Fatigue? Check the red blood cells

[Margaret Diann]

I shared this on Chad's gulf war vet forum. But it is not now working. Says he has started another disucssion forum, but currently being operated on to remove a tumor in his sinus. This is how he was doing last time he shared with me

A couple of months ago 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.

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 coaxe 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

Now I would suggest that people with the CFIDS, CFS, or FM ... consider this chemical's harm, and go over this questionnaire

and share with your doctor the results also

Share this info with your doctor