Have you ever been told that you have anemia, or wondered about anemia symptoms?
Or perhaps you noticed the red blood cell count flagged as “low” in the bloodwork report? Or noticed “low hemoglobin” in a doctor’s report?
Anemia means having a red blood cell count that is lower than normal, and it’s very common in older adults. About 10% of independently living people over age 65 have anemia. And anemia becomes even more common as people get older.
But many older adults and families hardly understand anemia.
This isn’t surprising: anemia is associated with a dizzying array of underlying health conditions, and can represent anything from a life-threatening emergency to a mild chronic problem that barely makes the primary care doctor blink.
Still, it worries me that older adults and families don’t know more about anemia. If you or your relative has this condition, it’s important to understand what’s going on and what the follow-up plan is. (I’ve so often discovered that a patient didn’t know he or she had had anemia!) Misunderstanding anemia can also lead to unnecessary worrying, or perhaps even inappropriate treatment with iron supplements.
And since anemia is often caused by some other problem in the body, not understanding anemia often means that people don’t understand something else that is important regarding their health.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a doctor to have a decent understanding of the basics of anemia.
This post will help you understand:
- How anemia is detected and diagnosed in aging adults.
- Symptoms of anemia.
- The most common causes of anemia, and tests often used to check for them.
- What to ask the doctor.
- How to get better follow-up, if you or your relative is diagnosed with anemia.
You can also watch my video covering Anemia in Aging: Symptoms and Solutions:
Defining and detecting anemia
Anemia means having a lower-than-normal count of red blood cells circulating in the blood.
Red blood cells are always counted as part of a “Complete Blood Count” (CBC) test, which is a very commonly ordered blood test.
A CBC test usually includes the following results:
- White blood cell count (WBCs): the number of white blood cells per microliter of blood
- Red blood cell count (RBCs): the number of red blood cells per microliter of blood
- Hemoglobin (Hgb): how many grams of this oxygen-carrying protein per deciliter of blood
- Hematocrit (Hct): the fraction of blood that is made up of red blood cells
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): the average size of red blood cells
- Platelet count (Plts): how many platelets (a smaller cell involved in clotting blood) per microliter of blood
(For more information on the CBC test, see this Medline page. For more on common blood tests, see Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults.)
By convention, to detect anemia, clinicians rely on the hemoglobin level and the hematocrit, rather than on the red blood cell count.
A “normal” level of hemoglobin is usually in the range of 14-17 gm/dL for men, and 12-15 gm/dL for women. However, different laboratories may define the normal range slightly differently.
A low hemoglobin level — meaning, it’s below normal — can be used to detect anemia. Clinicians often confirm the lower hemoglobin level by repeating the CBC test.
If clinicians detect anemia, they usually will review the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) measurement (included in the CBC) to see if the red cells are smaller or bigger than normal. We do this because the size of the red blood cells can help point doctors towards the underlying cause of anemia.
Hence anemia is often described as:
- Microcytic: red cells smaller than normal
- Normocytic: red cells of a normal size
- Macrocytic: red cells larger than normal
Symptoms of anemia
The red blood cells in your blood use hemoglobin to carry oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. So when a person doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, the body begins to experience symptoms related to not having enough oxygen.
Common symptoms of anemia are:
- fatigue
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- high heartrate
- headaches
- becoming paler, which is often first seen by checking inside the lower lids
- lower blood pressure (especially if the anemia is caused by bleeding)
However, it’s very common for people to have mild anemia — meaning a hemoglobin level that’s not way below normal — and in this case, symptoms may be barely noticeable or non-existent.
That’s because the severity of symptoms depends on two crucial factors:
- How far below normal is the hemoglobin level?
- How quickly did the hemoglobin drop to this level?
This second factor is very important to keep in mind. The human body does somewhat adapt to lower hemoglobin levels, but only if it’s given weeks or months to do so.
So this means that if someone’s hemoglobin drops from 12.5gm/dL to 10gm/dL (which we’d generally consider a moderate level of anemia), they are likely to feel pretty crummy if this drop happened over two days, but much less so if it developed slowly over two months.
