Posts by Betty Bishop7

Hi, I have a quick question. I just went in for my routine Abdominal Ultrasound to check on a liver hemangioma. Everything looks fine there—the size hasn't changed, which is good—but for the first time, they noted that my spleen is enlarged. My doctor mentioned it might just be due to my build, since I'm a larger woman.
I think he's right, though when he asked about my blood work, I told him everything was fine and completely forgot to mention my anemia.
Here are my blood test results from today:
Iron: 4 (Ref: 8-12)
MCV: 76.40 (Ref: 83-97.20)
MCH: 23.20 (Ref: 27.40-33.90)
MCHC: 303 (Ref: 320-355)

I'm wondering if this could also be a reason for the enlarged spleen, given that I've dealt with anemia for years. Also, can someone's physical build really affect things like spleen size?
For reference, the spleen measures 148x52 mm.
Thanks.

Nicole Long7 said:Hi there,
my 15-year-old sister is dealing with anemia. Her first blood test back in February showed an iron level of 2.1 and slightly low hemoglobin. She took 100 mg of Ferrous supplements for about a month. She just had more blood work done yesterday, and here are the results:

RBC 4.30(4.07-5.42)
hemoglobin 99(118-149)
hematocrit 0.313(0.354-0.450)
MCV 72.8(76.5-92.1)
MCH 23.0(24.3-31.5)
MCHC 316(304-360)
RDW 20.300(11.600-14.300)
Platelet 370(178-420)
MPV 10.5(7.0-10.4)
WBC 4.8(4.4-11.6)
eos. granulocytes 1.0(0-9)
neu. granulocytes 65.0(34-69)
lymphocytes 27.0(19-52)
monocytes 7.0(5-13)
Sedimentation 7(2-20)
glucose 6.12(3.90-5.90)
creatinine 46(40-72)
iron 2.3(6.0-31.0)

The urinalysis shows 6-8 leukocytes, quite a few squamous epithelial cells, and some bacteria.

She’s been referred to a hematologist, obviously, but I’m wondering if this blood work is caused by the iron deficiency? Also, does it matter that she caught a cold two days later? Could the cold be affecting her numbers?

Thanks in advance.🙂

I have anemia too. Just checked my levels today—iron is at 4, hemoglobin is 102, and so on. I'm no doctor, but one month of treatment doesn't seem like enough; I think it takes at least three months. I need to start supplements myself, but someone more qualified will likely weigh in.

Hey, quick question—is a Sedimentation of 30 anything to worry about?

As a seasoned anxiety veteran, I’m convinced that’s just the anxiety talking. It can trigger physical symptoms that feel unrealistically intense, and the more you obsess over them, the worse they get. I’ve gone through the whole gauntlet—gastroscopy, colonoscopy, scans for everything—only to find my organs are perfectly fine. I totally get where you're coming from; you always have to rule out a physical issue first before blaming it on your head. There's a solution for everything, though.

It’s an interesting situation when you’re dealing with full-blown heartburn symptoms but the endoscopy comes back completely normal. Lucky you!
I wasn't trying to be negative when I suggested it might be psychological. That's just how my body reacts to stress, though I know everyone is different.

I think it’s mostly psychological. I deal with anxiety, so I get it—I lost 5 pounds in just seven days because I couldn't keep anything down. Nausea, vomiting, the whole deal. I eventually sorted it out with my psychiatrist and some antidepressants. You might not need that route, but that was my experience. Lately, I've been convinced something is wrong with my stomach, though I suspect I'm just manifesting physical symptoms from the stress itself.
Sorry if I'm off-topic!