sickle cell trait

[ashleysimone]

hi my name is ashley and i have been diagnosed with the sickle cell trait and i was wondering does the sickle cell trait ever go away?

[RadiantSue]

No, Ashley, sickle cell trait does not "go away". It is a genetic reality - something you were born with that does not change. With that said, many people with sickle cell trait never experience symptoms until there body is in extreme duress. Documented examples of extreme duress include the participation in athletic and military exercises requiring your body to reach the extremes of human endurance. Even under these circumstances, some people with the sickle cell trait have found that hydration and taking a break when needed can lead to quick recovery and prevent severe damage to their health. All that being said, many other sickle cell trait patients like me are frequently symptomatic under much less severe conditions like: summer heat coupled with mild dehydration, a worse than average cold or flu, after surgery or use of general anesthesia, etc. It has been known for decades that SOME of us with the sickle cell trait will experience all of the worst symptoms and impacts of a sickle cell crisis often for an unknown reason. More research is required. However, few medical studies are conducted by the medical profession, perhaps because most medical practitioners have been taught that sickle cell patients almost never have any symptoms worth treating, which I and others on this site know to be false from personal experience and confirmed by doctors who eventually learned the truth. The bottom-line is that if you have never experienced any symptoms, you may have nothing to be concerned about. You simply may wish to avoid marrying another person with the sickle cell trait, because your offspring could have the sickle cell disease. I would recommend you make certain to get plenty of rest, and always stay well hydrated like every other person on the planet should. However, if you ever suddenly feel weak for no apparent reason accompanied with a sensation like feeling your blood circulating around body, and/or heat and increasing pain in one or more joints, then I would get to a doctor as soon as possible. If the pain is off the scale unbearable and will not respond to over the counter pain medicine, have some take you to the nearest emergency room. All the best! Take care!