People sometimes want to know how low the hemoglobin has to be for anemia to be “severe.” This really depends on the past medical history of the person and on how fast the hemoglobin dropped, but generally, a hemoglobin of 6.5 to 7.9 gm/dL is often considered “severe” anemia.
People also sometimes want to know how low can hemoglobin go before causing death. In general, a hemoglobin less than 6.5 gm/dL is considered life-threatening. But again, how long the body can tolerate a low hemoglobin depends on many factors, including whether the hemoglobin is continuing to drop quickly (due an internal bleed, for instance) or is slowly drifting down. A study of Jehovah’s Witnesses who died after refusing transfusions found that those with hemoglobins between 4.1 to 5 gm/dL died, on average, about 11 days later.
The most common causes of anemia in aging adults
Whenever anemia is detected, it’s essential to figure out what is causing the low red blood cell count.
Compared to most cells in the body, normal red blood cells have a short lifespan: about 100-120 days. So a healthy body must always be producing red blood cells. This is done in the bone marrow and takes about seven days, then the new red blood cells work in the blood for 3-4 months. Once the red blood cell dies, the body recovers the iron and reuses it to create new red blood cells.
Anemia happens when something goes wrong with these normal processes. In kids and younger adults, there is usually one cause for anemia. But in older adults, it’s quite common for there to be several co-existing causes of anemia.
A useful way to think about anemia is by considering two categories of causes:
- A problem producing the red blood cells, and/or
- A problem losing red blood cells
Here are the most common causes of low hemoglobin for each category:
Problems producing red blood cells. These includes problems related to the bone marrow (where red blood cells are made) and deficiencies in vitamins and other substances used to make red blood cells. Common specific causes include:
- Chemotherapy or other medications affecting the bone marrow cells responsible for making red blood cells.
- Iron deficiency. This occasionally happens to vegetarians and others who don’t eat much meat. But it’s more commonly due to chronic blood loss, such as heavy periods in younger women, or a slowly bleeding ulcer in the stomach or small intestine, or even a chronic bleeding spot in the colon.
- Lack of vitamins needed for red blood cells. Vitamin B12 and folate are both essential to red blood cell formation.
- Low levels of erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is usually produced by the kidneys, and helps stimulate the bone marrow to make red blood cells. (This is the “epo” substance used in “blood doping” by unethical athletes.) People with kidney disease often have low levels of erythropoietin, which can cause a related anemia.
- Chronic inflammation. Many chronic illnesses are associated with a low or moderate level of chronic inflammation. Cancers and chronic infections can also cause inflammation. Inflammation seems to interfere with making red blood cells, a phenomenon known as “anemia of chronic disease.”
- Bone marrow disorders. Any disorder affecting the bone marrow or blood cells can interfere with red blood cell production and hence cause anemia.
Problems losing red blood cells. Blood loss causes anemia because red blood cells are leaving the blood stream. This can happen quickly and obviously, but also can happen slowly and subtly. Slow bleeds can worsen anemia by causing an iron deficiency, as noted above. Some examples of how people lose blood include:
- Injury and trauma. This can cause visibly obvious bleeding, but also sometimes causes people to bleed into a space inside the body, which can be harder to detect.
- Chronic bleeding in the stomach, small intestine, or large bowel. This can be due to many reasons, some common ones include:
- taking a daily aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
- peptic ulcer disease
- cancer in the stomach or bowel
- Frequent blood draws. This is mainly a problem for people who are hospitalized and getting daily blood draws.
- Menstrual bleeding. This is usually an issue for younger women but occasionally affects older women.
There is also a third category of anemias, related to red blood cells being abnormally destroyed in the body before they live their usual lifespan. These are called hemolytic anemias and they are much less common.
A major study of causes of anemia in non-institutionalized older Americans found the following:
- One-third of the anemias were due to deficiency of iron, vitamin B12, and/or folate.
- One-third were due to chronic kidney disease or anemia of chronic disease.
- One-third of the anemias were “unexplained.”
How doctors evaluate and diagnose anemia
Once anemia is detected, it’s important for health professionals to do some additional evaluation and follow-up, to figure out what might be causing the anemia.
Understanding the timeline of the anemia — did it come on quickly or slowly? Is the red blood count stable or still trending down with time? — helps doctors figure out what’s going on, and how urgent the situation is.
