Nita,
Has his doctor confirmed that this is iron-deficiency anemia? There are
different anemias, not all of which respond to iron. What medications is
he using?

1) normocytic anemia -- low hematocrit due to fewer blood cells;
sometimes due to decreased bone marrow; doesn't respond to iron
supplements. May be due to certain medications (i.e., benzidine,
chloramphenicol, antimicrobial drugs, anticonvulsants), even sometimes
hair dyes or aspirin

2) megaloblastic anemia / pernicious anemia -- usually results from
deficiency of B12 and/or folic acid; also by drugs or other conditions
that interfere with B12 or folate metabolism (i.e., methotrexate); also
by failure to produce certain stomach acids needed to metabolize B12.

3) microcytic anemia -- usually due to iron deficiency, also blood loss;
also from severe protein deficiency; intake of heavy metals such as
lead; and deficiencies of vitamin A, E, B6, or copper.

4) hemolytic anemia -- due to increased destruction of red blood cells;
may be caused by autoimmune disorders, defects in the membrane of the
red blood cell, artificial heart valves, vit. E deficiency.

My very best regards,
Kathrynne

Nita Andres wrote:
>
> Jane and Betty, thanks for answering. David's anemia has also been
> checked and checked. His late brother had PD and also this anemia. David
> is not yet on sinemet, but probably will be in the not so distant
> future. I will just have to try steaks and see if that helps. When he
> has to go on sinemet, we will have to deal with it somehow. this PD is a
> family illness.( I mean everyone's family not just ours, which surely
> appears to be genetic, his mother came from Russia and I doubt that
> anyone in her family is left.)
>
> Probably eating a steak won't cause us any harm, we just stopped eating
> them years ago and now don't like them. We will just learn to eat them
> and see what happens. The iron supplements have been useless.
>
> If anyone else hs noted a connection, please let us know. Thanks Nita

--
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
Medical nutrition therapy
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/
    "We are living in a world today where
      lemonade is made from artificial flavors and
      furniture polish is made from real lemons."   --Alfred E. Newman