thalasaemia trait/ minor

jasminej

Does anyone out there have RA and also have the genetic condition thalasaemia trait or thalasaemia minor? A condition that, in its minor form, causes the body to make smaller than usual red blood cells.

frogmorton

Hi Jasmine
Not me, but does this mean you are harder to treat? Sounds like another added complication you don't need
Maybe someone else has?
Toni x

lindalegs

Sorry Jasmine, I have RA but haven't heard of that, hope someone else can help you.

Luv Legs

skezier

Hi Jasmine,

Sorry I haven't heard of that one. Mine is just not enough blood less forced to be there by drugs so my red cell count is short and lack of O2 in the blood does retard healing to some degree. My blood thing comes under a Rumo so if you see one ask them what it really means. Don't google things though....... Mine has some not so good google results if you look enough........ :roll:

Mine is genetic and I was born with it but though they are also short in number I tend to have a high white cell count so seem to be up for fighting infection even if as yet nobody knows what it is my white cells are so active for. Mine has a very high platelet count..... I think my blood is sluggish to move about but they give me a drip 3-4 x a year so sound them out and see if what your means to your condition. Take care, Cris

sabreena

Hi jasmine

I have thalasameia trait, it's hereditary and my mum has it and thus passed it onto me, in a nut shell it means that your iron levels will always show up as low but i went to see a haematologist and was told that rather than taking iron tablets the best thing is 5mg of folic acid once a week.
It is only really relevant when your considering having a baby if your partner is also a carrier as your baby will most likely to have the major version of the disease which it's not something you want to go through as the child has lots of complications.
Doesn;t really have any other major effects on my life (that i know of anyway)
I hope i haven't confused you and this has helped.

Sabreena

jasminej

sabreena wrote:

Hi jasmine

I have thalasameia trait, it's hereditary and my mum has it and thus passed it onto me, in a nut shell it means that your iron levels will always show up as low but i went to see a haematologist and was told that rather than taking iron tablets the best thing is 5mg of folic acid once a week.
It is only really relevant when your considering having a baby if your partner is also a carrier as your baby will most likely to have the major version of the disease which it's not something you want to go through as the child has lots of complications.
Doesn;t really have any other major effects on my life (that i know of anyway)
I hope i haven't confused you and this has helped.

Sabreena

Thanks for replying Sabreena.

I guess I've always been curious as to whether the fact that thalasaemia trait means one is usually always slightly anaemic because of the reduced size of the red blood cells may be the cause, or part of the cause, or an exacerbatory factor to my condition, which is RA.

I have never heard about the 5mg of folic acid. Do you take that in one dose? I take floradix every day, which seems to be very good. Its not a traditonal iron supplement , which I understand is not of any use for people with thalasaemia.

Thank you for your reply.

sabreena

5mg has to be prescribed and yes i take it once a week. I used to take Floradix a long time ago and didn't really benefit me but that's not to say it will you..
I wouldn't worry to much about being a carrier, it's just something you need to know and let people know when your being treated.
Sabreena

jasminej

sabreena wrote:

5mg has to be prescribed and yes i take it once a week. I used to take Floradix a long time ago and didn't really benefit me but that's not to say it will you..
I wouldn't worry to much about being a carrier, it's just something you need to know and let people know when your being treated.
Sabreena

Thanks again.

I know that people taking MX are offered folic acid as a supplement to their medication. If you don't mind me asking, is the folic acid prescribed for that reason or only for the thalasaemia trait? If it is only for the thalasaemia trait I would really like to discuss that with my doctor - that's why I ask.

Jasmine

sabreena

I was initally prescribed it for thalaseamia, but i did see a haematologist, the 5mg folic acid isn't something gps, seem to know about so you may have trouble getting through to him, maybe worth asking to see a consultant.