Common follow-up tests include:
- Checking the stool for signs of microscopic blood loss
- Checking a ferritin level (which reflects iron stores in the body)
- Checking vitamin B12 and folate levels
- Checking kidney function, which is initially done by reviewing the estimated glomerular filtration rate (included in most basic bloodwork results)
- Checking the reticulocyte count, which reflects whether the bone marrow trying to produce extra red blood cells to compensate for anemia
- Checking levels of an “inflammation marker” in the blood, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP)
- Evaluation of the peripheral smear, which means the cells in the blood are examined via microscope
- Urine tests, to check for proteins associated with certain blood cell disorders
If the anemia is bad enough, or if the person is suffering significant symptoms, doctors might also consider a blood transfusion. However, although even mild anemia has been associated with worse health outcomes, research suggests that transfusing mild to moderate anemia generally isn’t beneficial. (This issue especially comes up when people are hospitalized or acutely ill.)
What to ask the doctor about anemia
If you are told that you or your older relative has anemia, be sure you understand how severe it seems to be, and what the doctors think might be causing it. This will help you understand the plan for follow-up and treatment.
Some specific questions that can be handy include:
- How bad is this anemia? Does it seem to be mild, moderate, or severe?
- What do you think is causing it? Could there be multiple causes or factors involved?
- How long do you think I’ve had this anemia? Does it seem to be stable or is it getting worse?
- Is this the cause of my symptoms or do you think something else is causing my symptoms?
- Could any of my medications be involved?
- What is our plan for further evaluation?
- What is our plan for treating this anemia?
- When do you recommend we check the CBC again? What is our plan for monitoring the anemia?
Be sure to request and keep copies of your lab results. It will help you and your doctors in the future to be able to review your past labs related to anemia and any related testing.
Avoiding common pitfalls related to anemia and iron
A very common diagnosis in older adults is iron-deficiency anemia. If you are diagnosed with this type of anemia, be sure the doctors have checked a ferritin level or otherwise confirmed you are low on iron.
I have actually reviewed medical charts in which a patient was prescribed iron for anemia, but no actual low iron level was documented. This suggests that the clinician may have presumed the anemia was due to low iron.
However, although iron deficiency is common, it’s important that clinicians and patients confirm this is the cause, before moving on to treatment with iron supplements. Doctors should also assess for other causes of anemia, since it’s very common for older adults to simultaneously experience multiple causes of anemia (e.g. iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency).
If an iron deficiency is confirmed, be sure the doctors have tried to check for any causes of slow blood loss.
It is common for older adults to develop microscopic bleeds in their stomach or colon, especially if they take a daily aspirin or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. (For this reason — and others — NSAIDs are on the Beer’s list of medications that older adults should use with caution.)
Bear in mind that iron supplements are often quite constipating for older adults. So you only want to take them if an iron-deficiency anemia has been confirmed, and you want to make sure any causes of ongoing blood loss (which causes iron loss) have been addressed.
Key points on anemia in older adults
Here’s what I hope you’ll take away from this article:
1.Anemia is a very common condition for older adults, and often has multiple underlying causes.
2. Anemia is often mild-to-moderate and chronic; don’t let the follow-up fall through the cracks.
3. If you are diagnosed with anemia or if you notice a lower than normal hemoglobin on your lab report, be sure to ask questions to understand your anemia. You’ll want to know:
- Is the anemia chronic or new?
- Is it mild, moderate, or severe?
- What is thought to be the cause? Have you been checked for common problems such as low iron or low vitamin B12?
4. If you are diagnosed with low iron levels: could it be from a small internal bleed and could that be associated with aspirin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, or another medication?
5. Keep copies of your lab reports.
6. Make sure you know what the plan is, for following your blood count and for evaluating the cause of your anemia.
Note: We have reached over 200 comments on this post, so comments will now be closed. If you have a question, chances are it’s already been asked and answered. Thank you!
You may also find it helpful to read these related articles:
Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults
How to Avoid Harm from Vitamin B12 Deficiency
This article was first published in 2016 & minor updates were made in November 2025. (The fundamentals of anemia in older adults don’t change much over time.)
