Comment from: 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: July 19
My hemoglobin levels have always been very low with very high bilirubin levels. I was diagnosed with Gilbert's disease, which causes high bilirubin levels. My skin turns yellow when I am sick with a virus, and the whites of my eyes have always been yellow. After two miscarriages, my OBGYN sent me to a hemotologist just to see if there was anything going on. After going through several blood tests and a painful bone marrow aspiration, it was determined that I in fact have hereditary spherocytosis. It all began to click with all of my symptoms ... yellow skin and eyes, gallbladder removal at early age, enlarged spleen, anemia, hemoglobins always hang around 8 or 9 (especially during pregnancies -- hemoglobin at one point was a 5 but mostly stayed around 7 or 8). I then began to look at my dad who exhibits all of those same traits! Now my daughter has it (17 months old), and is treated by a pediatric hemotologist. Just thought this info might help someone seeking answers to their own symptoms!
Comment from: JCB7057, 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: April 05
I just turned 50, and I was very tired and had no energy. I went into the doctor and they did the blood test and found that my hemoglobin was 7.0. After many tests, they found that my spleen was enlarged and spots near my colon. After a bone marrow test, they found I had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- cancer. I have since been through my chemo treatments and have been cancer-free. My hemoglobin is on the rise.
Comment from: ashysmom, 3-6 Female (Caregiver)Published: October 25
I am the mother of a wonderful 5 year old girl. From the time she was only three days old we found out that she had hereditary spherocytosis. She had one blood transfusion when she was about a month old. Then, out of nowhere, this July we took her to the hospital because she was very tired and yellow. Her hemoglobin was at 4. The doctor said that she could have heart failure. The doctors have always told us that she is okay if she stays above 11. Well she is very yellow and tired again, so I took her to the doctor again today, which by the way, if you live in a small town like ours make sure your children only get sick Monday through Friday because the doctors, nurses and hospital staff get really inconvenienced when you show up on a Saturday, anyways, her levels are at 10.4, and they sent us home. They told us to "keep an eye on her." Luckily my sister in law is a nurse. She is a great help. Please! Just watch your children for these rare signs. This is a tricky little blood disorder!
Comment from: PrYnceZzMommA, 19-24 Female (Patient)Published: July 15
I am a 24 year old female, and I just delivered twins via c-section. At my 1 week postpartum appointment to have my staples taken out, they checked my hemoglobin because the nurse said that it had been low during my pregnancy. When they check it, it was a 7. The nurse said I looked very fatigued, said my skin was pretty pale. I was curious as to why I keep falling asleep all the time. It is so difficult to stay awake. I've always had a lower number, around a 10, but now it's lower. I am starting on iron pills to see if that will help, along with iron-rich foods. Hopefully, that helps. I need my energy back to take care of my 4 kids, all 4 and under.
Comment from: family manager, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: May 21
It should be mentioned that an elevated hemoglobin can be indicative of hemochromatosis, which is iron overload. This is a genetic disorder that causes your body to hold on to iron and store it in the major organs. It can be fatal if not treated early. If one has an elevated hgb, other blood work (TIBC, saturation and serum ferritn) should be checked. There is no cure for hemochromatosis but if detected early one can live a long,healthy live by giving blood and adhering to a low iron diet. I personally had a high hgb with no other signs - iron level high normal, sat within normal limits - only when I pressed further genetic testing (because of family history) did I find out that I have hemochromatosis. Now I give blood and watch my diet and keep my levels on the low side of normal
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Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss, dehydration, medication. Some of the renal causes of kidney failure are from sepsis, medications, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma, and acute glomerulonephritis. Post renal causes of kidney failure include bladder obstruction, prostate problems, tumors, or kidney stones. Treatment options included diet, medications, or dialysis.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
Anemia is the condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is, therefore, decreased.
Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
A peptic ulcer is an ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Ulcer formation is related to Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach, use of anti-inflammatory medications, and cigarette smoking.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, wheezing, morning headaches, and pulmonary hypertension. Treatment of COPD is focused on the related condition(s).
Emphysema is a progressive disease of the lungs. The primary cause of emphysema is smoking. Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a rare disorder that has a genetic predisposition to emphysema. Aging, IV drug use, immune deficiencies, and connect tissue illnesses are also risk factors for emphysema. Emphysema is a subtype of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COLD). Symptoms include shortness of breath and wheezing. Management of symptoms may be achieved with medications, quitting smoking, pulmonary rehabilitation, or surgery.
Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude). Treatment of polycythemia depends on the cause.
Pernicious anemia is a blood disorder in which the body does not make enough red blood cells due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the blood. Pernicious anemia can develop from a lack of a protein that helps the body absorb vitamin B12, not getting enough B12 in the diet, and certain intestinal conditions that interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12 such as Crohn's disease, celiac sprue, or ulcerative colitis. There is no cure for pernicious anemia, thus treatment is life-long.
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Causes of gastritis include drinking too much alcohol, medications such as NSAIDs, ibuprofen, aspirin, H. pylori infection, severe infections, burns, anemia, and autoimmune disorders. Gastritis is diagnosed with endoscopy, blood tests, or stool tests. Treatment depends upon the cause of gastritis.
Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease), a blood disease which shortens life expectancy, is cause by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin. Symptoms may include bacterial infections, painful swelling of the hands and feet, fever, leg ulcers, fatigue, anemia, eye damage, and lung and heart injury. Treatment for sickle cell anemia aims to manage and prevent the worst manifestations of the disease and focuses on therapies that block red blood cells from stacking together, which can lead to tissue and organ damage and pain.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
G6PD deficiency (Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) leads to a condition called hemolytic anemia. Causes of G6PD deficiency is an abnormal gene located in the X-chromosome, therefore, it is more common in males. Hemolytic anemia caused by G6PD deficiency generally occurs after exposure to malaria medications, antiitching drugs, and fava beans. Pneumonia and other infections can also precipitate hemolytic anemia in individuals with G6PD deficiency. Treatment is generally discontinuing the drug or compound treating infection. Blood transfusions are necessary in some individuals.
Beta Thalassemia is the most familiar type of thalassemia. Thalassemia is not just one disease but rather a complex series of genetic (inherited) disorders all of which involve underproduction of hemoglobin.
Alpha thalassemia is a disorder in which the alpha globin protein is underproduced. There are two pairs of genes that carry the code for the alpha chains of hemoglobin. When one gene is impaired, that person is in a carrier state and suffers no medical problems. When four genes are impaired, the production of fetal and adult hemoglobin is prevented, resulting in hydrops fetalis and leading to death before birth.
Iron is a mineral our bodies need. Iron deficiency is a condition resulting from not enough iron in the body. It is the most common nutritional deficiency and the leading cause in the US. Iron deficiency is caused due to increased iron deficiency from diseases, nutritional deficiency, or blood loss and the body's inability to intake or absorb iron. Children, teen girls, pregnant women, and babies are at most risk for developing iron deficiency. Symptoms of iron deficiency include feeling weak and tired, decreased work or school performance, slow social development, difficulty maintaining body temperature, decreased immune function, and an inflamed tongue. Blood tests can confirm an iron deficiency in an individual. Treatment depends on the cause of the deficiency. Proper diet that includes recommended daily allowances of iron may prevent some cases of iron deficiency.
If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia. Avoiding cigarette smoking, practice good hygeine, stay away from crowds, and alerting your healthcare provider if you have a sinus infection or cold or cough that becomes worse. Treatment options depend upon the severity of the emphysema, bronchitis, or cold combination.
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Smoking is an addiction. Tobacco contains
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My hemoglobin levels have always been very low with very high bilirubin levels. I was diagnosed with Gilbert's disease, which causes high bilirubin levels. My skin turns yellow when I am sick with a virus, and the whites of my eyes have always been yellow. After two miscarriages, my OBGYN sent me to a hemotologist just to see if there was anything going on. After going through several blood tests and a painful bone marrow aspiration, it was determined that I in fact have hereditary spherocytosis. It all began to click with all of my symptoms ... yellow skin and eyes, gallbladder removal at early age, enlarged spleen, anemia, hemoglobins always hang around 8 or 9 (especially during pregnancies -- hemoglobin at one point was a 5 but mostly stayed around 7 or 8). I then began to look at my dad who exhibits all of those same traits! Now my daughter has it (17 months old), and is treated by a pediatric hemotologist. Just thought this info might help someone seeking answers to their own symptoms!
Related Reading: hemoglobin | enlarged spleen | anemia