Doctors should care more about thalassemic minors

Hey!
My name's Lara. I'm a med student from Lebanon.
In Lebanon and other middle-eastern countries thalassemia is a common disease. A lot of people have thalassemic trait and don't even know it.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with beta-thalassemia minor. The Dr. told me that I was asymptomatic. I have read about it in medical books, I asked doctors about it and all told me the same thing: thalassemia minors are asymptomatic.
I think they are wrong:
- When I play sports I feel breathless right away (I can keep playing though. i swim a lot and I think that helps)
- I sometimes have chest pains and heart palpitations that have no cardiological explanations.
- I always feel tired when I wake up.

I have always been able to do the things I wanted to do. But maybe others have more symptoms and therefore a reduced quality of life.

Anw, I am gonna be a doctor in a few years. I wanna be a cardiologist or maybe an hematologist. I will never tell my patients that they are asymptomatic. All the Drs I asked insisted that thalassemia minors have no symptoms. It made me feel like I was imagining things, like I was exagerating...

If thalassemia minor is not life threatening, this does not mean that patients have no symptoms. I think that Drs simply don't care about this subject and think that other things are more important. So no research is done on beta or alpha thalassemic trait.

Thalassemia minors have lower Hb blood levels,lower hematocrit. MCV and MCH are below normal. They have microcytosis, poikilocytosis...so a lot of them probably do have some symptoms.

Doctors should care more. If your Dr tells you are asymptomatic and you feel that you do have symptoms the he is the one who's wrong, not you! Medical books are not always right.

Hi i agree,

for short periods i can use my exercise routine and eat healthy, but sometimes i feel weak and tired and feel unwell for days and evrytime i see my doctor he/she shrugs me off as if i'm a drama queen they dont have to live like this.
I also feel my breathing is low sometimes and my feet are always cold and my body aches but at least my partner understands me.

I wish there was more people who recognised us once in a while but in the same breath thankful we do not have intermediate or major as they are the worse off than us.

I take folic acid which is in most foods as well and helps cell renewal try it.

Take Care
vicky ( Manchester,England)

Yup, I've experienced the same thing with doctors.

But if they won't help or even acknowledge the problems we can help each other.

I know for a fact that sunlight helps us immensely.

Eating well and exercising, especially cardiovascular workout. Anything that increases blood circulation. So yoga might be a good idea if you're a bit older.

[rajeshpop]

Originally Posted by Ice_5

Hey!
My name's Lara. I'm a med student from Lebanon.
In Lebanon and other middle-eastern countries thalassemia is a common disease. A lot of people have thalassemic trait and don't even know it.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with beta-thalassemia minor. The Dr. told me that I was asymptomatic. I have read about it in medical books, I asked doctors about it and all told me the same thing: thalassemia minors are asymptomatic.
I think they are wrong:
- When I play sports I feel breathless right away (I can keep playing though. i swim a lot and I think that helps)
- I sometimes have chest pains and heart palpitations that have no cardiological explanations.
- I always feel tired when I wake up.

I have always been able to do the things I wanted to do. But maybe others have more symptoms and therefore a reduced quality of life.

Anw, I am gonna be a doctor in a few years. I wanna be a cardiologist or maybe an hematologist. I will never tell my patients that they are asymptomatic. All the Drs I asked insisted that thalassemia minors have no symptoms. It made me feel like I was imagining things, like I was exagerating...

If thalassemia minor is not life threatening, this does not mean that patients have no symptoms. I think that Drs simply don't care about this subject and think that other things are more important. So no research is done on beta or alpha thalassemic trait.

Thalassemia minors have lower Hb blood levels,lower hematocrit. MCV and MCH are below normal. They have microcytosis, poikilocytosis...so a lot of them probably do have some symptoms.

Doctors should care more. If your Dr tells you are asymptomatic and you feel that you do have symptoms the he is the one who's wrong, not you! Medical books are not always right.

I am sorry to reply so late, I would request you to be a Hemotologist so that you can understand the Thal minors & guide them better, plenty of symptoms are available for Thal minors like Mood Swings, Bones are Brittle & as you said MCV, HBA2 & MCHC is low also the size of RBC'S is small.
Hope to be helped by a young & understanding Hemotologist.
with regards