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Doctor insights on: Hemolytic Anemia Jaundice

No: It can be due to an underlying autoimmune disorder, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. In this case, the underlying autoimmune disorder may be hereditary; but the autoimmune hemolytic anemia is not hereditary. It is simply the manifestation of the underlying disorder. There are also several causes of autoimmune hemolytic anemia that are not inherited. ...Read more

Yes: You have to figure out why you are bleeding into your stomach and if there are any other places where you are bleeding and why and if you are making sufficient replacement blood and if not why not. This can be orchestrated, at least at first by your doc, and if things get really messy by a hematologist. Good luck! ...Read more

Hemolysis: These are features of the hemolytic anemia family, especially the ones where hemolysis takes place in the spleen. ...Read more

Yes: Yes it can.

Bloodwork: An examination may reveal an enlarged spleen. Tests include: direct coombs' test hemoglobin in the urine indirect coombs' test red blood cell count and serum hemoglobin reticulocyte count serum bilirubin levels serum haptoglobin. ...Read more

Not usually: It depends on the type of autoimmune disorder. In most cases autoimmune hemolytic anemia does not affect WBC. But some autoimmune disorders like SLE may cause hemolytic anemia and neutropenia as well. ...Read more

RBC breakdown: There are many possibilities that would cause RBC breakdown. Antibodies, abnormal RBC membranes (spherocytosis), abnormal hemoglobins (sickle cell, thalassemia), abnormal RBC enzymes. If hemolytic ane is is suspected, many tests may be ordered. ...Read more

Not necessarily: Normocytic normochromic anemia can be caused by acute blood loss, early iron deficiency, bone marrow supression, anemia of chronic disease, anemia of renal insufficiency, anemia caused by endocrine problem etc. ...Read more

No: Anemia (normochromic/cytic or not) can be a sign of leukemia (or a variety of other cancerous or non-cancerous conditions). That is it can associated with leukemia. However, it does not cause leukemia. Correlation does not equal causation. ...Read more

Multifactoral: Coombs (-) hemolytic anemia means that you have evidence of hemolysis (RBC fragmentation) that is not immune mediated. Potential causes include medications, artificial valves, microangiopathic causes, and disorders involving the RBC membrane, etc. Large granular lymphocytosis may be reactive or represent a leukemia if absolute levels are 2-20,000 and sustained for >6 mo in your peripheral blood. ...Read more

See below: Aplastic anemia is when the bone marrow stops producing blood cells. Hemolytic anemia is when red blood cells are being destroyed outside of the bone marrow. ...Read more

Neither: All laboratory results need to be interpreted in the clinical context and the doctor who ordered the tests is usually in the best position to do that. Having said that, the data you provided suggests that your iron stores at the low end, but you are not anemic.
For good health - Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products, nuts, beans, legumes, lentils and small amounts of lean meats. Avoid saturated fats. Drink enough water daily, so that your urine is mostly colorless. Exercise at least 150 minutes/week and increase the intensity of exercise gradually. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, weed or street drugs in any form.
Practice safe sex, if you have sex. ...Read more

At least 2 problems: You realize that we can't diagnose you. With the very high serum ferritin and up-there serum iron, assuming the blood was not drawn during an acute illness, you have hemochromatosis until proved otherwise. How anemic you are, whether this is real macrocytosis, what your physical findings and other labs are are best known to your hematology consultation. Hope nobody gave you iron supplements. ...Read more

Iron deficiency is: Usually hypo chromic. Polychromasia is seen in rapidly changing circumstances like hemolytic anemia. ...Read more

Early IDA possible: Hypochromic suggests low iron (which can be measured by ferritin, transferrin, etc). Usually this would be from blood loss. Usually iron deficiency anemia (ida) is also assoc w/ microcytic (low mcv) red blood cells (rbcs). It depends on the numbers, other tests & history, but could be early iron deficiency/blood loss &/or more than one process -- eg b12/folate deficiency & ida. See md. ...Read more

Decreased Hemoglobin: Red blood cells (rbcs) are essentially little bags carrying lots of hemoglobin (hb). Iron is an important constituent of the hb molecule. Low iron = low hemoglobin = less packing into rbc. Since the RBC is now filled less, a microcytic anemia results. ...Read more

Malaria doesnt cause: Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease caused by a mutation in the dna coding for hemoglobin. Scientists have long known that sickle cell anemia protects carriers from malaria infections, which could be advantageous in certain parts of the world. Malaria does not cause sickle cell anemia. ...Read more

Severity and cause: Will depend on how severe it is and whether you are pregnant or not. If you only have mild deficiency-you probably don't have any symptom. If severe enough, tired, fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath can be the symptoms. In pregnancy iron is very important for the fetus. It is crucial to know what is the cause. Bleeding? Malabsorption, cancer? Etc- this needs to be found out. ...Read more

Possibly: Hemolytic anemia may have numerous causes including toxins, infections, genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, drugs, certain types of food, etc. So theoretically if you know what the cause is then it can be avoided. Therefore an adequate diagnostic workup by your doctor is necessary. ...Read more

Sickle cell Trait: can offer some protective value regarding severity of malarial disease. In a person who has sickle-cell trait – the red blood cells are destroyed prematurely before the Plamodium can reproduce. According to one study “Sickle cell trait provides 60% protection against overall mortality. Most of this protection occurs between 2-16 months of life, before the onset of clinical immunity..." ...Read more