Re: Reposting - Severe Anemia

David Rind wrote:
> 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.

Thanks for your input. Test results received just today indicated iron 
levels below normal lab testing range.  The diagnosis apparently 
indicates massive blood loss internally in the range of serveal litres 
between tests, although I'm not sure the actual time period between the 
tests. In any case, he said I have lost a lot of blood.