Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron in adults – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is anemia? — Anemia means not having enough "hemoglobin" in the blood. Hemoglobin helps red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. If your hemoglobin level is low, your body might not get all of the oxygen it needs.

Anemia can happen for a few different reasons. A common reason is not having enough iron. This is called "iron deficiency anemia" or sometimes "low iron."

You can have too little iron because:

●You lost a large amount of blood.

●Your body cannot absorb enough iron from food.

●You do not get enough iron in your food.

For most adults, iron deficiency is caused by a condition that makes your body unable to absorb iron, by bleeding in the digestive tract, or from menstrual periods and pregnancies. Bleeding in the digestive tract can occur slowly over time, and you might not notice blood in your bowel movements.

It is very important to learn what is causing your anemia. Many of the causes are serious conditions that can be treated. You might need blood tests or other tests to learn what is causing your low iron level.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Take extra iron only as instructed by your doctor. If your doctor prescribed iron pills, make sure that you know the strength and how often to take them. The best way to take iron is once every other day, or Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week. Keep track of when you need to take your iron. You might have to take the pills for a few months. Do not take more iron pills than your doctor says to. Large amounts of iron can be harmful.

●Take iron on an empty stomach. Some foods might make iron pills not work as well. These include eggs, whole-grain bread, cereal, dairy products, coffee, and tea.

●Store your iron pills safely. Make sure that children cannot get them. A child can get seriously poisoned if they take iron pills by accident. If a child swallows iron pills, call a poison control center right away.

●Be aware that it can take a few weeks until you start to feel better. You might need to rest more often until your red blood cell counts increase. Symptoms of anemia can include feeling tired or short of breath. You might also have other symptoms, like having very little energy, restless legs, and craving ice.

●Talk to your doctor if you take medicine for heartburn. These medicines can limit how much iron your body takes in.

Iron pills often cause side effects such as upset stomach and constipation. Try the following to help prevent constipation from iron pills:

●Eat high-fiber foods. These include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

●Drink plenty of water and other fluids each day. This helps to keep your bowel movements soft.

●Set a regular schedule to try and have a bowel movement. Do not ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.

●Give yourself plenty of time to have a bowel movement.

●Get regular physical activity.

If you have side effects, or cannot get enough iron from pills, there are things you can do to reduce these side effects. Your doctor might switch you to IV iron.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go. You might need to have more blood tests to check that your iron levels are normal and that you no longer have anemia.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1.) if:

●You develop chest pain or severe trouble breathing.

Call your doctor for advice if:

●You vomit blood or something that looks like coffee grounds.

●Your stools are black or tar colored.

●You feel weak or pass out.

More on this topic

Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron (The Basics)
Patient education: Complete blood count (CBC) (The Basics)
Patient education: Nutrition before and during pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Restless legs syndrome (The Basics)
Patient education: Angiodysplasia of the GI tract (The Basics)
Patient education: Medicines for chronic kidney disease (The Basics)

Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Screening for colorectal cancer (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Blood donation and transfusion (Beyond the Basics)