H.B drop from 12 to 7.8 in 30 days!

Hi all,,

Its been a while since i last posted in this group, well i was away for a while infact i'm gonna be away again after posting this. (Nevertheless i will try to check for any reply from u guys out there ti this posting!)

My son got his first blood transfusion a month ago as his hb level were detected 6.8. As recommended by the doctor blood transfusion was done. At that point his HB level shoot up to 12. Exactly a month after that during our monthly check-up at the hospital, his HB was detected 7.8,,now the doctor has increased the dosage of Folic Asid to 2.5ml instead of 2.0 earlier. He told us too back and see him in 2 weeks time! Does this normally happen after blood transfusion?

For the record, before my sons first transfusion, he was having flu and fever for almost 5 days! As he was getting better, his appointment was due at the hospital. That is when we send him to the hospital and found out that his HB was 6.8. I surely hope to think that because of the fever his HB level drop to 6.8!

Should any of you guys out there has similar experience, please share! I would appreciate it!

To Dr. Andy! 

Sue hope for any info, suggestion, advice etc.

The fever could definitely lower the Hb, as we have seen recently with Puja's son, Prat. This was followed in the post at http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=1292.0

HbE beta thal can range from non-transfusing to regular transfusing, depending on the patient's ability to maintain an Hb above 7. It can manifest as intermedia or major. It may be too early to tell if your son will have to transfuse on a regular basis, as this drop below 7 was very likely precipitated by the illness. I think you should probably consider fetal hemoglobin induction if folic acid and wheatgrass alone cannot keep his Hb at a stable acceptable level above 7. Hydroxyrurea and EPO might both be possibilities, but you should check with your hematologist about this and at what age these drugs can be started. Occasional transfusions will not create dependency but may be needed to keep the Hb up.

Yes, Hb can drop considerably in one month. On average, majors have to transfuse twice monthly. In your son's case, it may be the flu and fever that added to this drop in Hb. The spleen may have been overactive for awhile during the illness, and removed more red blood cells than normally. Time will tell if this levels out.

For now, continue to do all you can to raise his Hb, but be aware that he may eventually need regular transfusions. Shikha has a lifetime of experience in raising a child with transfusion-dependent HbE beta thal, and she may be able to advise you on what is "normal" as far as how fast Hb drops and what to expect over time. I would suggest sending her a personal message with any questions you might have, as she has always been very helpful in advising from her experience. (To find her profile, type Shikha into the search and click on her name when you see it next to a post. You can send a PM from there).

Dear Al

Please start him on fresh wheat grass juice if possible or the alternative is capsules or tablets. However fresh juice surely shows the best results.

Thanks

Puja

At this point, I must agree with the doctor. He is very cautious and trying his best to avoid a transfusion. As long as your son's hb does not go below 7 you should be fine.

Thanks Dr. Andy, Poo Gill and Canadian_Family,

I'll try to get hold of Shikha for more info. By the way, about wheatgrass! Does anyone know where to get it, here in Malaysia? is it available? I'm planning to opt for wheatgrass a.s.a.p

Sure hope that there is someone in this group who is from Malaysia and has been taking wheatgrass!

Thank You Everyone

Hi Al
I used to give Hassan fresh wheatgrass juice. But with the change in the climate my wheat just refused to grow, so I have started him on wheatgrass supershots manufactured by Dr Chris Reynolds. You can order it online from www.drwheatgrass.com
Regards
MAHA

Hi Al
I used to give Hassan fresh wheatgrass juice. But with the change in the climate my wheat just refused to grow, so I have started him on wheatgrass supershots manufactured by Dr Chris Reynolds. You can order it online from www.drwheatgrass.com
Regards
MAHA

hi maha
can about this site i will order some
but want to ask is it a good product? good results?
thanks