[Eleora]

My skin has been getting increasingly paler - I have had trouble finding make-up light enough to work with my skin. Well, not uncommon since I do have anemia/thalassemia. I didn't think much of it though - I figured it could have just been because it's winter.

What I am worried about right now is that it looks like I have blood pooling up behind my knees and in my toes. It's hard to explain... behind my knees especially there are purplish-blobs that could almost be bruises with red dots. I know there is a name for it, I can't be arsed to find it. This is a new symptom. I would think I had been a klutze and not noticed but I can't think of what I would have done to cause this kind of bruising behind my knees. Odd place for bruises.

I have every symptom of severe anemia. I am so tired I could sleep for 18 hours and still feel like I haven't slept. I am always freezing cold, I have started to need to use a heater and four comforters at night and during the day I am always in multiple sets of fleece workout suits. This is abnormal - during the winter I usually sleep with my window open because I like the cold.

I didn't even know this was a symptom until tonight, but my lips are cracked weird in the corners of my mouth and have been for a couple weeks. They bleed off and on.

I cut my finger at work and it was like a paper cut but bled for a couple hours. I had to get it written up at work because they were worried about getting sued it was bleeding that badly.

And this is probably the scariest part; I thought I pulled a muscle in my chest the other day because out of nowhere it felt like I had fifty pound blocks on my chest. I thought it was anxiety but I wasn't anxious so I asumed it was a pulled muscle. My heart was racing out of control but I just thought I was panicking over the pain. I had a hard time standing up straight and I couldn't stop sweating. I didn't think anything of it after it passed.

I am only piecing it together now because of my knee bruises. I shaved my legs for the first time in god knows how long tonight and realised they were there.

My family doctor retired so if I need medical attention I have to go to the ER. I don't want to go if I don't have to, and I don't even want to think about needing a transfusion. I take iron supplements daily, the maximum dosage prescribable.

Anyways, any help is appreciated. I guess I am looking for advice on where to go with this. Does it sound like I am going to need a transfusion? It was something my doctor went over when I was diagnosed with thalassemia but because I am only a carrier, or I have thalassemia minor not major, it wasn't something that my doctor thought I would ever require.

Sarah

[ECHOES]

It would be a good idea to be evaluated by a doctor. The ER is for emergencies rather than regular medical care, so you do need to find a new doctor now that your family doctor has retired.

It's good that you are paying attention and noticing these new areas of concern, so you can find out what this is and feel good about taking good care of you.

[Eleora]

Unfortunately where I live, you can't find another doctor. There is a lack of family doctors, I think like half of Canada's population is without one, or some crazy statistic like that.

I am going to see if I can find a suitable clinic and go Monday.

[Greenleaves]

Canada's doctor shortage is awful. My parents who are nearing their 60's have been without a family doctor for years now ever since our doctor retired. My Mom can't even get her checkups and she suffers with digestive problems. My dad has gout too. No one is doing any preventative checkups for them.

I agree that you should go to a walk in clinic, it is better than nothing. I hope you feel better soon.

[ECHOES]

I didn't know that there is a shortage of family doctors in Canada!!
Is that all over, or in some areas?
Do you have to go to specialists, or is there just no one to go to? If you have access to specialists, can you find a Hematologist to see you?

[Eleora]

Basically, you go to walk in clinics for minor things. The waits are atrocious. If it's somewhat serious you usually go to the ER. From there they will send you to whatever specialists you might need. The wait for those is even worse. If I were closer to the border I would consider paying a doctor in buffalo, but I am not close enough.

Universal healthcare is great, don't have to pay a thing generally, but it sucks for wait times and access to family doctors.

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by ECHOES

I didn't know that there is a shortage of family doctors in Canada!!
Is that all over, or in some areas?
Do you have to go to specialists, or is there just no one to go to? If you have access to specialists, can you find a Hematologist to see you?

All over, definitely!

Getting referrals to specialists is even more difficult now (I guess I'm fortunate that I've got access to some specialists since I'm disabled). It seems now the entire healthcare field is no longer about preventative healthcare.

(((((((((((Sarah))))))))))))))) definitely go to a walk-in clinic, even if you have to wait a couple of hours... that doesn't sound very good.

[ECHOES]

It seems now the entire healthcare field is no longer about preventative healthcare.

