Hi all I guess I am new here.

My name is Paula and I found out about having Beta Thal. minor the first week of Jan. Last year. How is Thal. different then aplastic anemia?

I have had one iron transfusion and boy was I sick. Now my iron level is still at a 3. I think I need a new doctor.

I have two tumors in me and does anyone know if that causes Thal.?

well I will let you go now as I am so tired.

Hugs to you all. paula

Hi,

Aplastic anemia is not thalassemia. Thal is a heridtary genetic condition passed on from parent to child and cannot be caused by tumors or anything else. One is thal by birth. It isn't something someone catches or comes down with.

Aplastic anemia is the failure of the bone marrow to produce all types of blood cells.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aplastic-anemia/DS00322/DSECTION=3

Damage to bone marrow
Normally, your bone marrow supplies the right numbers of blood cells to keep you healthy. Aplastic anemia develops when damage occurs to your bone marrow, slowing or shutting down the production of new blood cells — a serious problem. Factors that can temporarily or permanently injure bone marrow include:

    * High-dose radiation and chemotherapy treatments. These cancer-fighting therapies kill cancer cells. But they also damage healthy cells, including stem cells in bone marrow. Secondary aplastic anemia can be a temporary side effect of these treatments.
    * Exposure to toxic chemicals. Secondary aplastic anemia has been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals, such as some used in pesticides and insecticides. Exposure to benzene — an ingredient in gasoline, mothballs, paint and varnish removers, dry-cleaning solutions, and some glues and household cleaners — also has been linked to secondary aplastic anemia. This type of anemia sometimes gets better on its own if you avoid repeated exposure to the chemicals that caused the initial illness.
    * Use of certain drugs. Some medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis, some antibiotics, as well as some illegal drugs can cause secondary aplastic anemia.
    * Autoimmune disorders. An autoimmune disorder such as lupus, in which the body's immune system begins attacking healthy cells, may involve stem cells in the bone marrow.
    * A viral infection. In some people, aplastic anemia may be related to a viral infection that affects the bone marrow.
    * Pregnancy. Aplastic anemia may occur in pregnancy, but this is rare. It may be related to an autoimmune problem — the body's immune system begins attacking the bone marrow during pregnancy.
    * Bone marrow diseases. Diseases that affect bone marrow can eventually lead to an added diagnosis of aplastic anemia.
    * Unknown factors. In about half of cases, doctors aren't able to identify the cause of aplastic anemia. This is called idiopathic aplastic anemia.

In aplastic anemia, the bone marrow is described in medical terms as aplastic or hypoplastic — meaning that it's empty, or contains very few blood cells.

Once again, you should not be using iron unless blood tests have shown your ferritin level to be low. Iron is a poison when it exceeds the amount the body needs, as is the case in thal major and intermedia.
Please insist that your doctor do a blood serum ferritin test before taking anymore iron.