What does it mean when you have a low hemoglobin and hematocrit count?

Answer 1

Your hematocrit is the calculation of your red blood cells including all other blood elements such as platelets, etc. Your red blood cell count is the actual number of red blood cells in your body at one time. If the hematocrit is low, so is the red blood cell count. This can be more frequent in women simply due to monthly blood loss, however if the count is low enough it can suggest some internal bleed or anemia. But the two work together and are usually indicative of the same occuring ailment or problem. If the readings are not that significant the problem causing it can often correct itself.

Answer 2

Low Hemoglobin And Hematocrit

Answer 3

The two are slightly different but related. If they are low, they could have a serious cause, or they might not.

A hemoglobin count is the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin is a protein that carries iron in it, which allows it to carry much more oxygen than your blood could if it didn't have the iron. If your hemoglobin is low, that usually means that your red blood cell count is low. That could have any one of many causes, from an iron deficiency (if you're male you might not want to correct this. More iron in your blood means more cholesterol plaques in your arteries, and thus more heart disease. Depending on your hemoglobin level--it can be too low--don't be in a hurry to raise it. It's very easy for men to have more than is healthy for them) to bone cancer. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, it's nothing to worry about. If your case was a serious one, you'd know about it.

That's because low hemoglobin can mean hemorrage, a thyroid malfunction, lupus (an autoimmune disease), kidney failure, or cancer. If you had any of these you'd also have other symptoms, and your doctor would be hovering over your bed and the tubes you were hooked into about now, so these are not your case.

You're not on chemotherapy, are you?

Hematocrit, on the other hand, is the amount of your blood that is made of red blood cells. A normal adult male hematocrit is 42%-54%. You didn't say what your is, but I'll bet that it isn't below what is normal for a ten year old (38%, give or take two percent), which isn't too bad.

Women's counts are a few percentage points lower.

All the reasons for a low hemoglobin count are the same for a low hematocrit.

Since it sounds as though you haven't sustained a serious trauma and bleeding, nor do you have sickle-cell anemia, nor any of the other serious conditions that can cause it, it's most likely transient and benign. That is, your count will either come back up, or you'll do perfectly fine as it is. My count is normally so low the blood bank won't take my blood, yet I run 25-30 miles a week, I work out with weights, hike and backpack during the summer and snowshoe in the winter, and to all apperances am quite normal. Physically, anyway. Even my doctor smiles at my physicals.

So frankly, I wouldn't worry about it, unless it's so low that your doctor has told you to come in for a transfusion. No? Then you're most likely perfectly fine.

Answer 4

What Does Low Hemoglobin Mean

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What does it mean when you have a low hemoglobin and hematocrit count?

Answer 6

You need a blood transfusion, plain and simple

Answer 7

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