crunching on ice alot=anemia/iron deficiency?

[Nette]

I have low iron (I think it was like 15 and should be 70ish!) I don't CRAVE ice, but if I have good ice (crushed) I'll definitely chew it.

Other symptoms that have gone away with the iron supplements (which are a PITA to find the right time to take them) is hair loss, tremor and restless leg!!!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I have/had iron deficiency and was also anemic at times. I am lucky that I never was one to crave the ice. I do participate in an "anemia" board and, it seems, about half the people on there with iron deficiency anemia have the ice cravings and then the other half never do.

For those thinking about getting tests, a routine CBC will check for anemia but cannot really tell if you have an iron deficiency. You can have a severe iron deficiency but NOT be anemic (go figure) and you can crave ice with the iron deficiency without anemia.

The test you need to have done is "Ferritin". This test measures your iron scores. A "good" ferritin number is around 70. Mine was at "5" at its lowest point. My best friends was at 3 but she was not anemic. I've been told that anything under a 12 means you have no storage left. This will give you symptoms of fatigue, headaches, ice craving, etc, even if you don't have the full-blown anemia.

I think everyone likes to crunch on ice now and then, especially if it is a good, fine-chunk kind. But to want to do it all day should be a flag to get your labs done.

Wow, your post was very informative. thank you. I am printing it out to take with me to DD's doctor.

Nette-hmmm, my mom has all three of those! She better get checked out, too. I have heard iron supplements can make you nauseated. Have you found that to be true?

 

[tazdev3225]

I'm another ice craver. I always know when my levels are going down by the amount of ice I need to chew, I also like hard pretzels. My hematologist said both are symptoms of anemia but not everyone craves them, my count actually goes down to 5 or 6 when low normal is 13- 15. You can also be anemic and have very high ferratin levels. My mom was always amemic and her feratin levels were over 200. She has a disorder called hemachromatosis. She can't take iron for the anemia because her body doesn't get rid of excess levels. She needs to have a pint of blood taken out every other month to keep the excess iron levels manageable. OP if your DD is having her period now it is a good chance that she is becoming anemic. Some women lose enough iron with it to make them anemic. Also keep a check on her teeth, I have broken 3 chewing ice. Usually an iron supplement is enough to put the levels back up. Hope all goes well.

 

[mselly13]

I have always heard it was a low iron thing to chew on ice. I craved ice with every pregnancy. But after this last one (and she just turned 4) I have been able to stop chewing ice. For me it's probably a mixture of habit and low iron.

Yes, Sonic has the best ice...but Taco Mayo comes in a close second.

 

[Nette]

Wow, your post was very informative. thank you. I am printing it out to take with me to DD's doctor.

Nette-hmmm, my mom has all three of those! She better get checked out, too. I have heard iron supplements can make you nauseated. Have you found that to be true?

They don't really bother me. I talked to a pharmacist and she recommended a brand called Feosol. It's supposed to be easier on the stomach. She said NOT to get the generic. I do get gross burps. You have to take the iron on an empty stomach. They say 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating. I'm telling ya, as soon as that hour is up I'm grabbing a snack to get rid of that taste...

I was also worried about constipation (which iron can cause), but I was already taking a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc supplement, and get lots of vitamin C daily. Both Vitamin C and Magnesium can cause diarrhea (sorry TMI) in high doses... so I figure that's helping me out

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I'm another ice craver. I always know when my levels are going down by the amount of ice I need to chew, I also like hard pretzels. My hematologist said both are symptoms of anemia but not everyone craves them, my count actually goes down to 5 or 6 when low normal is 13- 15. You can also be anemic and have very high ferratin levels. My mom was always amemic and her feratin levels were over 200. She has a disorder called hemachromatosis. She can't take iron for the anemia because her body doesn't get rid of excess levels. She needs to have a pint of blood taken out every other month to keep the excess iron levels manageable. OP if your DD is having her period now it is a good chance that she is becoming anemic. Some women lose enough iron with it to make them anemic. Also keep a check on her teeth, I have broken 3 chewing ice. Usually an iron supplement is enough to put the levels back up. Hope all goes well.

Thank you! She is only 9 (will be 10 in December) and I hope and pray her period will hold off for a few more years. It seems girls get it earlier and earlier nowadays, thanks to all the hormones in meats and milk.

thanks nette and mselly, also!

 

[Cheshire Girl]

I started chewing ice about two years ago, Googled it and found out about the iron relationship. Asked the doctor and sure enough I was borderline anemic. Took iron pills for about a year and don't have the cravings anymore - I guess it takes a long time for the levels to rise.

I'd never had *serious* cravings of any kind before, so to go from needing ice 24/7 to never caring if I ever saw a cube again is one of the strangest experiences I've ever had.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks cheshire!

Well, I spoke with her pediatrician and she did indeed have a CBC a few months ago. I told her that DD does not crunch ice every single day, but sometimes it is twice a day. She told me if I wanted to wait until our next well visit (2 months) I could. So, I will update if anything changes.