For the heavens-know-how-many-times, my finger got pricked for nothing. I hate having low haemoglobin. After all the waiting, completing the questionnaire, meeting the doctor, passing the minimal weight requirement (the doc told me to eat more because if I'm lighter by just one more kg, I would have made an unsuitable donor!), and finally, just when it's the FINAL stage, when the finishing line is sooo close, then BAM!
My donor's card? It has so many donation dates crossed out that one of my cards only have 8 real entries (a normal card can write in about 18 donation dates). I can't seem to get past the 9th donation (pissed! Because 9 is my favourite number!); I've been rejected twice consecutively already! I ALWAYS GET PRICKED FOR NOTHING. Grrr!
I hate it. No, it's not the fruitless waiting that's of concern. It's the fact that my finger got PRICKED for NOTHING. I don't know, but personally, I find the finger-pricking process MOST painful out of the whole donation procedure; followed by the injection of anesthetic. I HATE the lancet so much. Whoever said that it's just like an insects' bite? That's an outright lie.
Anyway, apparently, my iron level is always low. Iron is important because it forms an iron-rich protein (called haemoglobin), which main function is to transport oxygen. So, a person with low blood iron would have low haemoglobin in the red blood cells; which, in turn, would lead to a decreased amount of oxygen being transported by the blood to all parts of the body. The minimal cut-off for donation is 12.5g/dl.
Mine? I hit only 11.7g/dl on Sunday (my blood droplet doesn't sink to the bottom of the beaker of copper sulfate solution, and thus, a machine has to be used to give a digital reading of my haemoglobin level). Still, I feel a little glad though; because this reading is considered 'high' for me on any normal days. The lowest I've ever hit was 10.0g/dl. So, a reading of 11.7g/dl is like... Quite a sunny day already. A part of me is still quite disappointed, though, because I've been drinking Milo and taking evening jogs. I expected a pass, really.
Anyway, while I was at the doctor's yesterday afternoon to get an MC, I brought it up to his attention. I told him that my iron is always on the low side, and that at times, when I change from a sitting/squatting position to a standing position, I would experience giddiness/nausea/spinning room/dimmed or dark vision.
"The lowest reading I've had is 10.0g/dl. Is this normal? Is it just borderline low, or..." My voice trailed off. I deliberately left out the fact that I'm quite a heavy coffee drinker. I've a feeling that if he knows the number of cups per day, he would scream or something.
He paused for a moment. "It's not very low and neither is it borderline low. I would say, it's mild. Mildly anaemic. A normal person should have 12.0 - 12.5g/dl."
"So," I continued, "the on-and-off giddiness... It's not orthostatic hypotension?" I asked.
He blinked; surprised that I know the term. "Actually, it IS orthostatic hypotension." He wheeled his armchair and angled towards me face-to-face. "You see," he explained, "orthostatic hypotension can have different causes. Apparently, I would say that yours is because you're anaemic as a result of iron-deficiency".
"So, there's nothing wrong with my heart chambers? My heart is pumping fine?"
"I would say, yes. Once we rectify and bring up the haemoglobin level to normal, chances are the giddiness would cease too. Don't worry. And drink more water as well."
I heaved a sigh of relief inwardly. Fact is, a part of me worries whether is my heart pumping fine; which is why I contemplated whether to have a tilt-table test done. My mother has weak heart. One side (the left, I think) of her heart is not pumping efficiently; which is why she was warded earlier this or last year. This also explains why, of late, I've been rather proactive in exercising and evening jogs; because I want to be responsible for my own health and not regret not doing so years down the road.
Anyway, I now have 2 months' worth of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) tablets, Vitamin B tablets, and ferrous gluconate tablets to finish. GOSH! I've never seen - or been prescribed with - such a big pack of medication before! And did I mention that I prefer organic things, and don't really support the use of Western medication? YUCKS!
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment