My 13 year-old daughter was just diagnosed with anemia. Anyone with a simular situation?

Sri - posted on 08/11/2012

my 11 year old has verly low hemoglobin. Doc gave her iron with orange juce. Not sure why her hemoglobin has gone from 12 to 4 in the last 18 months.

Janelle - posted on 02/14/2010

The vitamin C in the orange juice helps the body absorb the iron more effectively. the reason why people are aneamic in the first place usually can be put down to the fact that your body is not as efficient as some others at absorbing iron into the blood stream. I take iron supplements that also have vitamin C in them to avoid this as orange juice aggrivates my ecsema...

Flat feet...?? My son has them, so has his dad guessing thats just a heriditary trait?? I dunno but I bought him shoe inserts to correct it..

Renee - posted on 02/14/2010

I, myself, have iron-deficiency anemia. I've had it and been dealing with it since I was little. Iron deficiency anemia, is just what it is a lack of iron in the blood. I've dealt with it all my life, and the most problems I've ever had is swollen lower legs if I cut off my blood flow (i.e. crossing legs at the knees, or sitting on the floor with feet underneath me). The worst of it is being tired alot, energy level seems to be sapped even during regular activity. However, a good diet enriched with iron, the iron pills should help too, and exercise to keep a healthy heart and blood flow also are very effective. I don't know much about the iron pills and what to take with them because I never took them.

I, too, was found to have a slight curve in my back, I believe I was her age when it was found during a check-up before gym class and the nurse came checked our spines. I am now 36 years old and never had a problem with the curve in my back. I've never had a doctor tell me to use any form of brace or anything, so you may consider withholding from his suggestion. After all, if it is only slight, your daughter shouldn't have any problems....good posture helps too.

I had flat feet when I was a kid and I also had wide feet. I now have more curved feet because when I was in my teens, and a young adult, I used to wear low heeled pumps, and high heels, respectively. But the flat feet went away.

I hope this was helpful.

Anitra - posted on 02/13/2010

Greetings and salutations. I've been truly blessed that my children are healthy and I have not had to go through this scenario with them. I myself was anemic growing up. The doctors recommendation of taking the iron tablet with orange juice is because juices like oj, grapefruit etc affects the absorption of medications. Orange and apple juices inhibit a protein that transports medications across the intestines and into the bloodstream. When this protein isn’t allowed to work properly, medications remain in the intestines and are excreted without giving their full benefits. The effect of fruit juice on the action of this protein can persist for up to four hours after drinking a glass or juice. So while I understand the suggestion, be careful and aware. If you are looking for a more "natural" way to help with her iron levels, I would of course say make sure that she is eating foods that have iron in them. Ex.clams, pork liver, oysters, chicken liver, mussels, beef liver, beef, shrimp, sardines, turkey, cooked beans and lentils, pumpkin seeds just to name a few. I hope that this helps some.