Do you think I have anemia (iron deficiency)?
Well I am 14 right now (boy) and today I was looking at my 6th-7th grade pictures. (freshman now)
I noticed that compared to then...Now I have gotten a lot paler, tired looking, and skinny.
I do in fact feel lazy and tired a lot now and I always look sick.
Is there a good chance I have anemia? If so...how long does it take to cure? Once 'cured' will there be a noticable difference in how I look and feel?
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Hemoglobin is the red pigment in human blood that carries oxygen to your cells and organs. Anemia can occur if you have bleeding inside your body that you are not aware. Women and girls lose blood each month from their periods and from perhaps cysts growing in their reproductive organs.Iron supplements are prescribed by physicians to build red-blood cells and maintain a good balance of Iron in blood. You are too young to donate blood, so you cannot learn whether your Iron level is low. Your parents would have to justify your having your blood tested at a doctor's office. To make you aware of the correct Iron level for males, I have my blood tested twice a year. I had a blood test one month ago, and my Iron level is 76-ug/dL(micrograms per deciliter)on a scale of 40-155-ug/dL. I am very healthy for my age. I would discuss with your parents that you look more pale than in the past and you are more tired than in the past, and you wonder whether you might be anemic, and you wonder whether you need your blood tested. Today, major supermarkets and pharmacies have small clinics within their stores where blood and urine can be tested.
I would use Google to learn about anemia so you will have some data if you wish to discuss anemia with your parents.
For your information, people who live in countries with high elevations have more red-blood cells to carry oxygen because oxygen is low in the countries. In Peru, the faces of persons are red in color because their bodies manufacture more red-blood cells to live in the high elevations.
Harrald
Excellent time for a physical checkup...Who wants to feel tired and sluggish period ? Try this...stand in front of the mirror, and pull down each of your lower eye lids, they should be a healthy pink colour....What are yours ?? Washed out/pale ?? If you are iron deficient, easily determined by a blood test, you will feel a different person with ENERGY to burn once the problem is discovered...what is your diet like ?? Any beef liver, beef meat, brocolli,asparagus,parsley,morel mushrooms, etc. See below for a full list of iron rich foods...If you are deficient, not good for your heart either, which REQUIRES, OXYGENATED, FRESH RED BLOOD to enter all chambers of the heart which is a muscle, by the way... Make tomorrow a new start, call the office for an appt. Do it for YOU, and start feeling ALIVE ...Best wishes
no you are not iron deficient. since you are a freshman in high school and waking up at five in the morning it can really drag you! you will become less tan because you wake up and its still dark out and when you come home you have homework so you will see less of the sun. waking up this early can affect the way you look and your apetite but dont worry about it. im a sophomore in high school (boy) and ive experienced this too. it happens to everybody. by the way ive also been a whole lot lazier! LOL but dont worry its just cuz your tired.
The only way to find out is to take a blood test ordered by your doctor. My mom has it and has to take iron every day.
Perhaps it's time for a complete physical examination by your family physician