Haemochromatosis

Hi fellow pacers. I've had my pm for some 8 years now and am doing fine. My brother has been diagnosed with the above condition (it is iron loading) and is genetic. Apparently if left unchecked it can cause diabetes, heart conditions and eventually liver cancer amongst other things. I'm waiting to have my genetic test to see if I have it. Has anyone else heard of this condition or got it? The hospital have said that my fathers premature death age 35 from an undiagnosed heart condition (1957) may have been linked to it.

3 Comments

Haemochromatosis

by Selwyn - 2016-05-11 10:05:09

Commonly caused 'bronzed diabetes'- due to the skin colour and effect on the pancreas. The iron over load is deposited also in the heart and liver ( causing liver cirrhosis)

Treatment is by bleeding ( at least it used to be when I was tasked to do this!). Providing you don't get iron overload you are safe. There are also drugs that bind with the iron and stop the overload.

I personally have never come across a case affecting the heart, however if the illness goes unchecked it can cause a cardiomyopathy and heart failure, arrhythmias, and coronary disease, apparently in 15-20% of untreated cases.

It can be diagnosed quite late in the illness as it is not very common. The cardiac effects may start to occur in the 20 yr old +.

Hope this little summary is of help,
Selwyn

Hi Hot Heart...............

by Tattoo Man - 2016-05-12 04:05:30



....My sainted ,..long-suffering,..Wife...AKA Mrs Tattoo Man had...repeat, had haemochromatosis a few years back. She had a few bleeding sessions at Lincoln Hospital UK. She reached the point when her liver iron level had re-established itself.....She now has a yearly check-up at our local GP Surgery.

My understanding is that,..in medical terms, still a relatively 'new' condition...not that many years ago it was only 'diagnosed' at autopsy.

Mrs TM is also a Type 2 Diabetic which is also...to the delight of her GP is reversing ..this means that her daily Metformin intake has been halved ...with the possibility of her being taken off it in the future

Best wishes from sunny Lincolnshire.

Tattoo Man

Haemochromatosis

by therileyfamily@hotmail.com - 2016-05-12 11:05:17


A very good friend of mine has this condition and regularly has blood drawn usually about every 3 months.

She can tell when she needs to have it done as she is very lethargic and generally unwell. A few days after having blood drawn she is great and full of energy.

She was also told by her doctors that it is something that affects people of Irish descent.

You know you're wired when...

You can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.

Member Quotes

It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.