About toxic paralytic anemia
What is toxic paralytic anemia?
Acquired aplastic anemia is a rare disorder caused by profound, almost complete bone marrow failure. Bone marrow is the spongy substance found in the center of the bones of the body, in adults mainly the spine, pelvis, and large bones of the legs. The bone marrow produces specialized cells (hematopoietic stem cells) that grow and eventually develop into red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets. In acquired aplastic anemia, an almost complete absence of hematopoietic stem cells eventually results in low levels of red and white blood cells and platelets (pancytopenia). Specific symptoms associated with acquired aplastic anemia may vary, but include fatigue, chronic infections, dizziness, weakness, headaches, and episodes of bleeding, usually in the skin and mucous membranes. Although some cases of acquired aplastic anemia occur secondary to other disorders, researchers now believe that most cases result from a disorder of the patient's immune system, which mistakenly targets the bone marrow (autoimmunity). This is based on the response of the majority of patients to immunotherapy, whether it is ATG and cyclosporine, high-dose corticosteroids or cyclophosphamide.
Aplastic anemia is classified as severe according to blood counts. Most of the discussion that follows relates to severe aplastic anemia. Patients with more moderately decreased blood counts; may not require treatment. Furthermore, some aplastic anemia that is genetically inherited may, first manifest in adulthood, without a family history of blood disease.
What are the symptoms for toxic paralytic anemia?
The signs can vary, depending on the metal and the amount.
Acute poisoning. This happens if you get a high dose at one time, like in a chemical accident in a factory or after a child swallows a toy made with lead. Symptoms usually come on quickly, and you may:
- Feel confused
- Go numb
- Feel sick and throw up
- Pass out
You may also have:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Tingling
- Anemia
- Kidney damage
- Liver damage
- Lung irritation
- Fluid in your lungs
- Brain problems or memory loss
- Horizontal lines on your nails
- Behavioral changes
- Weak or malformed bones
- Miscarriages or premature labor
What are the causes for toxic paralytic anemia?
You might get heavy metal poisoning if you:
- Work in a factory that uses heavy metals
- Breathe in old lead paint dust when you fix up your home
- Eat fish caught in an area with high levels of mercury
- Use herbal medicines that have heavy metals in them
- Use dinnerware that hasn’t been coated well enough to prevent heavy metals from contaminating food
- Drink water contaminated with heavy metal.
What are the treatments for toxic paralytic anemia?
The main step is to stay away from whatever made you sick so you don’t make the problem worse. Your doctor can help you figure out how to protect yourself.
Sometimes you might need to have your stomach pumped to get the metals out.
If your poisoning is serious, one treatment option is chelation. You get drugs, usually through an IV needle, that go into your blood and “stick” to the heavy metals in your body. They then get flushed out with your pee.
Chelation can be an important part of treatment. But the therapy can be dangerous, and it doesn’t work with all heavy metals. So doctors use it only if you have high levels of the metal and clear symptoms of poisoning.
Unproven Tests and Treatments for Heavy Metal Poisoning
Experts say that heavy metal poisoning is rare. But lots of websites claim it’s common and blame it, without proof, for all sorts of health problems. Many businesses sell unreliable tests and expensive or even dangerous treatments.
Hair analysis or chelation challenge tests (“provoked urine” tests): They’re inaccurate. They can’t tell you if you’re sick or need treatment.
Over-the-counter chelation treatments: These are not approved by the FDA, may not be safe, and there’s no evidence that they work.
If you think you have heavy metal poisoning, don’t try to diagnose it or treat it on your own. See your doctor instead.
What are the risk factors for toxic paralytic anemia?
You might get heavy metal poisoning if you:
- Work in a factory that uses heavy metals
- Breathe in old lead paint dust when you fix up your home
- Eat fish caught in an area with high levels of mercury
- Use herbal medicines that have heavy metals in them
- Use dinnerware that hasn’t been coated well enough to prevent heavy metals from contaminating food
- Drink water contaminated with heavy metal.