Ann says
My father is 87 and in a nursing home for over a year. His arthritis is severe. He is treated primarily with scheduled tylenol. Narcotics seem to cause hallucination. His hemoglobin has been low since his admission – around 10 – but has been dropping slowly since. He has been given iron daily. More recently, he was sleeping more, eating less, and seemed more confused. He was diagnosed with a bladder infection, a first for my father. He is taking antibiotics. His hemoglobin is just above 7 now. What tests should I insist upon?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Hm, this does sound concerning.
What you probably want to insist on is an explanation, rather than a particular test. A hemoglobin sliding down from 10 to 7 is not trivial. What do his doctors think is going on? If they aren’t sure, what is their plan for sorting it out? If they have a theory, what is their plan for treating or managing this?
The article lists common follow-up tests used to evaluate anemia, so you could certainly ask if those have been done.
Regarding your father’s recent symptoms, they are concerning but “non-specific,” which means they can easily be caused by a variety of illnesses and health problems.
By the way, urinary tract infections can be incorrectly diagnosed in older adults, for more on this issue, see here:
UTIs and Urine Bacteria in Aging: How to get the right diagnosis & avoid unneeded antibiotics
Good luck, I hope that you get some answers soon, and also that your father starts feeling better.
Bettie Anton 83 years says
My vagus nerve severed 9 years ago during surgery at Mayo Clinic for stomach being in chest and choking. Have had constant diarrhea leading to 3rd stage kidney failure. Now have trouble bing so tired and blood tests show ferritin level 585, iron 25, hemoglbin 10, but raised within 1 month to 12.5. TMy nephrologist said I have iron anemia and is giving me 900 mg iron daily. been doing this for 1 week now. Still very tired. Name of surgery was Paraesophageal. Please help. Grandmother had pernacious anemia. I also experience numbness in feet and my gait is off.
I would like help with all that I described. I would really appreciate what u would do. You are so nice and extremely knowledgeable. Thank you. Bettie Anton
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Unfortunately, I don’t know much about vagus nerve injuries. At age 83 and with the health problems you describe, there are many reasons why you might be very tired. There are also many reasons why someone your age might feel their gait was off.
For numbness in the feet, we usually check for common causes of peripheral neuropathy, including checking vitamin B12 levels. (Low vitamin B12 causes pernicious anemia; learn more here: How to Avoid Harm from Vitamin B12 Deficiency)
I can’t say whether your labs are consistent with iron anemia or not, because iron metabolism is more complicated in people with significant kidney disease.
I would encourage you to talk to your primary care doctor and your nephrologist about your fatigue and other symptoms. Ask them to help evaluate you for other potential causes, or consider a second opinion from a hematologist or neurologist. Good luck!
James macleod says
Thank you for this very concise and informative posting on elder anemia. I am an almost 67 year old male Caucasian in reasonably good health. I do have high blood pressure long controlled by an ACE and I have had a CPAP unit for sleep apnea for 17 years. I have felt daily fatigue for over a decade. A recent CBC test showed that Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is small. Is this likely multi-causal or even idiopathic? Should I be concerned about such a reading?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
It’s hard to know what to think of a single CBC factor that is abnormal. Generally, it’s a good idea to look at past CBCs, to determine whether this is a long-standing abnormality versus something new or worsening.
The most common causes of microcytosis are iron deficiency and anemia of chronic inflammation. However there are some genetic conditions that can cause chronic small red blood cells, and there are many other less common causes for smaller red cells.
You can learn more about the evaluation of low MCV here: Evaluation of microcytosis.
Be sure to discuss your questions and concerns with your doctor.
James macleod says
Thank you for your thoughts on this matter. I will pursue it with my physician
Marmy says
I’ve always had low hb (30) years New test was hb of 10.5 but ferritin 91ng with 38% saturation. New Doc wants me to take iron but it appears to me that ferritin is fine therefore it wouldn’t be an iron issue. Should I ask for more testing?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Hm. That’s not a very low ferritin level and usually transferrin saturation should be lower, for iron-deficiency anemia. However there may be particular factors related to your health that have caused your doctor to conclude you’d benefit from iron supplementation.
