I've known I have anemia for longer than I can remember, I had it when I was little but then it seemed to go away for a time before resurfacing a few years ago. Let me start off by explaining what anemia is. Anemia is a medical condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. In simpler terms, the type of anemia I have is an iron deficiency. It can manifest itself in many ways, the following is a list of the ways that I've experienced.

1. Pale appearance.

I've always been the palest one in almost every group of friends. Even when I get a tan over the summer it only brings my skin tone to that of most people with no tan at all. It's something I've come to embrace, I was made to be pale and that's how I'll always be.

2. Lightheaded/Dizziness/Headaches.

This is quite possibly the worst one. It gets especially worse the lower my iron levels get, if I go a long time without taking my supplements, the dizzy spells are the biggest indicator. Sometimes they're so bad I just have to sleep them off. Often mistaken for dehydration, although I am usually dehydrated as well.

3. Tiredness/Fatigue.

It's not exactly sleepiness, but its more of just a constant state of exhaustion. I have more energy and perk up a bit after I've been taking my iron supplements, but it can still be a struggle getting out of bed and getting energized.

4. Nose Bleeds.

This one isn't commonly listed as a symptom of anemia but is one I experienced frequently as a child. I would be playing calmly with my brothers or a friend and blood would just spontaneously spurt out of my nose. That's probably the reason I'm not really afraid of blood as an adult. I also learned the best ways to deal with nose bleeds, and that hydrogen peroxide will get blood out of almost any clothing.

5. Brittle/Warped Nails.

In my personal experience I found warped nails are more common for me than brittle nails. It's also a definitive sign that my iron levels are extremely low and have been for a while. It's more difficult to tell when my nails are painted and usually if I've reached the point where my nails are warping I've probably already experienced bouts of dizziness.

These are just a few of the side effects of anemia that I've lived with for as long as I can recall. Additionally I bruise like a peach! I once got a dime size bruise from my friend poking me in the same spot repeatedly. It also takes my body just a little bit longer to heal from wounds than most people. Granted, these things all only happen if I let my iron levels get low, as long as I keep up with taking my supplements (I'm terrible at remembering to take pills) I can function as the happy, healthy person that I prefer to be.