Spherocytosis

Question: I had a slenectomy when i was 4 due to hereditary spherocytosis is there hope for a medical waiver? I was 4 and i was diagnosed with the illness. But i've never taken medication or anything after my surgery, not even a check up. Is there still a chance the Army will grant my waiver?

Answer: They should, I hate to sound like a recorder BUT, you really need to ask your recruiter. Good luck & God Bless for wanting to serve.

Question: Can I get into the Air Force with Spherocytosis? I was born with Spherocytosis, and it is believed to be due to a Genetic Mutation. I had a Splenectomy when I was younger, however now I need a Flu Shot every year, and I have to take Penicillin twice a day. Would this keep me out of the Air Force, or could I get a waiver to get in?

Answer: (2) Splenectomy, except when accomplished for trauma, or conditions unrelated to the spleen, or for hereditary spherocytosis. I would say yes you could since you had the splenectomy for hereditary spherocytosis. Bring medical records concerning it with you when you go see the recruiter and go to MEPS for physical.

Question: Is spherocytosis a life threatening disease? My mom was recently diagnosed with it, and I am extremely worried about her. Can someone please help me, thanks.

Answer: yes it is a pontetial life threating disease

Question: What is Hereditary Spherocytosis, is it bad?

Answer: Hereditary spherocytosis: A genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane clinically characterized by anemia, jaundice (yellowing) and splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen). In HS the red cells are smaller, rounder, and more fragile than normal. The red cells have a spherical rather than the biconcave-disk shape of the normal red cell. These rotund red cells (spherocytes) are osmotically fragile and less flexible than normal red cells and tend to get trapped in narrow blood passages, particularly in the spleen, and there they break up (hemolyze) leading to hemolytic anemia. The clogging of the spleen with red cells almost invariably causes splenomegaly. The breakup of the red cells releases hemoglobin and the heme part gives rise to bilirubin, the pigment of jaundice. The excess bilirubin leads to the formation of gallstones, even in childhood, There is also often iron overload due to the excess destruction of iron-rich red cells.

Question: I have spherocytosis, but I'm a vegetarian what should I eat? Since it's a little obscure, spherocytosis is basically this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherocytosis

Answer: Being a vegetarian is very healthy ,and the Best Diet even for your Disease . In your case you need to eat extra high iron foods as Green leafy vegetables: Spinach , Asparagus, Broccoli , Kale , Parsley ,Cabbage , Collard greens .. as well as fortified foods including Cereal , Pasta , Rice ,Grits , Soy products AND eat Beans , Nuts , Apricots, Raisins , Dates, Prunes and figs . Go about your normal eating to include complex carbs as pasta , rice, potatoes , whole grains and good fats as Virgin Olive oil , Virgin coconut oil ( great for baking) and Avocados .Do not use Bad Oils as Canola and Palm oil .. actually I only use Olive and Coconut ( virgin) , the rest can have issues especially when heated .. Cut down or Cut out your dairy as this causes Many issues in the body including major studies which link Cows milk in infancy to all sorts of diseases .. and exasperates inherit diseases . Cows Milk as you get older causes other Bad issues in the body .. You can replace with soy milks ( try different ones some taste good ,some don't) , Almond milk, oat milk , hemp milk , or Rice milk . you can eat Soy Yogurts ..I like Whole soy ..they make Tofutti cream cheese and Tofutti sour cream and Vegan Cheeses so you won't miss the Dairy . I normally do not try to influence vegetarians from dairy ( they usually decide that on their own over time ) but in your case .. you really do need to cut down or cut out .. Dairy is high in bad fats , and you need to stay away from bad fats . Last if you can eat organic it would be better , remember your body is Strong , but when it has a problem ( as an illness or disease) it is harder to fight chemicals as pesticides as well as fight the disease . I would imagine they have you on iron Supplements .. and Vitamin C .. Good luck , and know many people with this disease live full lives ! Vegan Forever

Question: Spherocytosis and Splenectomy? Does anyone has first hand experience with either of these? What is the recovery time for a splenectomy? I only want first hand accounts. PLEASE do NOT post links.

Answer: My answer won't be exactly first hand, but it was my son who had his spleen removed when he was four years old. He wasn't sick, but there was a problem with the structure which was starting to cause him problems, though we didn't know it at the time. I'm telling you that because he had two things in his favor for a quick recovery: one, he was young and two, he was in really good health. He had his spleen out on a Friday and by Sunday evening the nurse who came onto the floor asked why he was in the hospital. He was walking around the floor, not a care in the world. The hospital people were glad to have him leave on Monday afternoon! As I said, he had a quick recovery and the hospital where he had his spleen removed is one of the best children's hospitals in the country. He got excellent care.

Question: does anyone suffer from the blood disorder called "spherocytosis"?

Answer: Of course, it is called a disorder for a reason, and that's because people have gotten it in the past. Spherocytosis is an auto-hemolytic anemia (a disease of the blood) characterized by the production of red blood cells (RBCs), or erythrocytes, that are sphere-shaped, rather than donut-shaped.

