Alpha thalassemia disorder??

i just discovered not too long ago that i have a disorder called alpha thalassemia. i dont feel retarded or anything.. so what does it affect ? what exactly is it ?

Thalassemia may or may not affect you right away. It is not related to the brain, so your mind is fine. It has to do with the making of blood cells, and may affect your spleen. Type it into your search engine - you'll get direct information - or try Wikipedia (same difference - I get Wikipedia whenever I use my search engine).

well i don't think it affects anything well i would like to learn about more

Alpha thalassemia: A blood disorder, thalassemia is not one disease but rather a group of disorders that have a single feature in common: they all have a genetic defect in the production of hemoglobin, the protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen.

All forms of hemoglobin are made up of two molecules: heme and globin. Globin is made up of 4 polypeptide chains. In normal adult hemoglobin (Hb A), the predominant type of hemoglobin after the first year of life, 2 of the globin polypeptide chains are identical to one another and are designated the alpha chains. The other 2 chains are also identical to one another but differ from the alpha chains and are termed the beta chains. In fetal hemoglobin (Hb F), the predominant hemoglobin during fetal development, there are 2 alpha chains and 2 different chains called gamma chains.

The problem in the thalassemias is with globin production. The thalassemias are classified according to the type of globin polypeptide chain that is underproduced. The alpha chain is involved in alpha thalassemia (and the beta chain is affected in the more familiar beta thalassemia).

In alpha thalassemia, the heterozygous state (with a single gene for alpha thalassemia) is innocuous or harmless. There are no symptoms or at most mild anemia, because there is another gene still able to make alpha chains.

However, the homozygous state (with both genes for alpha thalassemia) is lethal before birth because no alpha chains can be made and without alpha chains, there can be no Hb F or Hb A and without Hb F or Hb A, the inevitable result is an unsuccessful pregnancy.

EDIT: Here is another interesting site I found with great Info on this topic.

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uva...

Thalassemia (American English) (or thalassaemia in British English) is an inherited disease of the red blood cells, classified as a hemoglobinopathy. The genetic defect results in synthesis of an abnormal hemoglobin molecule. The blood cells are vulnerable to mechanical injury and die easily. To survive, many people with thalassemia need blood transfusions at regular intervals.

The disease's geographical association with the Mediterranean sea was responsible for its naming: Thalassa is Greek for the sea, Haima is Greek for blood. Thalassemia occurs in all populations and ethnic groups, however the prevalence differs among different populations

Alpha Thalassemia is caused by a type of genetic mutation. It can cause something called microcytic hypochormic anemia. MHA is sometimes misdiagnosed as iron deficient anemia and inappropriately treated with iron supplements. It can also mean that you are an Alpha Thalassemia carrier.

I have "beta" thalassemia minor, which essentially means I am a carrier of this disease (a form of anemia). When I became pregnant, we had to do genetic counseling and have my husband tested. Fortunately, he did not have the trait. If a baby inherits the trait from both parents, he/she will have full-blown thalassemia, a very serious disease which necessitates blood transfusions. "Beta" thalassemia is common among people of Mediterranean origin, such as Greeks and Italians. It is my understanding that "alpha" thal. is more common among Asians. Are you Asian? Regardless, you must keep this in mind when/if the time comes for you to get pregnant.