I would recommend you ask your doctor to explain his/her reasoning further. If you still have doubts after that, you can either try a trial of iron supplementation and see if it improves your anemia (you should see improvement within 1-2 months), or try getting a second opinion, perhaps from a hematologist.
lorena pitts says
My mom is 88. Significant blood loss has her in hospital her hemaglobin was 5. She was given blood and iron’ endocopy and colonoscopy both negative. Still saying her iron is low. Hemaglobin at 7.7 for past 2 days. Still trying to figure out blood loss and iron deficiency. She is diabetic and has Afib. Yes she was taken off blood thinner
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yikes, a hemoglobin of 5 is really low.
As noted in one of the comments above, a negative evaluation so far may not mean that your mom doesn’t have some type of blood loss somewhere…sometimes it takes a second evaluation or a different type of evaluation to discover the cause of blood loss. Here is an interesting article which seems relevant:
Outcome of endoscopy-negative iron deficiency anemia in patients above 65.
I would recommend you ask the doctors to talk to you about what they think has caused her blood loss. Make sure you are clear on what their plan is for evaluation, and for monitoring to make sure the problem is improving. Good luck!
dbp says
My dad is 77 years old, had an angioplasty 5 years back, he is diabetic more than 3 decades, but always control. the last one to two-year his HB level is between 10. 5 g/dl -9.6 g/dl . no blood losses noticed, stool test also did. he is doing all his daily activities himself. Iron tablets are prescribed by the doctor along with all other medicine.
what could be the reason.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
I would encourage you to ask your dad’s doctor more questions about the anemia. What has led the doctor to conclude that your father needs iron tablets? Was a ferritin level checked?
You can also ask the doctor to explain if anything other than iron deficiency might be contributing to the anemia. For instance, after decades of diabetes, many older people have developed some chronic kidney disease. This can cause some mild anemia.
Lastly, if your father has been treated for anemia but his anemia has not improved, then you can ask the doctor to discuss this and explain this to you. Good luck.
Nancey Maegerlrin says
My husband is 76 and was just diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. All things that cause this loss of red blood cells, all of the digestive and intestinal scans have found nothing wrong. What else can cause this inability to absorb iron. He has to have infusions. Cannot handle any of the pills.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
A true inability to absorb iron is usually related to problems with the bowel lining; there are several conditions that can cause this. A doctor specialized in gastroenterology or hematology will be able to provide you with more details.
However, a negative evaluation so far may not mean that your husband doesn’t have some type of blood loss somewhere…sometimes it takes a second evaluation or a different type of evaluation to discover the cause of microscopic blood loss. Here is an interesting article which seems relevant:
Outcome of endoscopy-negative iron deficiency anemia in patients above 65
Good luck!
Maria says
Great info here but a question my 88 yr old mom was just told her hemoglobin dropped 2 pts. They want to do colonoscopy or cat scan Do you think we should start there?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Two points is a fairly sizeable drop, so I’m glad they are investigating. It is indeed common for doctors to check for bleeding or some kind of abnormality in the colon. Colonoscopies and CAT scans are one way to do this. Often they will first check the stool for signs of microscopic blood loss.
I can’t say whether colonoscopy or CAT scan is the right place to start, because I can’t know enough about your mother’s situation. I would encourage you to ask more questions of your mother’s doctors. A colonoscopy is generally more invasive and burdensome than a CAT scan, but a colonoscopy offers the option of taking biopsies or sometimes removing polyps. If you are trying to decide what to do next, ask the doctors about the risks and potential benefits of each option. Also ask how the procedure is likely to benefit your mother.
Good luck!
JulietI bird says
Thank you!
I have low feritan stores and take one iron tablet a day because anymore gives me tummy pain and bloating. Whats the difference between low feritan and anemia? I am permanently tired still.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Anemia means low red blood cell count. The body needs iron to make red blood cells, so iron-deficiency is one of many possible causes for anemia.
A low ferritin usually means abnormally low iron stores in the body. This can be improved with iron supplements, but it’s important to work with the doctor to find out why you are low in iron in the first place.
Also, after starting treatment, be sure to ask the doctor about the follow-up plan. If you have been taking iron tablets, has your ferritin improved? Has your anemia improved?
