Iron deficiency and pernicious anemia

Several weeks ago, during my regularly scheduled 6 month check up with my doctor, I mentioned some issues I have been dealing with.  She called for more blood work.  When that came back, she wanted to do some more blood work.  Basically, I have been in limbo with what is going on with my rebellious body since September 2.


Fast forward to today...  Dr. Hage walks in the room and immediately says "Your ferritin levels are in the crapper."  Lovely.  Yuck.  She laid it all on the table and told me that I was basically dealing with iron deficiency anemia and pernicious anemia again.  


Immediately, my mind went back to December 2006/January 2007.  I had been dealing with lots of fatigue, chest "flutters"/palpitations, clumps of hair falling out, little to no appetite, etc.  I finally went to my doctor and was eventually referred to Dr. Elkordy at Cancer Centers of NC in Cary.  I had a great consultation with Dr. Elkordy, then I was scheduled for an intravenous iron infusion the next week.  The infusion procedure sucked went well and I was back to my old self.


Dr. Elkordy continued to remind me that I would likely have to do an infusion again at some point in my adult life, but I just figured if I ate well and exercised, I could avoid it - wrong.  Needless to say, the fact that I don't absorb iron (or any other vitamins/minerals) well will not change significantly with diet and exercise.  So, here's to seeing Dr. Elkordy on October 3 and getting me back on the right track!