Question: Is Having Hereditary Spherocytosis Bad? My Mam has It And According To Wikipedia The Kids Have A 50% Chance Of Getting It Too.. Does That Mean That 1 in 2 kids will deffinately Have It?? And Also Is Having It Bad At All? Will It Affect Me? Ive Had Tests 2 Day But I Was Just Wondering About it.. i dnt get the results til friday..

Answer: Hereditary spheroids is a genetically-transmitted form of spheroids, an automatic anemia characterized by the production of red blood cells that are sphere-shaped rather than donut-shaped, and therefore more prone to hemlocks. NO that does not mean one of two kids will have it not at all its not likely that's its 50% and even if it is 2 kids might not get it its 50% in a kid not int he mother i don't think it will affect you so badly, however there is treatment to it ask experienced doctors, and also children with spheroids require immunization against the pneumatics bacterium and prophylactic antibiotic treatment as well to lessen the risk of sepsis. Don't worry about it and live your life! or you will regret it there nothing worth worrying I wish you best of luck! =)

Question: How does anemia develop in patients with chronic renal failure? How does anemia develop in strict vegetarians? What blood and bone marrow changes would you expect in acute appendicitis? Why? What are the consequences of congenital spherocytosis? What are the consequences of living in a high altitude area on eryhtropoiesis? Give one example of a pathologic condition that can give rise to the same phenomenon as above.

Answer: Chronic renal failure leads to anemia because of two things. First and most importantly, the kidneys are where the hormone erythropoetin is created. This is a hormone which is directly responsible for the stimulation of red blood cell formation from the bone marrow. When the kidney tissue dies, so does this hormone producing function and anemia results. Treatment for renal failure related anemia needs to include the administration of pharmacologic erythropoetin, which is marketed as "Procrit". Secondly, renal failure necessitates dialysis. Although there is something called "peritoneal dialysis" which does not involve the blood directly, most people undergo "hemodialysis" which involves plugging into the vascular system and pumping blood through a filtration mechanism which mimics the action of the kidney. This is blood destructive even in the best of circumstances, and some blood is left behind in the tubing circuit. Banked blood is sometimes added to the circuit when people go in for their regular dialysis. Also, between dialysis sessions, people have to take in some water, and over a couple of days, this can result in dilution of the blood which contributes to the chronic anemia. The concept of "strict vegetarian" means different things to different people, but the classic issue to talk about with total elimination of animal products from the diet is vitamin B12 deficiency. With B12 deficiency comes a failure to produce hemoglobin which leads to a macrocytic anemia. The red blood cells can form, but they're basically large, empty and relatively devoid of oxygen carrying hemoglobin. Appendicitis is basically a source of intra-abdominal infection. All infections (in normal people who can mount an immune response) are attended by increases in the white blood cell count. The concept of a white blood cell count is actually a little bit complicated because what you "count" is what is floating in the blood, while there are a substantial number of white cells which aren't floating along, but instead are rolling along the blood vessel walls. The white blood cell count increases because the chemical signalling from the site of infection stimulates production of the short lived forms such as PMN's (neutrophils) which when seen in the peripheral blood, have immature characteristics - indicating that the increased count is a result of increased marrow production and not just activation of the cells flowing along the blood vessel walls. I doubt that you'd be able to make a diagnosis from a marrow sample that this was going on, but I'm not a hematologist. Hereditary spherocytosis is a classic medical school question, where an abnormal gene which codes for a protein called "anchorin" leads to the inability of red blood cells to form their normally flat/discoid shape. They "spherize" which makes them not as deformable and not as easily passed through capillaries. Spherocytosis leads to anemia by way of shortened red cell life and slow iron loss as a result. There is increased destruction of red cells in the spleen. Some people need splenectomies. High altitude leads to high red cell counts because the system reads the low oxygen tension as being a result of insufficient oxygen carrying capacity in the blood. This stimulates erythropoesis. I hope that helps.

Question: Should a child who had an enlarged spleen play sports? My son had spherocytosis, because of this he has an enlarged spleen. We have been told that his spleen could rupture if he plays sports. Does anyone know anything about this. Finding it hard to get answers. What are the chances of it happening and what are the dangers? My son is a sports fanatic so this is extremely important to him.

Answer: An enlarged spleen traps and stores an excessive number of blood cells and substances that help blood to clot (platelets). This may clog the spleen and interfere with its ability to function. Eventually, an enlarged spleen may outgrow its own blood supply — damaging or destroying part of the organ. An enlarged spleen is also at risk of rupturing, usually as a result of a blow to the abdomen. A ruptured spleen can cause life-threatening bleeding into the abdominal cavity. If your child has an enlarged spleen, avoid contact sports — such as soccer, football and hockey — and limit other activities as recommended by your doctor. Modifying your activities can reduce the risk of a ruptured spleen. It's also important to wear a seat belt. If you're in an accident, a seat belt can help prevent injury to your spleen. Hereditary spherocytosis and hereditary elliptocytosis are congenital RBC membrane disorders. Symptoms, generally milder in hereditary elliptocytosis, include variable degrees of anemia, jaundice, and splenomegaly. Diagnosis requires demonstration of increased RBC osmotic fragility and a negative direct antiglobulin test. Rarely, patients < 45 yr with symptomatic disease require splenectomy.

