My Anemia Diagnosis: A Story of Exhaustion

“Iron deficiency anemia is a global pandemic!” wrote Steven Magee in his book Hypoxia, Mental Illness & Chronic Fatigue. Anemia is a relatively common condition. The Mayo Clinic estimates that among the world’s population, 1 in 3 have anemia. But how much do individuals receiving an anemia diagnosis know about their condition?

Considering how common anemia is, you’d think I’d know more about it. Before my anemia diagnosis, I knew that it was related to iron deficiency and could be treated with iron supplements. I had no idea what the symptoms were or some of the serious implications it could have. 

Maybe you’re more informed about anemia than I was. Or maybe you are in a similar place to where I was. In any case, I wanted to share my story in case it helps anyone.

The story of how I received my anemia diagnosis is one that I’ve been wanting to tell since before the inception of this blog. Yet, it’s a story that I’m struggling to tell. I’m not entirely sure where to start – how far back to go in order to provide the appropriate context, etc.

Also, this is kind of a developing story. I obviously know what the diagnosis is, but the treatment is still kind of a work in progress.

So I’ll try to tell this story as best as I can.

Disclaimer

I’m not a doctor or any kind of medical provider. I’m speaking primarily from personal experience, mixed with some basic research. As such, please don’t take anything I say as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, I urge you to consult a medical professional in your area.

Some Context

One of the first things to know about me is that I’m fat. I’m totally fine with referring to myself as fat and I’m not offended of other people want to call me fat. I can only speak for myself, however, so please don’t make assumptions about what other people are comfortable with just because I feel a certain type of way. 

There are, of course, reasons why I’m fat. Like many others of a similar size, I’ve tried various things over the years to change this: various diets, exercise, etc. None of these reasons or attempts to change my body size are important for the purposes of this post. 

What’s important is that I’m fat and lots of people have various opinions about my weight including (but not limited to) doctors and other health care providers. These reactions have had an influence on how medical providers have treated me as well as my perception of my care.

This is nothing new. There have been studies suggesting that there is weight based stigma among medical professionals. This stigma can impact how medical professionals view their patients and the kind of care the patients receive. Because patients of a certain size may feel judged by their primary care provider, they may distrust their medical team. This, in turn, can make them less likely to follow through with treatment plans or be less likely to seek medical treatment in the future. 

This has certainly been true of my experience with medical professionals. Suffice it to say that until the spring of 2024, it had been a long time since I had been to a primary care physician. 

The Symptoms

I had been experiencing extreme fatigue for quite some time. However, I was also a grad student who was sleeping odd hours. I chalked my fatigue up to not getting enough sleep. What I didn’t know until recently is that there is a link between stress (like what a student might experience) anemia. 

As time went on, I also started to experience other symptoms. Namely, I would start to feel lightheaded or dizzy. I often felt like I needed to sit down and wait for the sensation to pass. 

I didn’t know that being lightheaded or dizzy were symptoms of anemia. Indeed, I had no idea what these symptoms meant. But I was scared. I was scared of being diagnosed with something serious and of being judged by doctors for my diagnosis. Not going meant that I could continue to live in ignorant bliss. Besides, what if it was nothing and I went through the hassle of going to the doctor for nothing?

The Tests: How An Anemia Diagnosis Was Made

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that nobody likes going to the doctor. I already mentioned weight based stigma in medicine, but I’m convinced that going to the doctor isn’t a fun experience for anyone – regardless of size. 

But my symptoms weren’t going away and it was becoming clear that I was going to need to go to the doctor. So I found a new primary care provider and went. 

Among other things, the doctor ordered blood work. Not surprising; I was expecting that. 

The test results showed that my hemoglobin levels were low. I officially had an anemia diagnosis.

What is Anemia?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body.” 

Types of Anemia

• Aplastic anemia (when your body isn’t producing enough new blood cells).
• Iron deficiency anemia (when your blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells).
• Sickle cell anemia (a group of inherited disorders affecting the shape of your red blood cells).
• Thalassemia (a blood disorder that causes the body to have less than normal hemoglobin). 
• Vitamin deficiency anemia (when a lower than usual amount of vitamin B12 and folate causes a lack of healthy red blood cells). 

Next Steps

My primary care provider referred me to a hematologist – a specialist who works with patients who have blood disorders.

The hematologist ordered more blood work. These tests determined that I don’t have leukemia (which can cause anemia – and I consider these results to be very good news). However, my hemoglobin was falling fast. 

So an iron infusion was ordered; my hematologist said we’d worry about what was causing my anemia once my iron levels were up. 

What Are Iron Infusions?

You’ve probably heard of iron supplements in pill form. An iron infusion is another way of getting iron into your body. The Mayo Clinic describes them succinctly: “An iron infusion is a way to receive iron through a small catheter in your vein.” This is usually done at a medical facility.

I was really nervous about having this done. I wasn’t sure if it would hurt of if I’d have any side effects. 

Fortunately, the infusion went well and I didn’t experience any side effects. 

Gratitude

Throughout this process, I’ve been grateful that I have health insurance that is covering a lot of my expenses. I’m well aware of the fact that health insurance and health care can be unattainable in my home country of the United States. Not having health insurance can mean that you’re one medical emergency away from financial ruin. 

To say that I’m not a fan of the healthcare system in the US would be an understatement. The US is one of the richest countries in the world; the fact that a basic necessity like healthcare is out of reach for some of our citizens is unconscionable.

For example, one iron infusion can cost over $8000 USD. That doesn’t include other expenses like doctor’s visits or lab work. It’s not unheard of for people to have more than one iron infusion. 

Because I have medical insurance, I didn’t have to pay anywhere near that much for the treatment I’ve had. I don’t expect to experience financial hardship because of this. 

Like I said, I’m extremely lucky and am grateful to be in this position. 

So, Why Am I Anemic?

I had to have more appointments with doctors to find out the answer to that question. I will follow this post up with how that went.

Updated: Feb 28, 2025 @ 3:08 am