Alpha thal (i think) and iron deficiency COMBINED...please advise...

Hi- when you say you are in the same situation what do you mean-? Can you clarify?
Thanks
Kate

Kate: I have iron deficiency and alpha thal, but not polyps nor bleeding.
-kev

I see. I definately have Iron Deficiency and a doctor thought I probably have alpha thal minor too. I am questioning this though as I came across blood work from a few years back that is completely within normal ranges. This is why I am persevering with the iron. Have you been DNA tested for Thal.?

Kate: oh, it would be good if your blood work can be back to normal if it's just iron deficiency rite! ;) my alpha thal was diagnosed because there are HbH bodies in my blood, no DNA testing was done as my father was alpha thal (word of mouth), but I have no idea if he was tested genetically. My iron deficiency was diagnosed in September last year as a part of anemia testing, and I'm still iron deficient now for no apparent reason..

Hope u feel better soon!
-kev

Kev,

Sometimes various forms of iron need to be tried, as not all are so easily absorbed. Preety has mentioned liquid iron. If you are truly iron deficient and there is no absorption problem, you should see some change in Hb level within one month. If not, it may not really be iron deficiency. If you do stop taking iron and don't feel any worse, it would be another indication that iron isn't the problem.

I had also taken hormonal pills for few years to try to control the heavy bleeding, but that didn't help much either. To make things worse I had 2 periods a month - literally I was ON all the time.

The GYN's I consulted see things from a certain view - estrogen/progesterone/etc.  It wasn't until I consulted an endocrinologist - that I was tested for prolactin, followed by a pituatary MRI.  The hormonal system's master glands are in the brain I think - they control everything else. Sometimes there is a signalling issue - where everything just cascades down and messes the hormonal system. Thats what happened to me.

(I'm not a doctor nor am i aware of exact technical terms, so forgive me if i sound confusing.  :-)    )

Andy, thanks for the answer on r/o alpha thal. minor.  Gives me something to 'chew on', and wouldn't it explain alot if the CBC normalized as to why doctors never mentioned thalassemia earlier in my life....