

My hair seemed to thinned out some too, so this is probably the cause.

 

[determined_to_grow]

Hey Caribbean diva - glad to see that you are back and healthy!!!! Your updates are absolutely breath taking... Thanks for sharing!!!!

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Tell me about it! Constipation is not something I'm looking forward to.


If you take slow release fe (iron) then you won't have that problem. I just found out I have anemia and no side effects as my doctor told me to make sure I get slow release and not the regular iron so that it is released into my system over a 24 hour period and thus I won't have the side effects associated. HTH!

 

[caribeandiva]

If you take slow release fe (iron) then you won't have that problem. I just found out I have anemia and no side effects as my doctor told me to make sure I get slow release and not the regular iron so that it is released into my system over a 24 hour period and thus I won't have the side effects associated. HTH!

I take poly-iron 150. That was my prescription. I've never had any constipation or digestion problems with it. It's a 2 tone capsule that i take twice a day WITHOUT food. Apparently this type of iron is better absorbed on an empty stomach.

 

[Irresistible]

well if had to be your hair to get you there

God knows what it takes

Thank God you got to the doctor!

 

[MrsHdrLe]

I'm glad you found out what was causing your health problems. Thank you for sharing your story with us, apparently wuite afew of us needed to hear it. HEALTH before length is 'da truth!

 

[brucebettye]

I am so happy to hear that you took care of your health.