What foods can help increase my hemoglobin levels?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 26-year-old married female. My height is 5 feet 12 inches, and my weight is 121 lbs. I am neither pregnant nor a mother. 20 days ago, my BP was too low, 90/50 mmHg, and I felt weakness and breathlessness. I have gone through blood tests, and my hemoglobin was found to be 7.8 g/dL. I have attached the reports for your reference. Around three years back, my Hb was 6 g/dL, and I had iron tablets for a course of three months. Two months ago, when I checked my Hb, it was again 6 g/dL. It is improving now with an iron-rich diet and supplements. But still, I feel pain in the bottom of my foot and in my palm once a day.

Please suggest a way for me to improve my Hb level.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I had gone through all the data posted.

The reports posted (attachment removed to protect patient identity) show mainly iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency.
Iron deficiency is commonly seen in menstruating females because of blood loss. Hence, the nutritional need is high. If such a requirement is not met, then it leads to iron deficiency.
I suggest iron-rich foods along with iron supplements (iron tablets twice a day) like Orofer XT or Faa 20.
Do you suffer from heavy menstrual blood loss? If yes, then kindly consult a gynecologist.
Vitamin D deficiency: it has to be synthesized by our body on exposure to sunlight.
I suggest a capsule of vitamin D3 60,000 IU once a week for four weeks and a tablet of Cramnil (magnesium bis-glycinate 360 mg) once a day for only two days a week for five weeks. Also, take milk regularly.

Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and take treatment with consent.

Kindly get a reticulocyte count and peripheral smear after a week of starting iron supplements.

I hope this helps.

Thank you

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I had gone through your query.

About the alert that was mentioned in your report, the size of RBC (red blood cells) is small (microcytic) and other different sizes (poikilocytosis) pencil-shaped. These occur with severe iron deficiency. There is no need to worry about that. Please take iron supplements and iron-rich foods.

I hope this helps.

Thank you