How are abnormal red blood cell counts treated?
First, your doctor must determine the cause of your abnormal RBC count so that s/he can prescribe appropriate treatment. Treatment may include a vitamin or mineral supplement, a change in your nutrition, or replacement with packed red blood cells from a blood donor. Or it may only require changing your current medication or prescribing a drug to stimulate red cell production in your bone marrow. • Can I test my RBCs at home? No. This test is performed by trained laboratory personnel. • Do diet and nutrition help keep RBCs at healthy levels? Yes, to the extent that if you eat a well-balanced diet, you can prevent iron deficiency anemia. RBC problems that are caused by disease conditions are not likely to be corrected by diet. • Are there symptoms I should recognize if my RBCs are dangerously low or high? Fatigue may indicate a low RBC count. Fainting, pallor (loss of normal skin color), and shortness of breath also can indicate low RBCs, as do dizziness and an altered mental state that
