A need of help to elaborate more on the test result.

Hello all.

A few days ago i received my blood test result and the doc suggested that i have alpha zero thalassemia trait.

Unfortunately, I didnt get much more info from the doc. Would someone be so kind to elaborate more on my test result.

Here's what i got.

HAEMOGLOBIN 139 g/L
RBC 5.91
PCV 0.41
MCV 70 fL
MCH 24 pg
MCHC 336
RDW 14.2%

WHITE CELL COUNT 10.1
Neutrophils 62%
Lymphocytes 31%
Monocytes 6%
Eosinophils 1%

PLATELETS 407

HAEMOGLOBIN HPLC STUDIES

Haemoglobin A2 2.5%
Haemoglobin F 0.3%
Hb H Inclusion Bodies DETECTED

Serum Iron 13.9 umol/L
Transferrin 2.87 g/L
T.I.B.C 64.3 umol/L
Saturation 19%
Ferritin 40 ug/L

Thank you so much in an advance.

This makes you an alpha carrier.

Hb H Inclusion Bodies DETECTED

These are only found in alpha thals. These are caused by the imbalance of alpha and beta globin. There are excess beta globin chains and they form tetramers wish are detected as inclusion bodies.

Your Hb level is good, so it probably has little to no effect on you.

Thank you Andy for your kind reply.

Is it normal for an alpha zero thal to have symptoms like fatigue, vomit, dizzy, tired and weak everyday?

Thank you.

No, that is not a normal condition for an alpha carrier. Your white cells are on the high end of normal. Perhaps you've had an illness or infection?

I would suggest that you take a folic acid supplement daily, to help build more stable red blood cells.

Hi Andy,

I dont recall of any illness or infection recently. I do get upper and lower back pain constantly for sometime now. I am quite forgetful these days and gets migraine or headache every now and then since young though I dont think this symptoms are related to thal...yeah?

Cool, i will take your advice on the supplement.

Some alpha thals have problems with chemical fumes also, so it is best to avoid artificial scents like commercial perfumes and colognes and many household chemicals, cleaners and fabric softeners. I heard from one alpha thal this week whose Hb level drops when exposed to cigarette smoke, so observation of exposure and symptoms is important if you want to eliminate the reactions. The headaches could be related to exposure to chemicals.

Oh yes, I have problems with some chemical fumes and even some household chemicals too. And my body have reactions towards ice cubes or cold weather. Parts if my body will swell and itch.

Do you think I need to do further med check up to see the severity of my condition? And if so, what is the first thing i should do? Ask for a specialist referral letter from gp?

Thanks Andy.

Well, any doctor familiar with alpha thal will tell you that favism (the condition we are talking about is often set off my eating fava beans) only occurs in the more serious forms of alpha thal. However, I have heard from many alpha carriers who are indeed sensitive to chemicals. Of course, with this website, I hear from far more thal minors than any doctor will ever encounter, and I also hear about everything, whereas patients learn how frustrating it is telling doctors details when the doctors just brush off their concerns and say it can't be, so perhaps my experience talking to thal carriers is much broader than any doctor's experience.

I see little point in pursuing this with your doctor. Thal carriers are given no respect. I recommend that alpha thal carriers follow the same advice given to patients with HbH disease. Take a high dose of folic acid daily, 2-5 mg, as this is the main thing you can do to help you produce red blood cells. Also, I suggest B complex, natural vitamin E and magnesium, to help red cell production and to also help build stronger red cells and protect them from early destruction.

Hi Andy,

Thank you so much for your brill advice and suggestions. I will definitely follow through with folic acid,B complex, vit E and magnesium as suggested.

And thank you so so much for your patience and understanding.

Take care now.

Elicea.

Hello Elixx and Andy
Definitely fumes play a great deal on the life of a thal minor
I love to be close to the ocean . I was born in Brazil and I used to live at ocean level and minutes from the sea.
At that time my problems with thal used to be more moderated. I still had problems with peanuts,smoke,and car fumes,but at beach was always whereI felt great.
The time passed and I moved to Southern Oregon USA .after 8 years winters being warmed with stoves and summer fires ,and the fact that I live in a valley that holds the dirt air for long time. This last year was a big deal for me . Lots of hemolysis ,pain and shortness of breath. I'm trying to explain to my husband that I need to move to the Coast .I need to go back to the ocean and breath cleaner air. He didn't understand it yet . My major concern is our children that are also thal carriers since everything I have to pass to my children are defective. I don't want them to have problems in the future.
Danny.H