Last but not least, it’s possible to have more than one cause for anemia, and fatigue can be caused by many different problems. So you need to keep going back to the doctor until you both are satisfied that you’ve figured out the health problems AND successfully treated them.
Please be sure to follow-up with your doctors soon. I recommend you ask about your latest lab results and make sure they know you are still feeling tired.
Elaine says
I have no energy at all and I am 80 years old. Send me a message if you can on my facebook. I use to be so energetic and never stopped getting every thing done and never sat down. Now all I do recently is sit or lay down. This is not my normal self.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Hm. Although it is common to feel a little less energetic as one gets older, to feel one has “no energy at all” is definitely not normal, especially if you’ve usually been an energetic person.
There are many many different health problems that can cause a person to feel they have no energy. I would strongly recommend that you contact your usual health provider, to get evaluated. They will ask you about other symptoms, they’ll do a physical exam, and then they will probably order blood work as well. You can learn more about common blood tests here: Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults
Hope you feel better and get some answers soon.
Debbie says
Hello! I was placed in the hospital for anemia (four years ago).
I was bleeding on the lining and have a hiatal hernia.
For six months I was exhausted.
Finally I decided to try a high dose of vitamin b12/b6/folic.with medication ferrous.
First day of B’s,I did notice a small amount of energy.
Second day feeling more energy.
Slept 12 hrs instead of 15.
I now sleep normal hours.
I taught handicap children who took vitamin b shots.Big differences in thinking and energy.
Hernia surgery repair in a few weeks.Have great hope!?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, in some cases anemia may be due to vitamin B12 deficiency, and in this case, vitamin B supplementation helps a lot. I have more here:
How to Avoid Harm from Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Glad you are feeling better.
Alice Schwartz says
The best thing I did this year was sign up for your site. I question all medical treatments and drugs. I am eighty six years old and in excellent health.Your information is so intelligent and complete on every subject you cover, I am impressed..Do I sound like a Fan? Yes I am. Thank you for all you do., and educating the public.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Thank you for this lovely feedback! I’m going to post a copy in my office 🙂
Amy says
Good Morning my mother was told that her hemoglobin is 9.2 and her ferritin is a 6 she was diagnosed with non Hodgkins Lenphomia about 6 months ago and has been on Chemotherapy treatments every 28 days since July of this year and just finished her last treatment this December. She has always delt with anemia but her hemoglobin has never been this low. Could the chemo be a cause of her hemoglobin being so low? She is also on blood thinners for an irregular heartbeat has has been fixed but she is still on the blood thinner. She is currently taking iron infusions. I am hoping that all of this has caused her iron levels to get worse and not something else more serious. I would like your opinion.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Certain forms of chemotherapy can cause or worsen anemia, usually by interfering with the body’s ability to make new red blood cells. It is also possible for certain forms of cancer to contribute to iron deficiency, either by causing bleeding or by interfering with the body’s ability to absorb iron.
A ferritin of 6 sounds quite low and concerning for iron-deficiency. But in someone like your mom, it’s quite possible that she might have iron-deficiency and also other issues causing anemia.
I would recommend that you ask her doctors to explain what they think is causing her anemia. If they tell you it’s iron deficiency, ask them to explain why they think she is low on iron and do they think she might have had some bleeding. Being on blood thinners does increase one’s risk of bleeding. Good luck!
Nim says
Hi! My mother is 61 years of age and her haemoglobin has fell from 12.8 to 10.7 in four months.she has heart palpitations and hair fall.
She is hypothyroid since a long time and it is controlled.
She has a mild gastroenteritis and always suffers from constipation.she is on medicine for her gastroenteritis for the last one month .she is on tegrital dose 200 mg thrice a day for trigeminal neuralgia.
She got a little cold since a few days.
What could be the cause of her low haemoglobin?. Also to mention her mch and mcv values are normal while hct is low.her RBc value is 3.55 and every other parameter in the CBC is within a normal range
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
I have listed the common causes of anemia and hemoglobin drops in the article. It’s impossible for me to say what is most likely in your mother’s situation. I would recommend you ask her health providers to explain what they think are the most likely possibilities. You may also want to ask if there are any signs of iron-deficiency or bleeding, since those are not uncommon in older adults. good luck!