Haemoglobin Low

[Biz]

Evenin' all.

Had the Class 1 recently renewed for another year. However, my haemoglobin count was 0.1 above the lower limit set down by the CAA. My question really is should this worry me and warrant futher investigation by my GP or should I simply be satisfied it's within limits?

Thank you in advance for your replies!

[DX Wombat]

I don't know the lower limit for the CAA medical but if your Hb is on the low side may I suggest you take a look at your diet - does it contain plenty of iron-rich foods, Folic Acid and Vitamin C? If it does, then go and see your GP - it would probably be a good idea to do this anyway and ask him to recheck your Hb for you. Your GP will then be better able to take things futher if necessary.

[obgraham]

Are you male, or female? (It make s a difference)

Graham, MD

[gingernut]

I'm not sure how the CAA measure Hb, my Class 2 medical involved some sort of fingerprick test. It that's the case, it's probably worth having a re-test involving taking a sample from your arm.

If your talking in units of g/dl, then I suspect the 0.1 difference is due to an artefact, rather than anything sinister.

Anaemia is usually seen as a symptom, rather than a disease, and your doc. is duty bound to differentiate between the various causes.

The likely cause, and further investigations, will depend on your age, sex, and co existing health.

The most (common), and most benign cause is heavy periods, the most unlikely (and sinister) cause is cancer. And there's lots of mid ground inbetween.

So go and see someone who knows what they are talking about. Your GP is a good starting point.:)

And what the flipp are the CAA doing measuring Hb's? Are they trying to stop planes crashing, are they interested in saving pilots live's, or have they just got a new machine to play with?

[Biz]

Morning one & all.

Many thanks for the informative replies. I have resolved to get around to my GP soon enough to have a further test. Hope I haven't started to get periods - I'll need to explain that to my wife! Thank you once again.

[DX Wombat]

The above post demonstrates many the wrong things you can come across in this forum. It is written by someone who is a pilot not a medically qualified person.
First of all Gingernut is a HIGHLY QUALIFIED MEDICAL PERSON to whose opinion I would defer and I have plenty of appropriate qualifictions. He is also a pilot.I would recommend the ferrograd tablets as something to take daily starting about 6 weeks before your medical. Low haemoglobin can leave you breathless and tired anyway, so a good thing to keep an eye on......... I am posting this as I think my experiences may help people looking to boost their chances of passing the medical. That is extremely dangerous advice. None of us knows the medical history of Biz who made the original post and a full medical history is essential prior to prescription of any drug and yes, Ferrous sulphate, ferrous gluconate etc ARE drugs. A low Hb does require investigation. The reason for the low Hb may be something very simple but equally it may have a serious origin.
Prescribing/recommending drugs for someone whose medical history is unknown to the prescriber is not only dangerous, it may have fatal consequences. If a person wishes to mess around with their own life by taking substances to mask a medical condition in order to pass a medical essential for their job then that is their problem and probably also the CAA's should they get to hear of it.
Biz, you are doing exactly the right thing by getting your GP to check your blood for you. Good luck, I hope it all turns out to be something very minor such as a temporary lapse in a good diet.

[Grasscarp]

I have removed my offending post. I was not advocating that people ignore the reasons that their iron levels are low and I said that I had been referred to (and gone to) my doctor for a full blood test. I was giving tips for quickly boosting your iron levels, when there is no underlying cause that needs attention.

I wanted to tell gingernut why the amount of haemoglobin should be tested as he has put at the end of his posting

And what the flipp are the CAA doing measuring Hb's?

I thought he really wanted to know but you now tell me that he is in fact a "highly qualified medical person".

[Spitoon]

And what the flipp are the CAA doing measuring Hb's?As I understand it, the current medical requirements are set by EASA (developed from JAA agreed standards?).

When developing such standards and requirements the way that EASA appears to work is to take the worst of all solutions that have existed within the EU and then to add some irrational PITA rules because someone writing the rules thinks it's a good idea....whether it's relevant or not. In the area or medicals we seem to have moved from a check that a pilot or controller is likely to be medically fit enough to do their job until their next routine medical to a regime of health screening that looks at the candidate's probability of meeting the requirements far into the future. Maybe such screening and the associated advice is a good thing - but surely is not part of the aviation regulatory framework.

P.S. - I was told I had a low haemoglobin level (and unusually little red blood cells) following blood checks during a short hospital stay about a year ago. The hospital doc reccommended that I see my GP to investigate the slightly odd values. My GP said the results weren't odd enough to warrant further investigation. And I'm still h

[gingernut]

Ok folks, I didn't mean to cause panic or controversy by my post. The bit at the end about the CAA was a mini rant, and unfortunately got sort of mixed in with the argument.

I didn't see Grasscarp's post, but my point is that the CAA have to think carefully about using screening tools, without thinking through the consequences.

If a screening tool works, then go for it.

If it doesn't, then chuck it.

It's an old adage, but seems to still work well....
Wilson's criteria for screening tests - General Practice Notebook (http://gpnotebook.com/simplepage.cfm?ID=1469710399)

Bottom line, if you've got "anaemia" the odds are, there is a benign cause, whilst posts on here about supplements are well intentioned, it's probably best talking to a health professional prior to going into Holland and Barrett. The odds are, you'l get sent to Holland and Barrett :)

[homonculus]

The reason I heard this test was introduced, on the 'highest' authority, was that JAA was locked in debate with the Germans demanding hundreds of pounds/marks of tests and the UK and Norway wanting none. The only way to go home was compromise so they agreed on one test and our side won by choosing a test everyone passes unless they are sick

In fact the fingerprick test is so useless as to be a joke. Many failures turn out to have normal haemaglobins and even vice versa.

As has been said, if you are anaemic, go find out why. But at the end of the day us doctors only give advice, and we dont give a hoot whether the patient follows the advice or not - that is what a free society means. I see total tosh written on this site about statins, the most exciting drug since aspirin, but you can do what you like with your body. Equally anyone can give advice provided they dont falsely claim to be a doctor. It is not illegal to take iron to get your haemaglobin in the pass range provided you admit you know it was low, which you probably didnt as you would just be playing safe. Not good medical advice, but this is a rumour network. Caveat emptor.