Last
night my friend brought me the
flyer from the Providence Hospital lab in
Anchorage, Alaska on what they test for in a Full Blood
Panel. All it lists for ANEMIA test is
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit. That sounds about
right, because last summer a worker from the oil spill
cleanup FINALLY
went to the doctor for back hurting & misc other
assorted 'symptoms' she's had since 1989. AND all the
doctor she saw in Anchorage ran for tests on the
'tired-all-the-time' was these 2 tests. NOT
even a check on the Red Blood Cells. They
have White Blood Cells count (for Infection, some
malignancies) and Platelet Count (for Clotting Ability)
on the List, but no
check on the red blood cells!
Well, no wonder they can't find the
anemia!
If you are health damaged from the benzene in oil, the
body is said to suppress the making of red blood cells
... along with the lower counts on WBCs and PTLs. (So
the lab would be missing info on that account - My
goodness, we are an oil State!)
If you are health damaged from 2-butoxyethanol, as many
in our society must be - not to mention the workers of
the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup, but many in other
industries using cleaning compounds & degreasers
& varnish & paint, even gun cleaners (?) etc
.... then you would not know what is happening with the
Red Blood Cells. (Note especially that since Feb, 2003
there has been notice to all that the
Gulf War Vets of 1990-1991
were exposed to 2-butoxyethanol and diethylene glycol
monobutyl ether.
This should be an approved exposure for their disability
claims - even if it takes an act of Congress to get it
'on the list')
But, here's the most important point. If you do get the
RBC's and Hemoglobin and Hematocrit checked, they can
still appear to be normal as long as the bone marrow is
producing (more rapidly) replacement RBCs. It may be a
special test (costing about $50) the'Retic'
Ratio may help your doctor determine whether or not
the RBCs are low functioning.
| Quote: |
False
assumption
"If there is significant hemolysis this
would be picked up on the blood count."
Reply: "Not
true. There can be significant hemolysis which
is invisible if all you do is a standard blood
count, but shows up nicely as an elevated
reticulocyte count about 2.5 days after
exposure. This is called compensated
hemolytic anemia."
Source |
What
shows up when is another issue, but good idea to
coax your doctor into ordering more info on the
red blood cells.
AND when you've had this chemical exposure & your
bones hurt, it is very important to know how your red
blood cells are functioning. Sounds odd doesn't it?
When there is severe red blood cell anemia, red blood
cells may start reproducing outside of the spine - it
can cause spinal cord compression... per one so
diagnosed: "Once this happens you have a 72 hour
slide period to have surgery to release the compression
or a bone marrow transplant."
For
exact terminology & example - check this
This
Page will be reposted here
_________________
If I could have
whatever I wanted in life,
it
wouldn't be material possessions,
but
good health and longevity
Drink
lots of water & use common sense to help get well www.valdezlink.com/changes.htm
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