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Hi. I Should Probably Start By Saying I Am Very

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Posted on Sun, 19 Apr 2020
Question: Hi. I should probably start by saying I am very anxious at the moment (Citalopram prescribed for that). My health anxiety is huge. Today, I am convinced I have anemia and that it has some awful underlying cause :-( the reason for this is that the inside of my lower eyelids are quite pale. They are red/pink directly behind the eyelid (below the tear line) then white towards the eye- like two layers? I have no other symptoms of anemia. I have asked a doctor who said that some people just have paler inner eyelids as normal (I had compared mine to my partner's which were so red!) and that if I didn't have extreme tiredness I was probably fine! I suppose I am just looking for a second opinion as I can't just visit my GP due to the virus.
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Hi. I should probably start by saying I am very anxious at the moment (Citalopram prescribed for that). My health anxiety is huge. Today, I am convinced I have anemia and that it has some awful underlying cause :-( the reason for this is that the inside of my lower eyelids are quite pale. They are red/pink directly behind the eyelid (below the tear line) then white towards the eye- like two layers? I have no other symptoms of anemia. I have asked a doctor who said that some people just have paler inner eyelids as normal (I had compared mine to my partner's which were so red!) and that if I didn't have extreme tiredness I was probably fine! I suppose I am just looking for a second opinion as I can't just visit my GP due to the virus.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (33 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Mild pallor is there.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
I have gone through the picture you have attached.
There is some pallor but it doesn’t looks like severe anemia. Then about the colour difference it is a normal variant and generally the part closer to the sclera(white of eye) is more whitish. It is not indicates any disease condition.
As of now you can take iron rich foods like green leafy vegetables. Ideally you have to check the complete blood count(CBC) to know the hemoglobin level to confirm anemia.
Make sure that you don’t have any signs of blood loss like excessive bleeding during periods or blood loss through stool.
Avoid unwanted stress and anxiety. Relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation can help a bit.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Mild pallor is there.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
I have gone through the picture you have attached.
There is some pallor but it doesn’t looks like severe anemia. Then about the colour difference it is a normal variant and generally the part closer to the sclera(white of eye) is more whitish. It is not indicates any disease condition.
As of now you can take iron rich foods like green leafy vegetables. Ideally you have to check the complete blood count(CBC) to know the hemoglobin level to confirm anemia.
Make sure that you don’t have any signs of blood loss like excessive bleeding during periods or blood loss through stool.
Avoid unwanted stress and anxiety. Relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation can help a bit.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (16 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Given.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Clinically there is only mild anemia and you need to check your haemoglobin for confirmation( I don’t know whether it is possible now!!)
If there is severe anemia you would have symptoms like fatigue, dizziness and palpitations.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Given.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Clinically there is only mild anemia and you need to check your haemoglobin for confirmation( I don’t know whether it is possible now!!)
If there is severe anemia you would have symptoms like fatigue, dizziness and palpitations.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (1 minute later)
Thank you. If it was mild anemia can that be just something I am predisposed to rather than something serious?? I am convinced I have cancer or something awful but I imagine that would produce severe anemia and my inner eyelid would be whiter? Am I right in assuming this?
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Thank you. If it was mild anemia can that be just something I am predisposed to rather than something serious?? I am convinced I have cancer or something awful but I imagine that would produce severe anemia and my inner eyelid would be whiter? Am I right in assuming this?
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (1 minute later)
I suppose I am asking whether that pallor in my eye can be normal and just always there? I am naturally pale - I don't know if that makes a difference? I have never looked at my inner eyelid before so have no idea if it always looks like this!
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
I suppose I am asking whether that pallor in my eye can be normal and just always there? I am naturally pale - I don't know if that makes a difference? I have never looked at my inner eyelid before so have no idea if it always looks like this!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (52 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Given.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You are free to ask to any number of question. I will be extremely happy to answer all your queries.
Anemia may not be always indicates any serious disease condition. The most common cause for anemia is nutritional deficiency.
Most importantly we are not hundred percent sure whether there is anemia present or not, a blood test is required for confirmation. In clinical practice we can see many patients with pallor, but do not have any hemoglobin fall while cross checking with blood investigation.
In your case anxiety plays a major role too.
Feel free to ask further queries.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Given.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You are free to ask to any number of question. I will be extremely happy to answer all your queries.
Anemia may not be always indicates any serious disease condition. The most common cause for anemia is nutritional deficiency.
Most importantly we are not hundred percent sure whether there is anemia present or not, a blood test is required for confirmation. In clinical practice we can see many patients with pallor, but do not have any hemoglobin fall while cross checking with blood investigation.
In your case anxiety plays a major role too.
Feel free to ask further queries.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Sorry Doctor, can mild anemia be a sign of something seriously wrong with me?
And can there be mild pallor without anemia present?
Last two questions I promise.
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Sorry Doctor, can mild anemia be a sign of something seriously wrong with me?
And can there be mild pallor without anemia present?
Last two questions I promise.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (38 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Possibly.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Mild pallor may not be always anemia especially with white skinned individuals.
You can go for complete blood count(CBC) for confirmation.
Feel free to ask further queries.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
Possibly.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Mild pallor may not be always anemia especially with white skinned individuals.
You can go for complete blood count(CBC) for confirmation.
Feel free to ask further queries.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (4 minutes later)
Thank you! Yes, my concern was that pallor always indicated anemia but if I understand you correctly it does not necessarily - could the pallor just be my usual colour?
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Follow up: Dr. Shinas Hussain (0 minute later)
Thank you! Yes, my concern was that pallor always indicated anemia but if I understand you correctly it does not necessarily - could the pallor just be my usual colour?
Answered by
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Dr. Shinas Hussain

General Surgeon

Practicing since :2015

Answered : 23672 Questions

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Hi. I Should Probably Start By Saying I Am Very

Hi. I should probably start by saying I am very anxious at the moment (Citalopram prescribed for that). My health anxiety is huge. Today, I am convinced I have anemia and that it has some awful underlying cause :-( the reason for this is that the inside of my lower eyelids are quite pale. They are red/pink directly behind the eyelid (below the tear line) then white towards the eye- like two layers? I have no other symptoms of anemia. I have asked a doctor who said that some people just have paler inner eyelids as normal (I had compared mine to my partner's which were so red!) and that if I didn't have extreme tiredness I was probably fine! I suppose I am just looking for a second opinion as I can't just visit my GP due to the virus.