I'm supposedly anemic, but I don't do anything about it. I am usually just below the reference range and I don't have any symptoms except that they won't let me donate blood. Once I was within the reference range, but my blood pressure was too low. So I just can't donate blood. Anyway, unless you are very anemic or are having symptoms, you may not have to do anything. Remember that reference ranges were made by taking a bunch of supposedly healthy people and seeing what their PCV was. The numbers in the middle 95% are the reference range. You could be perfectly healthy and have a different number, because the reference range doesn't say anything about whether or not the number is good. For example, if you took 10000 average Americans and got their weights, and took the 95% most common range, the reference range would almost certainly be unhealthy because most Americans are over weight. Just because most people fall within a certain range doesn't mean that it is a healthy number. Your number may be different. Now if you are having symptoms, or if your doctor feels your PCV is way too low, then you should find out what is going on. Your body may not be making enough red blood cells for any number of reasons (iron is only one cause of not being able to make enough RBCs- kidney disease, bone disease, steroids, and many many many other things can also cause low RBCs), your body may be destroying red blood cells, or you may be losing red blood cells as with a gastric ulcer or something. Iron supplements only help with one of probably thousands of causes of anemia. It's best to find out what is going on rather than to self-medicate. Unless your doctor feels that you are otherwise healthy, you may just be slightly anemic like me with no problems.

you would want to make an appt for a complete physical with your/an internist. often times it can be arranged for standard fasting blood draws before the physical so that the results can be looked at and discussed during the exam... you can probably get your blood drawn at the clinic. during the appt, tell the doctor how you've been feeling and what your symptoms are. if there are red flags the doctor finds during the physical or with the bloodwork or based on your subjective report, other tests or referrals will be ordered then. insurance cos don't allow pts to just come in with a list of tests they want- they would go broke if that was the case! some tests are pretty standard, like simple thyroid levels, glucose and cholesterol levels and cbc. but, complete physicals can usually pick up on things that are atypical and a good doctor would then refer the pt to the appropriate specialists or schedule further testing. calling to make an appt is your 1st step!

How are you doing? I only needed to take extra calcium for 36 hours. Haven’t experienced any more tingling. I’m taking my thyroid med when I go to restroom between 3-5am and go back to bed (thanks for mentioning that, above). I feel fine but have absolutely no appetite. The last two days I have slept later, but I’m not tired during the day. Will be interesting to see where my numbers are when I go to the Dr next month. I went to my dermatologist yesterday for skin cancer screening, and she gave me a Serica brochure. She said it’s much much better than Mederma. The brochure had a $5 off coupon from Walgreens, and it was already $5 less than on Amazon. It’s only 1oz but a thin, clear gel so a little goes a long way.

@TooMuchGlass -- The symptoms you described in your original post starting this thread sound an awful lot like the symptoms that are caused by hyperparathyroidism. I know whereof I speak because that's what happened to me, and I had a parathyroidectomy a little over a year ago. I've had skin cancer in three places on my face (one basal cell and two squamous cell), and I avoid the sun. Living in Sacramento County, CA, means we don't get a lot of vitamin D from the sun, anyway. Have your doctor order two more blood tests for you -- to test your parathyroid hormone level, and calcium level. If one or more of your four parathyroid glands is out of whack, that will affect your vitamin D level, and it will also affect your calcium level. And that, in turn, affects your bone health. WARNING - If you do a Google search and end up on a site (parathyroid.com) for the Norman Parathyroid Center in Florida, be aware that you will find a lot of good information there, but do NOT be tricked into believing their hype that if you go to any other doctor or clinic that you will not receive good service. You DO want to ensure that you go to a doctor that is a member of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. You can find a member in your area by clicking this link.