G6PD deficiency is an inherited condition in which the body doesn't have enough of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase which helps red blood cells (RBCs) function normally. This deficiency can cause hemolytic anaemia, usually after exposure to certain medications, foods, or even infections.
Most people with G6PD deficiency don't have any symptoms, while others develop symptoms of anemia only after RBCs have been destroyed, a condition called hemolysis. In these cases, the symptoms disappear once the cause, or trigger, is removed. In rare cases, G6PD deficiency leads to chronic anaemia
Edo state born Ivie is a blog visitor who lives in America contacted me to tell her story and wants me to share it in case anyone else has this condition,so that they can be aware.
''My name is Ivie and i am married with two kids …female and male. My purpose of telling this story is due to a health factor I just knew about when I went for a special blood test here in the USA.
I was feeling weak, fainting,and had headaches...so I met my Doctor who asked me to go for a blood test. The result showed I had low Red blood cells(RBC) and iron.
I was given iron supplements and was encouraged to eat more iron given foods and fruits.
my kids went for their routine check up and their Doctor observed they had low Iron too through their blood test results. After taking iron supplements they were still low...So she asked for a special blood test.
The result showed they had G6PD factor also known as Hemolytic Anemia.
G6PD is common with people from tropical zones like Africa .
My hubby and I were told that it's nature so it's incurable but can be maintained by avoiding some drugs and food that causes depletion of Red blood cells such as Analgesic, Anti malaria, chroloquine and fava beans .
it dawned on me the reason why I felt sick was because I took anti malaria drug before travelling last year to the USA because I learnt they don't have malaria drugs here just for prevention.
Now I know my health status...didn't want to keep it to myself because this is an opportunity for me to create the awareness of G6PD.
I am sure some of us in Nigeria are unaware of what G6PD is, perhaps those in the Medical field.
Please help me create this awareness on your blog so people would know because this will save lives..''
*Any Doctor here?Please what Nigeria food aggregates this condition?we already know the type of drugs not to take….What would be a doctors advise to someone living in Tropical Nigeria with this condition?
Dis is d first tym am hearing of dis. Pls doctors in d house, over to u guys. Pls explain in a lame man's language so people like me will understand.
ReplyDeletePhrinkies, its "lay man" not "lame man"
DeleteAnon 10:24AM, thanks 4 d correction jare. Its nt my fault. Am always thinkin of Tony when I ought 2 concentrate durin lectures.
DeletePls stella, talk about toilet infections that just refuses 2 go abeg, been treating and treating it, is der an herbal way 2 treat it abeg! Cause am tired of anti biotics.pls am tired of these bad smell from the vigina
DeleteTony,quit this bullsh@t. U are Phrinkles.
DeleteI know nobody will read this because it does not mention prayer or alomo bitters but there is no harm in trying.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it??
GP6D is a very common condition. Your red blood cells normally have an enzyme that protects them from damage. When you have GP6D, this enzyme either does not function at all or does not function properly. Therefore your red blood cells are easily damaged by exposure to substances that it would normally not be damaged by, causing anaemia. Depending on how poorly your version of the enzyme is, the anaemia may be mild (more common). For others it may be very severe to the point where it causes liver, kidney and other problems.
How does it present?
The condition may be picked up at birth (routinely in screening such as the UK's heel prick test, or because of jaudice as a newborn) or may present in later life typically due to exposure to certain foods/medicines/substances.
The notorious culprits are Fava Beans (Foul Medames for those of you who like arabic cusine), many Malaria medicines, some antibiotics, and moth balls (there is a classic exam question in medical school about a child who suddenly becomes unwell following baptism where they wore a gown that has been in their family for 100 years).
How is it inherited?
It is X-linked and recessive. This means that the genes that are responsible for the GP6 enzyme live on the X chromosome.
You may know that Men are XX and women are XY. Therefore women can be carriers (more common and may result in a mild version of the disease if at all) or have disease (if both XX chromosomes are faulty). Whereas men either have the disease or do not (again severity depends on how bad the deficiency is).
What can I do?
Not much to be honest unless there are complications. The most important thing is to know your status and MEMORISE the long list of things to avoid. Also make sure you tell every doctor you meet that you have the condition so they do not prescribe inappropriately for you. If your doctor does not refer to a book/source to tell you what they are giving you is okay, make them do it. Nobody ever learns the long list.
Men=XY
DeleteWomen=XX
Oversabi doctor I like u die! Chop kiss jare, u sabi book.
