Once upon a time, I was going along fine resigned in the knowledge my time on this earth is some what limited. Even knowing I was anemic didn’t seem to phase me. Except for some fatigue [possibly more depression related], I was still feeling reasonably well. At least as well as an anemic, 61 (soon to be 62) year old with a terminal illness could feel.
So why in the world did I have to notice the word “hypochromia” on my latest blood test? It was on the two previous tests, and I didn’t notice it. So why now?
If I hadn’t noticed it, I would still be merrily rolling along [pun intended] riding my bike 150 to 200 miles a week, drinking 4 to 5 cups of green tea a day, working 2 days a week, even planning some vacation or what not, with the sole intention of trying not to focus on anything negative.
But now that I have, it’s hard not to focus on the negative. Especially the colonoscopy, and likely endoscopy, needed to help determine the cause of the iron deficiency. I’ve had both procedures before, and neither were the most pleasant to endure, and which will be made even more problematic due to my enlarged spleen. (For all you doctors out there, it extends 4 fingers below my rib cage.)
So while I wait for my colonoscopy consultation (for which I’m not in any hurry), I’ve started taking an iron supplement, in the hope I can reverse the deficiency, knowing full well that any improvement may only be masking the real problem, and that a colonoscopy will still be required. But even that is presenting some issues.
I’ve learned, after doing much reserach, that taking an iron supplement is not such a simple a task. For one thing, the body only absorbs about 10% of the iron it consumes, and that many things can interfere with the absorption, including green tea, chocolate, and even wine, 3 things I partake in quite often, just to name a few. And then there’s vitamin C, something I have avoided (at least in supplement form) since my diagnosis with MCL, which aids in the absorption of iron.
Consequently, I now keep track of when I eat (and drink green tea), so I know when to take the iron (determined to be 1 hour before and 2 hours after eating) to maximize absorption.
Unfortunately that has caused another issue. Like the fact, it’s 10 AM and having just finished a cup of tea, means I can’t take an iron tablet until noon, and can’t eat lunch until 1 PM, but I’m hungry now.
This is when will power really comes in to play. I just hope I can hold out till noon, when I can at least eat the orange I brought with me (remember Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron) when I take the iron.
Oh well, if nothing else this should at least aid in my quest to lose some more weight.
