A low red blood cell count may be indicative of certain health problems, including anemia, blood loss, or malnutrition. People who have low red blood cells may also be deficient in certain nutrients, particularly iron. A low red blood cell count may be normal for some people, including pregnant women or young women who have just begun menstruating. Leukemia and most other types of cancers might also cause a lower than normal red blood cell count, but a person who has cancer will normally be experiencing other symptoms as well depending on how far the disease has progressed. Red blood cell test results that are only slightly below the normal level are fairly common and are usually of no concern to most doctors.
The majority of people typically have no idea that their red blood cell counts are low until a complete blood count (CBC) test is performed. There are often no noticeable symptoms when people have low red blood cell counts. If symptoms are experienced, they might include pale skin, fatigue, and a reduced energy level. Some people also notice that they seem to get short of breath frequently during the day. A person who is experiencing these symptoms may want to visit his doctor to get a CBC test done to determine his blood cell count levels.
When doctors determine that their patients have abnormally low red blood cell counts, they usually try to understand the cause. A patient may be asked about her symptoms and how she feels every day so her doctor can make some headway into understanding why her red blood cell counts are low. If a patient is not having any symptoms that might indicate serious health problems, doctors often make a diagnosis of anemia because it is the most common cause of low red blood cell counts. Anemia is not always serious and can usually be remedied fairly easily.
A low red blood cell count, particularly if the count is low due to anemia, can normally be remedied with an increase in the amount of iron a person consumes. Doctors might also advise their anemic patients to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet overall containing the necessary vitamins and minerals. Over time, a low red blood cell count may begin to climb if these actions are taken regularly. A person who is anemic will probably have to visit his doctor frequently for blood cell count tests until it has been determined that his levels have returned to the normal range.
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anon259352
Post 3 |
I've been going too the doctors a lot. Since I was born, I've had medical problems, but in 2005 I had lymph nodes out twice. The first time, rear disease castleman's was diagnosed, then on the second biopsy, they said it probably just reactive lymph nodes. Now in the past few months, my knees keep swelling up with a weird rash from my legs to my arms. Some of my blood work is off. My mean platelet volume is high and my rbc is low. I'm so confused and this medical problem has really messed up my life. Or should I say mystery? In my gut, I feel it's cancer or leukemia. Any thoughts? |
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SarahSon
Post 2 |
I have a friend whose daughter was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. This was pretty scary for the parents and the little girl.
She has gone through 2 years of treatment and is doing quite well. The poor thing was so tired of getting poked and getting her blood counts checked all the time.
It seems like so much of her treatment and progress was related to how her cell counts were every time they checked them.
It is amazing what a red and white blood cell count can tell about what is going on in your body. |
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LisaLou
Post 1 |
I recently had some surgery and was sent home expecting a few days of bleeding. My follow up appointment was not for 3 weeks from the date I was released.
After two weeks, I was still bleeding, and they wanted to see me to see what was going one. They did some blood work because they wanted to see if I had been losing too much blood.
I had been taking an iron supplement because I had a history of a minimal low red blood cell count. They wanted to make sure there wasn't something more serious going on.
Everything checked out OK and they told me I just needed to give my body more time to completely heal. |
