Re: Reposting - Severe Anemia

Tom Burns wrote:

> Thanks. I'm going in for a complete GI to look for polyps or malignancies.

Looking for a GI source for blood loss makes sense if someone is
severely iron deficient. Without obvious blood loss, and in the
absence of extreme iron deficiency, I think it would be exceedingly
rare to get a hemoglobin that is lower than half normal. Checking
an iron level would be part of the initial evaluation for anemia
(particularly anemia with "small" red blood cells).

As mentioned, it is generally not that hard to figure out whether
there is a problem with production or destruction (or loss) of
red blood cells. A lower gastrointestinal evaluation is part of
the evaluation for a problem with very longstanding loss of red
blood cells.

--
David Rind
[EMAIL PROTECTED]