How to Treat Anemia

4 ways to treat Anemia

Anemia is a disorder where the body doesn't have enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to the tissues. This condition can cause fatigue, dizziness and frequent headaches. There are different types of anemia, some more severe than others. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is a lack of iron in the blood, making the transport of oxygen through the body difficult. Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease that causes the irregular shape of red blood cells, making the flow of blood and oxygen through the body difficult. Thalassemia is another type of inherited anemia caused by insufficient red blood cells and hemoglobin. Aplastic anemia occurs when the body stops creating enough new blood cells to function properly. Treatments can range from simply taking a supplement to needing a round of blood transfusions. Doctors know best how to treat anemia, and your doctor will recommend the best type of treatment for your specific type of anemia.

Steps

Iron Deficiency Anemia

1-Take iron supplements along with a vitamin C tablet. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.


2-Begin a diet high in iron-rich foods, such as spinach, red meat and artichokes.
3-Check with your doctor if you're a woman with a heavy menstrual flow. This can affect anemia, and your doctor may wish to prescribe you an oral contraceptive that will reduce blood flow each month.


Sickle Cell Anemia

1-Create a check-up schedule with your doctor. Since the only cure for sickle cell anemia is a bone marrow transplant, which is risky and often hard to complete due to a lack of donors, your doctor will most likely want to put you on medication and monitor your health.

2-Follow your doctor's directions on any medication provided. Common medications for sickle cell anemia include penicillin to fight infections, pain medication to reduce the pain associated with this form of anemia and Hydroxyurea for people who suffer from severe sickle cell anemia.

3-Schedule a blood transfusion at the advice of your doctor. A transfusion will replace and increase the number of normal red blood cells, reducing the risk of stroke and providing temporary relief.

4-Supplement your oxygen. Breathing supplemental oxygen helps add more oxygen to the blood and can help during periods of pain or breathlessness.

Thalassemia

1-Talk with your doctor about blood transfusions if you are experiencing severe fatigue.

2- Arrange for blood transfusions throughout the year to increase the blood cells and hemoglobin in the body.

3-Take iron reduction pills. Frequent blood transfusions cause a buildup of iron in the body, which is harmful for the heart and liver.

Aplastic Anemia

1-Fill any prescriptions your doctor gives you. Common medications for aplastic anemia are immunosuppresants, such as cyclosporine; bone marrow stimulants and antibiotics to help fight off infections caused by the lack of white blood cells in your body.

2-Watch for aplastic anemia to cure on its own if the cause is due to pregnancy or radiation treatments for cancer. Both of these situations deplete blood cells, but once you're no longer pregnant or dealing with chemotherapy, your blood should return to normal.


Another way to treatment Anemia



Treatment


Oral iron supplements are the best way to restore iron levels for people who are iron deficient, but they should be used only when dietary measures have failed. However, iron supplements cannot correct anemias that are not due to iron deficiency.
Iron replacement therapy can cause gastrointestinal problems, sometimes severe ones. Excess iron may also contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Doctors generally advise against iron supplements in anyone with a healthy diet and no indications of iron deficiency anemia.
Treatment of Anemia of Chronic Disease. In general, the best treatment for anemia of chronic diseases is treating the disease itself. In some cases, iron deficiency accompanies the condition and requires iron replacement. Erythropoietin, most often administered with intravenous iron, is used for some patients.
Oral Iron Supplements

Supplement Forms. There are two forms of supplemental iron: ferrous and ferric. Ferrous iron is better absorbed and is the preferred form of iron tablets. Ferrous iron is available in three forms: ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate, and ferrous gluconate.
The label of an iron supplement contains information both on the tablet size (which is typically 325 mg) and the amount of elemental iron contained in the tablet (the amount of iron that is available for absorption by the body.) When selecting an iron supplement, it is important to look at the amount of elemental iron.
A 325 mg iron supplement contains the following amounts of elemental iron depending on the type of iron:

• Ferrous fumarate. 108 mg of elemental iron
• Ferrous sulfate. 65 mg of elemental iron
• Ferrous gluconate. 35 mg of elemental iron

Dosage. Depending on the severity of your anemia, as well as your age and weight, your doctor will recommend a dosage of 60 - 200 mg of elemental iron per day. This means taking one iron pill 2 - 3 time during the day. Make sure your doctor explains to you how many pills you should take in a day and when you should take them. Never take a double dose of iron.
Side Effects and Safety. Common side effects of iron supplements include:

• Constipation and diarrhea are very common. They are rarely severe, although iron tablets can aggravate existing gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and ulcerative colitis.
• Nausea and vomiting may occur with high doses, but can be controlled by taking smaller amounts. Switching to ferrous gluconate may help some people with severe gastrointestinal problems.
• Black stools are normal when taking iron tablets. In fact, if they do not turn black, the tablets may not be working effectively. This tends to be a more common problem with coated or long-acting iron tablets.
• If the stools are tarry looking as well as black, if they have red streaks, or if cramps, sharp pains, or soreness in the stomach occur, gastrointestinal bleeding may be causing the iron deficiency and the patient should call the doctor promptly.
• Acute iron poisoning is rare in adults but can be fatal in children who take adult-strength tablets. Keep iron supplements out of the reach of children. If your child swallows an iron pill, immediately contact a poison control center.

Other Tips for Safety and Effectiveness. Other tips for taking iron are as follows:

• For best absorption, iron should be taken between meals. Iron may cause stomach and intestinal disturbances, however. Low doses of ferrous sulfate can be taken with food and are still absorbed but with fewer side effects.)
• Drink a full 8 ounces of fluid with an iron pill. Taking orange juice with an iron pill can help increase iron absorption. (Some doctors also recommend taking a vitamin C supplement with the iron pill.)
• If constipation becomes a problem, take a stool softener such as docusate sodium (Colace).
• Certain medications, including antacids, can reduce iron absorption. Iron tablets may also reduce the effectiveness of other drugs, including the antibiotics tetracycline, penicillamine, and ciprofloxacin and the Parkinson's disease drugs methyldopa, levodopa, and carbidopa. At least 2 hours should elapse between doses of these drugs and iron supplements.
• Avoid taking milk, caffeine, antacids, or calcium supplements at the same time as an iron pill as they can interfere with iron absorption.
• Tablets should be kept in a cool place. (Bathroom medicine cabinets may be too warm and humid, which may cause the pills to disintegrate.)

Full recovery takes 6 - 8 weeks. Recovery will take longer in people with internal bleeding that is not under control. Iron replacement therapy must continue for about 6 months, even if anemia has been reversed. Treatment must be continued indefinitely for people with chronic bleeding; in such cases, iron levels should be closely monitored.