I was just diagnosed with this...My doctor thinks I have this, and not iron defiency....What it is exactly, as he didn't tell me much??

I was just diagnosed with this...My doctor thinks I have this, and not iron defiency....What it is exactly, as he didn't tell me much??
Thalasemia is a blood disorder that is found in people who have genetic backgrounds that have come from the area around the Mediterreanean Sea, even if you were actually born some place else. The disorder causes low blood counts and low B-12 counts that do not improve with iron pills or B-12 vitamins.Basically the disease is treated by treating the symptoms rather than restoring the iron or vitamins. It is a difficult condition to have and very frustrating for modern medicine given all the other miraculous medical interventions. There are two types that are referred to as Major or Minor. The general treatments are to have the spleen removed or to have blood transfusions. The doctor who is treating you is the only one qualified to answer your specific questions for your health. This is a very very simplified answer.

Thank you for the information! I found out that I have the Alpha form of Thalassemia, and that it probably caused all my other anemias..