Hi Sash,
Did your doctor discuss your hemoglobin readings with you? Apparently, in addition to being a beta thal carrier, you also carry the hemoglobin C gene. In fact, there is no way possible for you to not be an HbC carrier because only HbC carriers will have any HbC in their blood. Your other results are mostly consistent with beta thal trait, although the MCV is high and HbA2 is low for a minor. DNA testing would verify if you are a beta thal carrier. Because of the co-existence of the HbC, DNA testing may be the only way to determine exactly what mutations you have.
This combination would explain much about your health, as the combination causes a worse anemia than beta thal minor will cause by itself. This was discovered long ago but is not common knowledge, since HbC is not as commonly seen as beta thal. A study of a patient and his siblings in 1954 established that this combination caused a worse anemia and more symptoms than the same beta thal gene by itself, did in his siblings.
http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/reprint/9/11/1047.pdfFrom the observations available thus far’ ‘ 6 . 7 it appears that the uncomplicated
hemoglobin C trait (A-C) produces an asymptomatic carrier state such
as was found in the father of our patient, and manifest only in the frequency of
target cells in the 1)lood. It is clear, therefore, that the C gene alone cannot be
responsible for the striking blood picture observed in the patient, even though
his hemoglobin proved to be the combination A-C. The evidence indicates that
ill addition to the hemoglobin C trait this child harbors the thalassemia gene
and that the imiteraction of these traits-which singly are relatively benign-has
produced a new amid severe type of anemia.
It is well established that one can expect a more severe anemia with Hb beta thal HbC.
From
http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymai/medline/record/MDLN.8442646Eleven cases of simultaneous HbC hemoglobinopathy and beta-thalassemia were detected during a study of 11,200 subjects at high risk for inherited hemoglobin anomalies. In seven cases, main clinical manifestations were anemia and enlargement of the spleen, whereas the four other patients were apparently free of symptoms and were diagnosed during routine tests in family members of affected patients. Microcytosis and hypochromia were found in every case. Most of the patients were from the North-Western part of Tunisia. Blood transfusions were required in only one patient, who was an infant with HbC/beta + thalassemia.
Generally, it has been found that HbC beta thalassemia results in a more severe anemia than thal minor causes on its own. Enlargement of the spleen is often observed. The biggest concern in HbC beta thal is for pregnant women, as a potentially life-threatening situation can arise during pregnancy. This has previously been discussed as a possibility in Courtenay's case at
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=549.msg4100#msg4100Continuing your program of good nutrition is perhaps the best thing you can do for yourself. Common sense health habits like always washing your hands and avoiding sick people can help you avoid infections. Avoiding high physical stress can also help, as you have seen with dehydration.