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thal major + stigma a = ?

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Offline fairytale

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thal major + stigma a = ?
« on: June 03, 2007, 10:23:02 PM »
Hi friends,

My fiance was tested to see if he has thal traits and he's test were not clear so the doctors told him he had to do a DNA test with his parents cause they had suspicion that he might have stigma A.  I have thal major and my doctor told me i also have stigma A. 

Can anyone please help me?  What if the tests come out positive and he does have stigma A and I have thal major and stigma A?  Do I have higher risks of having a child with thal major?

This has troubled me alot and the DNA results are taking forever.  What should I be expecting if the worst case senario happens?

Please help!!!!!!!!

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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2007, 10:57:25 PM »
What is stigma A?
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Andy

All we are saying is give thals a chance.
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Kathy11

Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2007, 01:58:14 AM »
Hi Fairytale
In reading your posting i thought that this could have been the case.
I think there is a misundestanding of  your  comprehension  what the doctor meant , having said that
"thals is a stigma"  he /she meant that in some cultures this disorder is a mark of social disgrace.
it is stigmatized like some other cases e:g mental illness
Stigma A is not a diagnosis but  maybe is a slang word used  by the doctor.
I hope I make sense  if not next time you visit your doctor ask h/her to explain.
Kathy
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Offline Sharmin

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2007, 04:15:00 AM »
could stigma A be alpha thal minor?
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Sharmin
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Offline §ãJ¡Ð ساجد

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2007, 04:38:15 AM »
Hi fairytale!

:welcome to the site.

Let's get this thing straight first. If your doctor meant Thal. minor as Stigma A; but you say that you are Thal. Major and also have "Stigma A" which is senseless, so, the testing of Thal. minor for him is not what he intended.

Did he mean Sickle Anemia instead of Stigma A?

 :huh I'm confused.

Take care, Peace!
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2007, 04:41:27 AM »
After a bit more googling, and stumbling across something Marientina wrote, I found that being a carrier of thalassemia is referred to as having the stigma. This is common in the Mediterranean area, where there has historically been, a stigma associate with any genetic illness.

Fairytale, you do need to know the results of the DNA tests. If your fiance is a carrier of thal, there is a  50% chance of having a major. In this case, in vitro fertilization might be the best choice for getting pregnant.
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Andy

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Offline §ãJ¡Ð ساجد

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2007, 05:05:06 AM »
But Andy,

She said:

Quote from: fairytale on June 03, 2007, 10:23:02 PM
I have thal major and my doctor told me i also have stigma A.

If Stigma A is Thal. Minor then the above statement doesn't make sense!

Fairytale,

Are you sure you are Thal. Major? How long have you been transfusing? Since early life or several years later?

I have suspicion that you have been misdiagnosed as Major if you have started TransX later in life. If that is true, you are most likely an Intermedia or Thal. Minor (with symptoms) that now you require TransX.

Take care, Peace!
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2007, 05:37:54 AM »
Sajid,

Since in previous posts, Fairytale has mentioned her age (33) and that she has used desferal for 29 years. If she started desferal at age 4, she must've already been transfusing for a year or two at the least by then. There is no basis for believing she is intermedia.

Anyone carrying thal genes (minor through major) and their family members are said to have the stigma in the Mediterranean cultures. It would not be unusual for a doctor in Cyprus to refer to any carrier as having a stigma.

From http://books.google.com/books?id=PAcBUMFBkkUC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=stigma+thalassemia&source=web&ots=IEde4wFqQd&sig=7U-D6bWie9bqG3l31j3BW6IVsYQ

Quote
in Cypress...the word stigma is still generally used in spoken language to denote the heterozygous state of thalassemia. 

The words thalassemia and stigma mean the same thing in spoken language in Cyprus. Testing for stigma would mean the same thing as testing for thal.
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Andy

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Offline §ãJ¡Ð ساجد

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2007, 06:10:12 AM »
It's really an awkward word to use. No disease is a Stigma!

I guess some word in their language is not properly translated. It is just like that "victim of disease" word in Urdu that happened some time ago. See this link:

http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=208.msg1192#msg1192

Take care, Peace!
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Offline fairytale

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2007, 04:30:07 PM »
Hi friends,

thanks for all your replies,  I see i have confused some of you.  Like Andy said here in Cyprus we use the word stigma for someone who is a carrier.  It really doesn' t mean to degrade anyone.  It's jusst the word used.  Stigma A must be some form of aneamia.  Like my doctor explained to me someone can be a carrier their whole life and not know about it.  Its just that apart from having thal major he told me i also have this stigma a.  There must be another word used, maybe aneamia A i don't know.  When I go for my next transfussion I will ask him how else we call this and i will let you guys know.

I hope i didn't upset anyone, really here where i live this word doesnt degrade anyone.
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2007, 05:46:33 PM »
Hi Fairytale,

The doctor might mean alpha thalassemia, as Sharmin suggested. If that is the way it is described, beta thal would be stigma B and alpha thal would be stigma A. The reason the doctor is concerned is because sometimes when beta and alpha are combined, it can lead to thal intermedia, but never major. If it turns out that your fiance is a carrier of alpha, then it may be best to try in vitro fertilization to become pregnant so that the embryos can be screened for thal. Sometimes with thal majors, IV fertilization is the method that will be best for getting pregnant anyway, so it might be something for you to think about.

Please don't feel that you offended anyone. You have brought up an important topic. Thals around the world have often had to hide their condition because of the social stigma and one of the purposes of our group is to help change that. Thals should be accepted by society and never stigmatized and by our efforts we change this a little bit at a time.
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Andy

All we are saying is give thals a chance.
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Kathy11

Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2007, 10:43:52 PM »
Thank-you Fairytale.
Because of your postings I learnt something new yesterday.It is good to know the difference,this is the magic of civilizations it make life interesting.
This site is a good learning tool  and thank-you everyone for your postings.
Have a good day.
Kathy
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Offline §ãJ¡Ð ساجد

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2007, 07:13:16 AM »
 :exactly :agree

No offence done Fariytale!

Just like Kathy said, it's good to know about different cultures. You have made us learn that the meaning of Stigma is different in your language and now we know more better. Thanks!

Take care, Peace!
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Offline fairytale

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #13 on: June 11, 2007, 04:58:13 PM »
Andy i would like to ask you cause you seem to know, if my doctor did indeed mean alpha thal is it possible to have thal major and alpha thal?

Sorry to bother you friend but the DNA test is  taking for ever and i'm very anxious
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: thal major + stigma a = ?
« Reply #14 on: June 11, 2007, 05:05:11 PM »
It is possible to carry both traits, but alpha trait can actually lessen the severity of thal major if it is present.
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Andy

All we are saying is give thals a chance.
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