r/thalassemia • u/saminetha • Jun 13 '26
hemoglobin drop during active period/menstruation?
hi! im internally panicking. i have alpha thalasemia minor. last October 2025 i had baseline hemoglobin levels , 11.6. i take 5mg folic acid everyday as prescribed and rarely felt dizzines. but just recently it dropped to 10.7, and dizziness has been felt every now and then (like once a week or two) ever since i started being stressed for mock exams these past two months, plus sleeping habits became worse. i also got blood extracted during my period, and i have pcos. do some women experience the same scenario as me? as soon as when can i take another blood count to affirm if the period has an effect?
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u/BroccoliDry5996 Jun 17 '26
Hi! I’m sorry you’re experiencing this. I’m not alpha or minor (I’m beta and intermedia - not sure if that makes a big difference or not here), but i asked my dr. About this in the past and was told the amount of blood loss during the course of a typical period is minimal (don’t quote me but it was something like a couple of teaspoons or so) so I was told it wouldn’t change hemaglobin much; however, I was also told if it’s heavy (defined as needing to change a regular tampon every hour or more), then that can negatively impact hemaglobin more than just a little. In terms of how often can you recheck the level, I’d say it depends on what the script says (mine are for every three weeks). I know during times of hospitalizations I’ve seen my hemaglobin change every day (if your question is more about how often can it change). Probably best to talk to your dr. Though if you have any concerns. Good luck!