What should people with g6pd deficiency avoid

The risk and severity of haemolysis is almost always dose-related. This means that if your child takes a higher dose of one of these medicines, they are more likely to develop haemolysis and it is more likely to be severe. Your child should not eat fava beans. Some people should also avoid red wine, all beans, blueberries, soya products, tonic water and camphor. If a mother carries G6PD deficiency, she may pass it on to one or more of her children.

Some babies may get jaundiced yellow shortly after they are born. This is more likely for baby boys. Severe jaundice can be serious for newborn babies if it is not treated.

It is usually treated by putting the baby under a special light for a few days. Many babies with G6PD deficiency are diagnosed because they have jaundice soon after birth. Once the jaundice has passed, they should not get other problems from G6PD deficiency, as long as they avoid fava beans and certain medicines. Some children and adults with G6PD deficiency may develop haemolysis and anaemia after they are exposed to any of these triggers:.

If your child is exposed to a trigger that causes haemolysis, sometimes there are no symptoms at all. In more serious cases, your child may have one or more of the following symptoms of anaemia :. If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, call your family doctor or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Once the trigger is removed or resolved, the symptoms of G6PD deficiency usually go away fairly quickly, usually within a few weeks. Skip to main content. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled.

Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Without enough G6PD to protect them, the red blood cells break apart. This is called hemolysis hih-MOL-ih-sis. When many red blood cells are destroyed, a person can develop hemolytic hee-meh-LIH-tik anemia. This can cause tiredness, dizziness, and other symptoms. Red blood cells that don't have enough G6PD are sensitive to some medicines, foods, and infections.

When these things trigger a quick loss of red blood cells over a short time, it's called a hemolytic crisis. In these cases, the symptoms stop when the cause is gone.

In rare cases, G6PD deficiency leads to chronic anemia regardless of exposure to triggers. Most people with G6PD deficiency don't have any symptoms. Others might have symptoms of hemolytic anemia if many RBCs are destroyed. Mild symptoms usually don't need medical treatment. As the body makes new red blood cells, the anemia will improve.

If symptoms are more severe, a child may need care in a hospital. In males, one altered copy of the gene is enough to cause G6PD deficiency. In females, however, a mutation would have to be present in both copies of the gene. Other diagnostic tests that may be done include a complete blood count , serum hemoglobin test , and a reticulocyte count.

All these tests give information about the red blood cells in the body. They can also help your doctor to diagnose hemolytic anemia. These details can help your doctor with the diagnosis.

If the condition was triggered by an infection, then the underlying infection is treated accordingly. Any current medications that may be destroying red blood cells are also discontinued. In these cases, most people can recover from an episode on their own. Once G6PD deficiency has progressed to hemolytic anemia, however, more aggressive treatment may be required. This sometimes includes oxygen therapy and a blood transfusion to replenish oxygen and red blood cell levels.

You will need to stay in the hospital while receiving these treatments, as close monitoring of severe hemolytic anemia is critical for ensuring a full recovery without complications. Many people with G6PD deficiency never have any symptoms.

Those who do completely recover from their symptoms once treatment is received for the underlying trigger of the condition. Managing G6PD deficiency involves avoiding foods and medications that can trigger the condition. Reducing stress levels can also help in controlling symptoms. Ask your doctor for a printed list of medications and foods that you should avoid. A G6PD test measures your level of glucosephosphate dehydrogenase G6PD , an enzyme that helps red blood cells function.

Learn what to expect from…. A serum hemoglobin test measures the amount of free-floating hemoglobin in your blood serum.