How to increase hb?

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Offline gwftan

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How to increase hb?
« on: August 08, 2011, 12:44:37 PM »
I have a problem here, the problem is I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  My Hb had been dropping since June this year, from 9.3 to 9.1 and now 8!  I stormed into the thal clinic last 2 weeks feeling weak, tired, fever, pains all over and lots of gas(because I can’t seem to call the clinic) and managed to book an appointment, which I insisted I needed to see the haematologist.  My initial plan is to discuss about my iron overload issues, but turned unfruitful as I’m have hb too low to start on any plan, if there are any. 
The fact is that the haematologist don’t agree with my SF 1014 is high enough to give me pains and gas.  She even compared me with another  TM with SF12,000 and not complaining.  I am actually sick of feeling lousy at the moment, fever every afternoon and gone by nightfall, heartbeat racing every morning (85-100) while my normal is around 60s, sleepless nights because the pains  and aches is just bothering me or my heart is actually rocking too forcefully to sleep peacefully.  I lost my appetite, shedded some weight (4kgs, no complaints here).  I had a lot of gas no matter how little food I eat and my chest pains at times, probably from the low hb.  I also felt thirsty all the time.  I was telling her I think it’s the iron overload causing this but she can’t seem to agree but rather believe there was an unidentified alpha mutation causing this.  I told her that my daughter was diagnosed with Codon 59 deletion but she didn’t want to take the report and prefer to use her report on my file as alpha carrier α-3.7 and promoted me from trait to HbH equivalent.
She suggested if I felt too tired, maybe I can get 1 pack of RBC which I delined as I am already worried what I’m going to do with the excess which I tried to reduce  for the last 6 years.  On the other hand I am also confused how much an individual can shed off without the use of any chelating drugs.  I asked her about doing it naturally but she said only chelating drugs can do the job.  I told her if I really need it I will go to the hospital if I feels my hb drops but if given the choice I don’t like transfusion at all as the last 2 transfusions, I always get allergic reaction.    I am worried too with low hb my body tends to absorb more iron and I kept questioning myself whether I should be transfused or not?
For the last 1 month I take folic acid, vitamin E and multi vitamins everyday without fail.  I also tried drinking green tea, which I’m still finding out whether it’s the cause of my sleeplessness.  I just don’t know what kind of infection I’m fighting at.  My haematologist said its probably viral but I don’t seem to have any flu and cough although my children has it.   I don’t know how low can my hb goes as getting as far as 8 is the lowest I’ve been all these years, apart from my pregnancy with Hb 7.  I am alarmed of the new developments and the limits body can perform.  Yesterday I went to the church and I was climbing the stairs to sit at the upper floor, my husband already reached the top of the stairs and I’m still struggling in the middle of the stairs.  He was alarmed and I said my leg is just slow with a smile, while the fact is I hardly can get the legs to climb any faster.  He took me again to jog on the park with my family I can hardly run, rather I’m walking  instead of running and on the second round my knees started hurt which something never happened before.  My mother-in-law was walking faster than I am and my husband started scolding me for my low stamina as I don’t exercise that frequent.  Of course most of the time I don’t confide all my body signals to my husband as I don’t like him to worry as he works outstation all the time. 
I’ve checked for Free Thyroxine FT4  and  Thyroid stimulating hormone, both with normal results.  I don’t know what’s the other result will bring as I don’t have it yet.   I am due to go overseas for family holiday in another 2 weeks, and currently felt too tired to enjoy the holiday and worried if my hb will drops further.  If I know what kind of infection I’m fighting at least I can be geared to fight it but knowing nothing why the hb drops is really straining the strength.

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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: How to increase hb?
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2011, 05:15:22 AM »
There has to be a reason for the drop in Hb and the fact you do have symptoms of infection, like fever, this is a possible cause. Were you tested for any common bacterial infections like strep? Some bacterial infections can cause hemolysis. I would say to definitely get a transfusion, but I'm not confident that the blood matching is thorough enough, as you reacted previously.
Andy

All we are saying is give thals a chance.

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Offline gwftan

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Re: How to increase hb?
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2011, 06:57:20 AM »
Dear Andy,

Thanks for suggesting the transfusion.  I don't know why the reaction towards the blood but it doesn't give me a nice feeling to have the extra blood while the body was so itchy!!  Plus, I haven't had any hep B antibody checked so I'm a bit wary about this infection too...

The dissappointing news is my hematologist didn't test me for any infection, merely suggested I may have viral infection.  If there are no known cause, I can't take any antibiotic because I don't know what kind of virus is there and the hemolysis will occur.  I don't feel that fatique all the time but at times, especially when I'm driving(because I need to pick and send my children to and from the school) its dead tired while on the road so I really fear I lost the concentration while driving like this although I drive 40kmph on the highway if I don't feel totally well.  She suggested the blood transfusion to combat the fatique which to me at that point of time doesn't quite make sense.

I am thinking of going to a local gp and ask for second opinion, see whether he can figure out why is the fever coming from.  Its so irritating to have fever on-off and its not that high.  By the way, do you know how fast the body can recover from the hemolysis?  I will be going to overseas soon and are wondering whether there are any short-cuts to gain back the health. I will KIV the transfusion first as this time I think I need to go to the emergency room to ask for it because I missed the doctor's signature during the clinic hours.


Thanks.

 

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