This autoimmune hemolytic anemia doesn't show up in regular bloodwork - Anemia Message Board

Dear Maggie · 08-31-2004, 11:03 PM

The autoimmune hemolytic anemia from 2-butoxyethanol poisoning doesn't show up as you would expect. This is really a mystery. Everything can look OK in the initial tests: CBC, WBC, PTL, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit ... just a borderline normal RBC

And even when all the red blood cells must be premature, and there is a trace of blood in the urine ... still enough of the results for all being ok

One man wasn't even making enough red blood cells per 'retic ratio' 15 years after exposure ... yet still other tests are saying he is OK

A mystery!

Details here healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=1170909#post1170909

offdahook4now · 09-14-2004, 01:35 PM

My mother died from autoimmune hemolytic anemia almost 30 yrs ago. If what I'm told is right, not much was known about it then, and it went undiagnosed. She was admitted to the hospital and 4 days later she died. I understand people don't normally die from this. I was told she was given too many blood transfusions too fast and that lead to her death.

I looked up a few websites on this, but most were so technical I could not understand them. What is it caused from? Anyone know?

Dear Maggie · 09-14-2004, 06:44 PM

Thank you for caring enough to want to know more. The chemical, 2-butoxyethanol also is known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and I suspect people in the early 1940's and before could have been harmed by it.

It was invented by the chemical companies in the 1930s

What did your mom do? Or more precisely, what was she doing the day she felt a horrible fatigue hit ... with flu-like symptoms and usually other symptoms like grouchyness & glandular problems and headaches can start up shortly thereafter. Even concern for liver and kidney function, etc.

I did have a lady share with me that her father had something similar and that they have to warm the blood and give it slowly over an 8 hour period. Two other transfusions not done this way failed, and a 3rd time of that would have killed him.

offdahook4now · 09-15-2004, 12:38 PM

My mother was a housewife. She had a severe case of anemia when she gave birth to my oldest sister and would have died if it were not for the blood transfusions she was given then.

She had very bad allergies and took shots for them. She often complained of headaches. She said she saw an aura before getting them and that it felt like someone was beating her over the head with a hammer.

She had been seeing a dr for her flu like symptoms for a month or more. The day she was rushed to the hospital she was very jaundiced and if I was told right, she was vomiting blood. She was only 41 yrs old.

I have all of her medical records. She did get better on the 2nd day of her hospitalization and told us she was coming home. I guess the effects of the blood transfusions (giving them too fast) hit her on the 3rd day. She went into cardiac arrest three times , but the last time was the end for her.

I have always wanted to know more about this, but have never found anyone who knew anything about it. Thank you for your interest.

Dear Maggie · 09-15-2004, 02:45 PM

On this thread I share a lot of information with a gulf war vet as to what the symptoms are, etc.

Please read through this

If she had flu-like symptoms for a month + it is most likely that whatever cleaning product she was using ... or maybe she was doing a painting project or something ... was continually re-exposing her to the chemical 2-butoxyethanol.

She had several symptoms, so check to see if there was blood showing up in her urine and if there was a 'retic' ratio taken (reticulocyte count) which will only reveal too high early on ... or too low, much later on.

healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=1170909#post1170909
Read through pages 7-10 of this thread

The Walter Reid Army Medical Center said that hemolytic anemia was very rare. I suggest it is as common as CFS, CFIDS, and 'gulf war syndrome' plus the many, many others that have the symptoms but not the official diagnosis.

When someone is chemically poisoned by a chemical such as 2-butoxyethanol, some tests do not read right. In particular, there are too many immature red blood cells and many other tests are not reading OK, including the one which would indicate blood anemia.

And one more question:
There is usually a grouchiness with this and headaches, often, but not always or not all the time. Did your mom have any of these other symptoms before child birth?

Were you born before or after this time?