Iron and IBD

Low iron or a lack of it commonly causes iron deficiency anaemia. This type of anaemia leads to a reduction in the production of red blood cells and this can mean a reduced amount of oxygen being carried around the body in your blood. Iron deficiency is a common complication for people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease but it is very easily treated.

The most common symptoms of iron deficiency are:

·         Tiredness

·         Lack of energy

·         Heart palpitations

·         Pale complexion

Less common symptoms include:

·         Headaches

·         Tinnitus

·         Altered taste

·         Itchiness

·         Sore or abnormally smooth tongue

·         Hair loss

·         Desire to eat non-food items like coal

·         Difficulty swallowing

·         Ulcers in the corner of your mouth

·         Spoon shaped nails

If the iron deficiency is left untreated it can lead to:

·         Increased risk of infections

·         Heart and lung problems

·         Restless leg syndrome

Iron deficiency can be diagnosed through a blood test by your doctor.

People who suffer from IBD who lose blood and also iron through bleeding in their stools from their intestines are usually at a higher risk of developing iron deficiency. This can happen in both people who suffer from both Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. People with Crohn’s disease in their small intestine in the duodenum are at further risk as this is where the iron is absorbed. If this is where you have your Crohn’s disease you might have an issue absorbing the iron. Some people with IBD and on a restricted diet due to the foods they can eat will not be getting enough iron through their diet. 

Most people with iron deficiency will be able to take and iron supplement orally from the doctor on a daily basis. Others will need to be given iron intravenously. This will help to boost the iron levels in your body. 

Most people find they have side effects from taking iron supplements such as cramping and constipation. 

You can also help boost your iron intake through your diet by eating foods like:

·         Dark green leafy vegetables like kale or spinach

·         Brown rice

·         Pulses and beans

·         Nuts and seeds

·         Meat, fish and tofu

·         Eggs

·         Dried fruit

·         Also some cereals and bread are also fortified with iron.

If you cannot eat all these just eat what you can tolerate to help boost your iron. I know I have dips every so often that I need to get an infusion every so often and it means 2 trips to the hospitals day case unit for a few hours. I do try to eat what I can to prevent me from having to get an infusion by eating the foods I can tolerate like beef, fish, eggs and cereals.

IBD and is the person you love a keeper?

Every relationship I have been in, a large portion of every one of them we have had to deal with many health issues from passing out with anaemia and being doubled over in pain on the toilet or not being able to walk up or down the stairs without having to crawl up or down them in pain. Most of the guys I have been with have walked out the door or ran out in some cases and never looked back or never got in touch again after they seen the worst I have been with my health.  There are a few things most people look for when they have chronic illnesses and looking for a partner or that very special person. 

1.  They hold your hair back while you have your head in the loo puking your guts up

When you live with chronic illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, you have more than your fair share of puking.  A real man will stand by your side, he will hold your hair back for you and if you happen to miss the toilet he will help clean it up.

2.  They will love you even at your worst moments

Between our periods and the lovely devils tic-tac’s Prednisolone, we can be well… difficult to live with ha-ha.  A real man who you want to stay around, will stand by your side and love you no matter what.  He will understand that behind all the angry faces, fighting, arguing and mood swings that there is a loving and caring creature.  Prednisolone is most definitely not for the faint hearted and if he is a keeper he will look past all that.

3.  They think you are beautiful even when you are really sick or have loads of scars

Living with a chronic illness makes you feel ugly (well it makes me feel ugly for definite).  You look at yourself in the mirror, or you have a moon face from taking steroids, or you have an extra bit of weight due to the steroids, or you have lost a lot of weight due to a flare with your Crohn’s disease.  Whatever the case may be having an illness or multiple illnesses does not make you feel like a beauty queen.  Scars, hair loss, the pale complexion… if he does not see your true beauty, he is not worth keeping.  A real man will remind you frequently of how beautiful you are then he is definitely a keeper.

4.  They will yell at the doctors for you instead

There are hundreds of doctors out there.  If you have been suffering for any length of time with an inflammatory bowel disease, you will know there are also a lot of bad doctors out there.  Sometimes you just do not want to deal with it… either because you are too sick to voice your opinions or you are too tired to put up a fight.  In those moment you would want a man who will take up the sword and put up a fight and help fight your battles for you.  If he loves you the way he says he does he will fight for you until the best possible care is found.  If he shows any signs of being a hero then he is most definitely a keeper.

5.  They will stand by your side when everyone else does a runner

I have dated a few guys in my time, yes I know I am still young.  Most of them had ducked at the first sight of a sniffle.  To be honest, most guys who do that are most definitely not that into you in the first place.  But you really do not want a man like that anyway as he would run away eventually. You need a man who loves you no matter what the future will hold.  You want a man who is willing to ask for your hand in marriage or stick with you no matter what happens even if you are diagnosed with an incurable illness or diagnosed with secondary illnesses with your IBD.  You will need a man who will stick with you for better or worse.  You need a man who will love you come what may and you deserve that.  A man who lives up to the vow “in sickness and in health” will be the man who is a keeper even if he is not married to you as long as he stick with you through every up and every down in your life that is what matters the most.

To anyone who has had a man scorn at you because you are too sick due to your illnesses.  REMEMBER you are still very valuable.  The man who runs away at the slightest sign of trouble is not worth your time.  You want a man who will love you and respect you with every ounce of his being.  Ladies you are worth it.  DO NOT ever settle for, or get hung up on, any man who makes you feel like you are not worth his time.  If he gets on like he does not care about your health or wellbeing then he is not worth any second crying over if you split up or he eventually does a runner on you when you are at your lowest or the worst time of flare up and end up being admitted into the hospital.  Apart from running away and leaving you to cope on your own being sick, manipulating and controlling relationships are definitely not good either.  They are not good especially when he manipulates everything you say and tries to make it look like you are actually not sick or tries to make himself look like he is more ill than you are for example, you have a flare up with your IBD and he is suffering from man flu, instead of him helping you out he makes it look like he is needing you to lift and lay everything for him especially when you are unable to move out of bed yourself apart from just about getting up and out of bed to get to the toilet in time before being sick.  If you have someone like that he is most definitely not a keeper.