Am I glad to have found this website!! I am a 37 year old Indian woman with beta Thal trait. I have been hypothyroid since 2001, and every time I had blood work done, my RBC readings were totally out of whack. My MCV, MCH, and about everything else was low in the RBC panel. This did not alert my endocrinologist, and she never bothered to get me tested for thalassemia trait, or iron deficiency. Finally, when I got pregnant in 2003 and I insisted my gynec to check me for beta thal, so she did and turned out I did have it all along.
I should have known, but I was too stupid and ignored the fact that my maternal cousin had passed away from thalassemia at the age of 22. I was so stupid that I didn't even know she had thalassemia. It was so hush-hushed in my family. Then one of my other cousins told me it was thalassemia that my cousin had died of. It all came together then.
Now I'm worried for my daughter. She's almost 9, and every time her CBC shows low MCV and low MCH. Her new born screening said Hgb F and Hgb A present, and the result was normal. My husband had gotten a Hemoglobinopathy done by HPLC method during my pregnancy and it was normal ruling out the beta thal trait. But he does always seem to have lower end normal of MCV and MCH, and sometimes lower than normal, on his CBC workups. That has gotten me worried if he has any alpha gene mutations.
So if my husband does have the alpha trait, and I have the beta thal trait( don't know if I have the alpha trait as well) what are the implications of it on my daughter?
I have asked for an appointment with a hematologist at the Children's medical center, but that's going to take some time to get it.
Will I be turned away by the hematologist because the newborn screening says normal FA Hgb? What should I do if that happens? How can I get my child's carrier status known? I have the gut instinct telling me she is a carrier of beta thal too
Post Script: My husband has had his thyroid levels go up and down all the time. He's been hyperthyroid, and hypo, and has been yo-yoing since 2001. Are there any indications that thyroid disease can cause microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells? Any input on that is appreciated, from anyone going through a similar situation.