Question: I have hereditory spherocytosis, does this affect my life expectancy? I have the blood disorder hereditory spherocytosis, and have still got a spleen, so i was wondering is my life expectancy shorter than someone without the disorder?

Answer: Nothing I'm reading in the medical sites suggests a shortened life span *with treatment*. Without it, you could have an aplastic anemia event (your body stops making red blood cells) or kidney failure which can lead to death. The likelihood for jaundice, gallstones, and hemochromatosis are all elevated, but treatable. Apparently the problems can range from anemia so mild you don't need anything but oversight to sudden onset of fairly severe illness, and while removal of the spleen helps enormously, it carries its own risks, since it filters infectious materials.

Question: Hereditary spherocytosis? my brother has a moderate form of this condition. One of his doctors said that he should have his spleen removed because if he doesnt he will have liver damage. another doctor said that the liver damage would not be that severe. He hasnt had a problem with it in about a year or so. his only real problem was when he contracted mono. His levels were real low at that time and he had several blood transfusions. Like i said for the last couple of years his levels have been fine. He's schedules to have the operation for removal of his spleen august 28th but we are having second thoughts. Anyone know about this disease or have it. and what do you suggest?

Answer: GET ANOTHER OPINION. DRS MAKE MISTAKES...AND THEY BURY THEM. IT SOUNDS LIKE HE CAN WAIT ANOTHER MONTH UNTIL YOU GET ANOTHER OPINION. THE LIVER CAN REJUVENATE ITSELF YOU KNOW. SO I WOULD CHECK IT OUT..NO HARM, NO FOUL...

Question: About Familial Spherocytosis...? I was always told by physicians that my frequent and easy bruising was a result of this genetic condition. I was advised to increase my Folic Acid intake - which I did as I now take 200% of the RDA every day. It is a bit better but at times I still bruise pretty easily. Of what I have looked at online I cannot find any other recommended ways to help deal with the small effects this can cause (bruising is small - just leads to awkward questions at times). If you have this or any familiarity with this, is there anything else - mineral, vitatmin, etc - that would also help?

Answer: Dude! This is like best answer ever! I swear I didn't cut and paste it from Wikipedia. Hereditary spherocytosis is a genetically-transmitted form of spherocytosis, an auto-hemolytic anemia characterized by the production of red blood cells that are sphere-shaped rather than donut-shaped, and therefore more prone to hemolysis. As in non-hereditary spherocytosis, the spleen's hemolysis results in observational symptoms of fatigue, pallor, and jaundice. In a peripheral blood smear, the abnormally small red blood cells lacking the central pallor as seen in non-hereditary spherocytosis is typically more marked in hereditary spherocytosis. Other protein deficiencies cause hereditary elliptocytosis, pyropoikilocytosis or stomatocytosis. In longstanding cases and in patients who have taken iron supplementation or received numerous blood transfusions, iron overload may be a significant problem, being a potential cause of cardiomyopathy and liver disease. Measuring iron stores is therefore considered part of the diagnostic approach to hereditary spherocytosis. Hereditary spherocytosis is an autosomal dominant trait, most commonly (though not exclusively) found in Northern European and Japanese families, although an estimated 25% of cases are due to spontaneous mutations. A patient has a 50% chance of passing the disorder onto his/her offspring, presuming that his/her partner does not also carry the mutation. Hereditary spherocytosis is caused by a variety of molecular defects in the genes that code for spectrin, ankyrin, protein 4.1, and other erythrocyte membrane proteins. These proteins are necessary to maintain the normal shape of an erythrocyte, which is a biconcave disk. The protein that is most commonly defective is ankyrin. As the spleen normally targets abnormally shaped red cells (which are typically older), it also destroys spherocytes. As in non-hereditary spherocytosis, acute symptoms of anemia and hyperbilirubinemia indicate treatment with blood transfusions or exchanges and chronic symptoms of anemia and splenomegaly indicate dietary supplementation of iron and splenectomy, the surgical removal of the spleen. Experimental gene therapy exists to treat hereditary spherocytosis in lab mice; however, this treatment has not yet been tried on humans and because of the risks involved in human gene therapy, it may never be. Just call me Doctor Ludd.

Question: Please suggest alternative treatments for Spherocytosis before we allow the MD to remove spleen of 3 yr. old.?

Answer: There is an alternative?? If the accepted treatment is the removal of the spleen id say this is probably the only option. Doctors dont remove organs unless it is justified.

Question: mortality and morbidity of hereditary spherocytosis.?

Answer: Type in your searchbar, mortality and morbidity of hereditary spherocytosis, and some very informative sites will come up. I would start your research there. Good Luck!

Question: why the ulcer regions on the foot skin develop in the hereditary spherocytosis??

Answer: I have never ever heard of that in H.S. are you sure you know what you are talking about?