What celebrities people have Sickle Cell Anemia?

If you have sickle cell anemia like I do, I want you to know that you are not alone. There are many celebrities that have it and are living normal lives. They include, T-Boz of TLC, Prodigy from the rap group Mobb Deep and Jazz great Miles Davis.

What is Sickle Cell Beta Thalassemia?

Thalassemia is an inherited disorder that affects the production of normal hemoglobin (a type of protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body). Thalassemia includes a number of different forms of anemia. The severity and type of anemia depends upon the number of genes that are affected.

Beta thalassemia is caused by mutations in the beta chain of the hemoglobin molecule. There is one beta chain gene on each #11 chromosome, for a total of two. How these genes are altered determines the specific type of beta thalassemia in a person. Beta Thalassemia is ofetn referred to as Colley's Anemia also.

Is there a sickle cell test?

You can be tested for sickle cell. Your doctor can perform a simple blood test called the hemoglobin electrophoresis to determine whether you are a carrier for sickle cell or have sickle cell. This test can also be done at a local sickle cell foundation.

Sickle Cell Statistics

1 out of 400 African Americans has sickle cell.
Sickle Cell affects 8 out of 100,000 people

Sickle Cell Found only in African Americans?

No True. African Americans have a high occurence of Sickle Cell, many other nationalities suffer from the disease.

Symptoms of Sickle Cell?

There are many symptoms for sickle cell. Individuals with sickle cell may not experience all of these symptoms. The symptoms include: family history of sickle cell anemia, fatigue, breathlessness, rapid heart rate, delayed growth and puberty, susceptibility to infections ulcers on the lower legs (in adolescents and adults) jaundice, attacks of abdominal pain, weakness, joint pain, fever, vomiting, bloody (hematuria) urination, excessive thirst, excessive penis pain, priapism, chest pain and decreased fertility.

Symptoms may not appear until 4 months after birth and are most severe during an acute episode.

What makes the red blood cell become a sickle shape?

Bad" Hemoglobin causes the red blood cell to develop a sickle shape. "Bad" hemoglobin is hemoglobin that contains a rod shaped substance. The red blood cell develops the sickle shape when it attaches itself to the "bad" hemoglobin. The red blood cells have a normal shape until they attach themselves to a "bad" hemoglobin.

Sickling of the red blood cells in persons with sickle cell results in cells of abnormal shape and flexibility. The sickling is promoted by conditions which are associated with low oxygen levels, increased acidity, or low volume (dehydration) of the blood. These conditions can occur as a result of injury to the body’s tissues, dehydrating states, or anesthesia.