DeleteSame here. Beautiful piece of in4. God bless u.
ReplyDeleteNawaoo! So many sicknesses,ve not heard of this b4,tnks for enlightening us.
ReplyDeleteOMG dis just reminded me of my final year project in Uni...
ReplyDeleteMy topic was 'how does G6PD deficiency lead 2 Heamolytic Anaemia''
I hated every minute of it...
Slept in skool library 4 a couple of days...
Those long cold nyts...
*shivers*
Did my project half way and lost d modafucker...
Had 2 start from beginning...
Thank God I wasn't busted 4 plagiarism..
Presentation went well thou..
*phew*
Enzymes, fava beans, NADP, red blood cells, etc hav bn embedded in my brain 4eva..
Food rich in iron include soybean, grains, cereal, redmeat...
Dats all I remember and if u can handle Artichoke, den goodluck 2 u..
Billie jean
Hian. So Billie Jean go school?
DeleteYou did a project on the topic and promptly forgot about everything concerning it. Anyway, you aleady admitted to plagiarism.
U no serious @anon. Yes, u can forget ur research work. I can't even remember my project topic, how abt dat?
DeleteIn addition to what "oversabi dr" has written, Here are some things to avoid....Naphthelene balls(camphor used to keep clothes fresh), some drugs such as sulphonamide drugs(eg fansidar) and some antimalarials(quinine,quinidine, primaquine, chloroquine...though not all causes haemolysis in all G6PD deficient individuals), fava beans. Note that infections and conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis can also aggravate the haemolysis in individuals with this condition.... And yes, we do the test in nigeria....most teaching hospitals can do it!
ReplyDeleteA beg watin be fava beans biko no abuse me oh na knowledge we dey here. Thanks
DeleteBillie jean you actually went to Uni? Did you even graduate? Good for you if you did.
ReplyDeleteThis is just the brother to sickle cell diesease
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this....love you loads!@Dr S,please can you give a detailed information for where such test is carried out so people would know where and how to access such Facilities.
ReplyDeleteI know in Lagos LUTH and LASUTH perfom G6PD assay, in PH UPTH, try to get info @ any hospital you enter....
DeleteOk,many thanks!
DeleteThanks for this wonderful info doctors.
ReplyDeleteOyibo
Why must u call hin oversabi Doctor.What r u trying to prove.People sef
ReplyDeleteCheck the name. Better still scroll up and make sure u borrow glasses from specsavers
DeleteSome pple don't read before opening their dirty mouth.
Delete@ oversabi dr men have XY chromosome and not XX. It is women that have XX.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9, I was going to say the same as you too. Lord have mercy.
ReplyDeleteThank you poster for sharing, you just gave me something to read more about for the next few days. Take care
yes, its true, my sister has it and almost died from it a few years ago because she had malaria/typhoid and they were giving her a steady stream of quinine, so her blood started "licing" dunno if thats the correct spelling, anyway she started puking and peeing blood, she went on blood transfusion,but that was just for sustenance, we all thought she was going to die, then it was discovered and arrested, thank God it wasnt too late
ReplyDelete@ vivien the spelling is lysing, it means bursting of the red blood cells.
ReplyDeleteThank God for your sisters life. E.E
Lysing
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry o. I typed that on my phone this am and was distracted. E ma binu. Women are XX and Men are XY.
ReplyDeleteAll other things in my comment are accurate. Thank you so much for the corrections and thank you so much Dr S for filling the blanks in my comment and making it more specific to our Nigerian community. God bless.
I like u ooooo oversabi doctor. U come across as an humble individual. Abeg u go marry me? Abeg ni o!
DeleteNne take it easy I can't blame u oversabi doc aha sounds marriageable jor! Carry go!!
DeleteSo u na go uni @ Billie jean ok ohh. Just try n stop been a sadist pls. Cos u usually write in a sad tone. Love u!
ReplyDeleteTayo
Stella, I get hot gist 4 u, make I add 4 bb?
ReplyDeleteStella, the proper persons to meet for food advice are nutritonist/dietitians and not doctors.
ReplyDeleteIron isn't terribly needed since the body stores most of it following haemolysis. Folic acid, protein and multivitamins are enough to avoid another condition called haemosiderosis/haemochromatosis.
ReplyDeletePlease don't mislead people Haba! Where did you get this from?
Delete@anonymous 8.38, that is completely wrong information and you should not mislead people like that. It is unfair and reckless.
ReplyDelete