Iron Deficiency Anemia
I am wondering if any other women out there have had recurrent issues with iron deficiency anemia. I was first diagnosed with it last summer after Timberman and had to get an iron infusion. I have been on oral supplementation since and I was doing well until my recent lab tests show a slight drop in Hgb and ferritin levels. My hematologist is predicting they will continue to trend downward and is recommending periodic infusions or go on some type of birth control.
Also of note, I am a vegetarian, but was hopeful that with pretty consistent supplement use I would be able to stay on top of it. I'm not thrilled with the idea of eating much red meat, going on birth control or periodic iron infusions. Has anyone experienced this before? Any insights?
Comments
After years of wrestling with this and not getting better, I finally started eating meat (my doctors were begging me). Now I eat Paleo, and I eat local, pastured meat, humanely raised. We also have our own chickens for eggs, and buy raw goat's milk locally from a farmer. For the first time in decades, I finally feel like I am in good health, and so many other things improved as well. I think for some women, combining serious endurance training with vegetarianism just does not work. I know I was one of them. I tried everything while vegetarian to raise my iron levels and it just didn't work. Even birth control did not work, I'm sorry to say.
Finally, after getting this under control, I was able to make it to the start line (and finish line) of an Ironman, feeling healthy.
As a side note, I was given duck eggs from a cowrker about a year ago and had significant nausea and vomiting any time I ate anything containing them (yes, I did enough experiments to know it was the eggs). It concerns me that maybe j would have a similar reaction to meat raised in the same manner. Seeing as you huh your dairy, eggs and meat locally, have you encountered this? It might thwart my meat-eating efforts if it is a problem. Thanks again for your input.
Make sure if you start to eat meat, even locally grown, grass fed etc that you ease into very very slow. I have seen people who eat meat but very little try to add some and they have stomach issues with it. Also look at the ways you prepare it as it may effect your stomach as well.
I would hope with the addition of a small amount of meat and some supplements you would be good hopefully.
Also you probably already checked but make sure there is no other underlying issue you have.
Good Luck
If you need help cooking it let me know I can help you out.
I'll second Officer Ford's recommendation for taking it easy if you do start adding meat back into your diet. You probably already know that- but I can vouch for just how painful it can be to have even just a few small bites of red meat stuck in your stomach for several days.
I definitely think it's a good idea to take it easy if you start eating meat again. I started back to eating meat very slowly and eased into it over a matter of months. It honestly took some time both emotionally and physically to come to terms with it. But after an adjustment period, I found that there have been no issues whatsoever. I can eat a big ol' steak and not worry about it at all. My digestion is so much better now, it's amazing. Part of that is probably taking all the legumes, beans and soy and such - out of my diet - gas and bloating were then gone.
One book that really helped me through this period was The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith. The author was a long time vegetarian and vegan, and she went through most of the health problems that I also suffered. So I could really relate to her journey, both her concern for animals and desire to be good to them and to the environment, and also her struggles with reconciling that with what was happening in her body. Also the feeling of having "failed" at vegetarianism and the well-meaning advice from other vegetarians that suggested if I just "tried harder" it would've worked out for me, that I had failed the vegetarian diet instead of it faling me. I also feel strongly now that my current diet is both better for animal welfare and better for the environment than it was when I was a vegetarian.
@Steven- If I have problems with the meat I cooked today, I'll be sure to post!
@Nemo- I'm pretty good about getting a variety of veggies in every day, but I will try to focus on more iron-rich sources. As I'm sure you know, the amount of iron your body actually absorbs from those sources is so much less than meat, it's a modest gain. I'll try anything at this point!
@Robin- That book sounds like a good read. I do struggle with going back to eating meat. I think it helps that I'm starting with a recipe I grew up with, I went to the local farmer's market to get the meat and I don't plan on eating meat outside my home, so I can still control the circumstances. I have been reading a variety of books about food (Omnivore's Dilemma; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; Forks Over Knives) and have been moving towards this for a while, it really has been the mental hurdle of having meat sitting on my plate in front of me. We'll see how it goes. I just hope all of this makes a difference!
You are doing it right, prepare it the way you remember it and very small amounts to start. The problem I encounter most when people say they don't like things is they don't like the way it was prepared.
If you need some reciepe ideas let me know we can take it off line and work with you.
Like Nemo I am a pescatarian. I guess I have been lucky- so far. But I have not trained for an IM without eating chicken, so things could change.
Good luck.
I only trained for a HIM last year too. I think I had some underlying Fe+ deficiency because I started to notice chronic fatigue and a decline in my training about this time last year. For that reason, I'm trying another season of halfs. I am interested to see how training goes if I do an IM next year. I know some of the guys follow a vegan diet, possibly some of the females as well, which makes me think there is some predisposition to issues with anemia or they take chronic supplements. Please keep us updated on how your season goes!
Thanks for checking in!
I will continue to eat meat occasionally. I just can't bring myself to drastically change my diet right now. It sounds like from what people have posted this isn't necessarily just due to my diet either. It's a process and I will re-evaluate in the coming months.
Thanks for all the feedback!
I am a vegan and have not had any iron deficiency issues while endurance training.
I would suggest instead of eating meat that you focus on higher intake of iron rich fruits and veggies. In addition to what you would normally eat, start your day with a juice/smoothie including spinach/kale etc. You get much more iron from spinach then you can get with red meat, and with zero fat.