If you see the signs of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, it means that you have a disorder because of which your immune system malfunctions.
Instead of the normal antibodies, it produces antibodies that attack the red blood cells of the body because they are considered to be foreign objects.
Symptoms of autoimmune hemolytic anemia
In some cases, the patients with this problem don’t show any signs. This happens if the condition is mild and the destruction of the cells happens gradually. Other people could show symptoms that look just like the symptoms of other kinds of anemia. This usually occurs if the problem is severe and the destruction happens fast.
If the signs of autoimmune hemolytic anemia appear fast and the destruction of the cell is rapid, it is possible for jaundice to develop. If the situation lasts for longer periods of time it is possible that the spleen will get larger than usual. Because of this, the patients experience abdominal fullness and maybe discomfort.
It is possible for the autoimmune hemolytic anemia warning signs to be caused by some other condition. In this case the symptoms of the other disease may be the dominant ones.
Because of this the patients could have tender or swollen lymph nodes or even fever.
Diagnosis
If you suspect that you could have autoimmune hemolytic anemia signs and your doctor confirms this diagnosis, most probably you will have a blood test.
If this shows that there are a high number of red blood cells that are still immature, it will become certain that you are affected by the condition.
In the same time the tests performed as a result of the warning signs of autoimmune hemolytic anemia could show a high level of bilirubin and haptoglobin. It is sure that you have the condition if the blood tests show that a lot of antibodies attached to the red blood cells or that can be found in the liquid part of the blood.
Treatment
If the autoimmune hemolytic anemia signs that you experience are mild and the destruction of the blood cells seems to slow down on its own it is possible that you won’t need any treatment at all. On the other hand, if the red blood cell destruction speeds up you might have to take a corticosteroid like prednisone.
To treat the autoimmune hemolytic anemia, the specialists usually prescribe larger doses at first that will gradually be reduced. Sometimes women don’t respond to the corticosteroids or these could have side effects. In this case the treatment options include surgically removing the spleen.
This is important because this is the organ where the red blood cells covered by antibodies are destroyed in. If this isn’t a suitable option, women might have to start taking azathioprine or cyclophosphamide.
There is a lot to know about the warning signs of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and you have to know that the problem could be more complicated than it seems at first so you have to be prepared.
Read more at http://www.womenhealthzone.com/general-health/anemia/warning-signs-of-autoimmune-hemolytic-anemia/
