Thalassaemia
There are a number of things you can do to help you stay as healthy as possible if you have thalassaemia.
To help reduce your chances of developing some of the problems associated with thalassaemia , it's a good idea to:
You should also make sure you take your medication as advised and attend all of your check-ups.
Women with thalassaemia major or other severe types can have a healthy pregnancy, but it's a good idea to speak to your care team for advice first because:
If you're not planning a pregnancy, you should use a reliable form of contraception .
It's important to let your care team know if you need to have an operation under general anaesthetic at any point. You should also tell your surgeon that you have thalassaemia.
This is because general anaesthetic can cause problemssuch as anincreased risk of blood clots for people with thalassemia.
You may needclose monitoring during surgeryand a blood transfusion before or afterwards to reduce the risk of complications.
It's important to make sure you know when to get medical advice and where to go because thalassaemia can cause a number of serious problems that can appear suddenly.
Problems to look out for include:
Contact your GP or care team immediately if you develop any of the above symptoms. If this isn't possible, go to yournearest accident and emergency (A&E) department .If you aren't well enough to travel to hospital yourself, dial 999for an ambulance.
Make sure the medical staff looking after you are aware that you have thalassaemia.
Read about thalassaemia, a group of blood disorders that affect a substance called haemoglobin. Find out about the symptoms, causes and treatments for the condition.
Read about the main symptoms of thalassaemia, including anaemia, delayed growth and problems caused by too much iron in the body.
Read about what causes thalassaemia, how it's inherited and how it affects the body.
Read about screening for thalassaemia in pregnancy, testing for the condition later in life and getting a test to see if you're a carrier of thalassaemia.
Read about the main treatments for thalassaemia, including blood transfusions, medication to remove excess iron from the body and stem cell transplants.
Read about living with thalassaemia, including what you can do to stay healthy and advice about planning a pregnancy.
Read about how to find out if you're a carrier of thalassaemia and what it means for your health and any children you have.