Our's too!! It used to be the goal to help keep people healthy and prevent. I heard an interesting comment on the radio the other day about the US healthcare system and it's view on preventive services. Here, a person goes from private health insurance to Medicare, the government sponsored healthcare program at age 65 (or about). So, the private insurers realized that by the time people had serious illnesses or serious complications from illnesses, they would be on Medicare, so why offer preventive services when it won't save the private health insurers money down the road since that person will no longer be on the private insurance.

We all need good medical care

[lenjan]

I think what you're describing is petechiae.

Etymology:New Latin, from Italian petecchia, ultimately from Latin impetigoDate:circa 1784 : a minute reddish or purplish spot containing blood that appears in skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhage

I had aplastic anemia a few years ago and when I finally, after a month or so, was conscious enough most of the time to know what was going on, was horrified to find my entire body covered in those things.

BTW, at a couple of points during my 5 weeks in the hospital, I had a platelet count of 2,000 (normal adult range 150-450,000).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/petechiae/HQ01208

Please do get checked out. I kept putting it off, despite feeling worse and worse, and if a friend hadn't insisted on taking me to the ER, I wouldn't be here right now to tell the tale.

[nightbird]

Yes, check this out, plus realize that not all iron vitamins are equal, no matter the strength.

Your Dr. will prescribe to you the type of supplementations you can take for what your condition is.

I have a low red blood cell count, and cannot take anything for it yet, as it is caused by my chemotherapy.

You need to know more, and follow through.

Best to you...
Peace and Health,
Night
xoxo

[smiley1984]

I know going to the ED of a hospital can be frustrating and the wait to see a dr can be long - but you obviously need blood tests and probably other tests and these can be done while you are there.
I don't want to scare you but your symptoms could be due some very serious diseases (you are bleeding easily plus low Hb), or it may be something easily fixed but there are some real red flags in your symptoms. You might feel uneasy about going to the ED, that you aren't 'sick' enough but it sounds like you are very sick and need investigation asap. Don't procrastinate. Please go to the ED, take a good book/magazine and you are sick enough to go to the ED.

[Eleora]

I am tempted to call my psychiatrist and ask for a blood test sheet thingy. She deals with my thyroid problem so maybe she'd do this for me too. If not, she could probably refer me to a specialist of some kind so I can skip the whole sit in the ER for 14 hours whil nurses stare at me thinking, "Well thats a stupid reason to come."

When I had a stomach ulcer a while back a nurse actually came out and asked me why I didn't just take an antiacid. Turned out it had started bleeding, hence the vomitting of blood.

I am in a bad mood right now. I had a nose bleed earlier that wouldn't stop. This scares me because my brother had leukemia when I was a kid and even though I know I don't have cancer, it's like a really horrible reminder.

I will be seeing a doctor. I just need to think of when I can go.

[Locust]

I am sorry this reminds you of your brother's illness. I think candybear had a good point about petechiae. When you mentioned the tiny red dots, I thought of that, as it is a symptom of an illness I had a few years back. Also, you might have purpura (explaining the larger red places). That is another symptom of the form of anemia I had. I guess perhaps these are both common through various forms of anemia.

I believe petechiae would be more minor bleeding from capillaries, while purpura is more extensive bleeding into the skin from small blood vessels. I think purpura is considered a type of bruising, but it's more severe than reg. bruising, tends to start out purple or red (although normal bruises may be these color, also) and may look like big bloody spots. It may also happen suddenly, and in the absensce of injury. The petechiae looks like tiny red, purple or blue dots- usually little tiny bloody spots like pin pricks or something. Anyway, sometimes I get petechiae now and am okay blood count wise (sometimes other things cause it), with your symptoms and possible purpura, it sounds like you def. would have low blood counts. It is very important that you see a doctor as this stuff can be really serious. I don't mean to scare you, since you'll prob. be fine if you go get medical assistance. I am simply saying, letting it go can be dangerous, and when it comes to anemia, you can be sicker than you know. I can't say for certain if you'll need a transfusion, but my guess is, considering the purpura and how freely you are bleeding, you might need one.

[nightbird]

you might want to see a hematologist or internist for your 'control center'... someone to order appropriate tests and respond with help to the symptoms and plan out a treatment course for you.

best to you...

I hope this is resolved soon, Dear Person.
Peace,
Night
xoxo