I get icy feelings especially in legs, what could be the cause of this? My last hemaglobin reading was 10.6 - Hematocrit 33.5.

Hello,

You are definitely anemic. The normal hemoglobin values are 14-18 gm/dL for women. Symptoms of anemia -- low red blood cells -- include fatigue, exercise intolerance, shortness of breath, intolerance to cold, dizziness, inability to concentrate, and a long list of other problems. Your "icy feelings" in your legs might be related to "intolerance to cold" experienced by some anemic folks.

The causes of anemia in the setting of HIV disease are many and include: medication side effects -- particularly AZT-containing medications; iron, vitamin B-12, or folate deficiency; opportunistic infection -- Parvovirus B-19 or MAC, etc.; blood loss; and even HIV itself. You'll need to visit your physician and have a blood test to determine the exact cause or causes of your anemia. The treatment will depend on the cause. For example, iron or vitamin deficiencies can be treated with supplements; anemia caused by HIV itself -- so called anemia of chronic disease -- is best treated with Procrit, a synthetic hormone that stimulates the body to make additional new red blood cells. So your next step is to ask your doctor why your hemoblogin is down and, once the cause is determined, what is the best therapy.

Good Luck.

RJF