Question
QUESTION: I have anemia which requires weekly iron infusions.  Receive monthly B12 shots.  Have asthma and multiple drug allergies.  Ferritin ranged from 2 to 93.  About to receive Lupron shot to hopefully shrink tumors and stop bleeding temp.  Trying to find cause of persistent anemia.  Never identified source of inflammation that elevated Sed Rate. Any ideas?  I know this is a lot, but here's a summary:

  9/1/09 10/15/09
DSDNA   5   NEG
SSDNA   123   NEG
SMQ   27   NEG
RNP/SM   61   NEG
SSA   66   NEG
SSB   73   NEG
ANTI-SCL-70   11   NEG
ANTI-HISTONE   12   NEG
CENTROMERE, ELISIA, IGG   53   NEG
C REACTIVE PROTEIN      3
C3      101
C4      27
EL-ANA SCR-A   12   
EL-ANA SCR-B   3   
ALPHA-1 GLOBULIN %   3.2
ALPHA-2 GLOBULIN %   10.4
BETA GLOBULIN%   13.7
GAMMA GLOBULIN%   16.5
ALPHA-1 GLOBULIN   0.3
ALPHA-2 GLOBULIN   0.8
BETA GLOBULIN   1.1
GAMMA GLOBULIN   1.3
RETICULOCYTE COUNT   2
RETICULOCYTE COUNT, ABSOLUTE   66000
ERYTHROPOIETIN   90.8
HAPTOGLOBIN   179
IMMUNOFIXATION, SERUM   NONE
COOMBS   NEGATIVE
UREA NITROGEN   8
METHYLMALONIC ACID   120
B BURGDORFERI AB (LYME)   NEGATIVE
Coagulation:  INR   1
Prothrombin Time   10.5
PTT Activated   32
CK   119

I have had a Vit D deficiency that persisted for about 2 yrs despite prescription supplements.  It was 35 at last check.  When it came up, my calicum dropped just below normal.

My Sed Rate remained elevated for over 1 yr - values were (09/2009) 58, 65, 68,39, 51, and 7 in 09/2010

I had endoscopy, colonscopy, and capsule endoscopy - all normal 10/2010.

I had a pelvic MRI w/contrast (11/2010)- diffuse adenomyosis, a submucosal fibroid, 3 large and several small fibroids.  Septated cyst on right ovary (2.9x2x2.7cm)which my doc would like to check in 2 months.
Tarlov cysts at S4 and S5. (11/2010)
MRI of spine (09/2009)  Mild degenerative chanes esp at L4-L5 causing minimal posterior narrowing of the left neural formen. Left sided annular tear at L3-L4 with focal bulging disc, ... No prominent focal disc protrusion or central canal stenosis.

CT of Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis 12/2009 - Normal -- CT Abdomen Liver normal, gallbladder is contracted - nonspecific finding may represent eating -- Pancreas, spleen, adrenal gland, abdominal aorta, bowel all normal.  Pelvis -- Bulky uterus, minimal free fluid, normal bladder, no inguinal hernia or adenopathy. No destructive bony lesions noted.  Recs pelvic sono to exclude enlarged right ovary.

ANSWER: This a very in-depth question and I am going to need some major feedback from you. I am very intrigued and would like to make sure I get you the best answer that I can, so let's start with the simplest of the matters first.

All disease and illness starts within the body, whether it comes from an outside source or not, the onset is due to an internal environment within your body that is compromised or in a toxic state. The two most common reasons for this would be diet and lifestyle. Now we all like to think we have a healthy diet and decent lifestyle, but when we get down to it, if you are at all like a normal American then you are very toxic. We all usually are unless we make a major step to change that.

I would like to start with asking these questions, getting some feedback and then we can dive in deeper:

1. Male or Female?
2. Age
3. Lifestyle - Do you carry stress? Do you carry any resentment, guilt, anger, frustration, etc.? Do you have a calm lifestyle, on the run? Just tell me as much information about your particular lifestyle as possible.
4. What is your diet like and how has it been for the past 10-20 years? What foods do you eat? How often? Do you smoke? Do you drink alcohol? How often? Any and all details are important, so don't leave anything out.

These might seem very simple, but they are the foundation of all disease and illness. The more honest of answers I can get, the better the response I can offer.

I look forward to hearing back.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: 1. Male or Female?  Female
2. Age  46
3. Lifestyle - Do you carry stress? Do you carry any resentment, guilt, anger, frustration, etc.? Do you have a calm lifestyle, on the run? Just tell me as much information about your particular lifestyle as possible.
Yes - I was in a violent marriage, then protective order hearings, then divorce, then financial stress.  My basement flooded, and I've spent the last few months with contractors and insurance adjusters.  Lots and lots of stress.  And now I'm trying to quit smoking (zyban).  I am usually very tired, so it is sometimes hard to carry out basic household chores (up and down the stairs for laundry, etc)  Heavy bleeding restricts activities when it's really bad - if I do too much, it increases the flow.  I don't drink much alcohol (maybe 1-2 drinks about 3 times a year).  My diet is sometimes good, and sometimes horrible.  

I have had varied symptoms during all of this.  Itchy rash that would come and go, my hair went through a heavy 'shed' and is now thin and hard to manage.  I had a period of really bad swelling in my ankles and feet.  Made it hard to wear shoes for about a week.  It subsided, and eventually went away.  I got the red dots on my calves.  I've had whole-body pain, back pain, lower back pain, hip pain, a short spell of headaches, dry skin, lots of fatigue, some spells of insomnia, my vision is changing, my thoughts can sometimes be a little jumbled, numbness along the side of one finger, burning on the bottom of a foot.  I'm missing some things I think, but I hope this helps.  I did not provide my RBC.  Here are the last six:
  10/29   11/5   11/12   11/19   12/3   12/17
WBC   6.9   7.2   7   8.2   8.7   8.9
LYMPH   2.1   2.5   2.2   2.4   2.5   2.6
LYMPH%   30.1   34.7   31.5   29.2   28.2   29
MID   0.6   0.5   0.6   0.6   0.6   0.6
MID%   8.5   6.7   8.2   6.8   7.1   7
GRAN   4.2   4.2   4.2   5.2   5.6   5.7
GRAN%   61.4   58.6   60.3   64   64.7   64
RBC   2.99   3.21   3.44   3.44   3.89   4.02
HGB   9.22   9.8   10.7   10.9   12.1   12.6
HCT   27.8   30.7   32.8   33   38.6   39.8
MCV   93.1   95.5   95.4   95.8   99.3   99.1
MCH   30.8   30.5   31.1   31.7   31.1   31.3
MCHC   33.1   31.9   32.6   33   31.3   31.7
RDW   14.7   15.7   15.1   15.6   14.6   14
PLT   315   453   303   358   371   343
_MPV   8.3   8.6   9   9.2   8.7   8.9

Answer
Okay, take those same questions from my first response and take them back to the beginning starting in your teens and through the earlier years of your life. I can see there is a pattern and it may be very simple to know why everything is how it is.

****I am going to write a blog post this week that will hopefully answer the further questions you have about your conditions. Check out my blog and if you need further information, please email me direct. The blog is http://vibrantlifeblog.com and my email is [email protected]. I look forward to helping you create an understanding.

Joe