Hemochromatosis Support Group
Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease characterized by improper processing by the body of dietary iron which causes iron to accumulate in a number of body tissues, eventually causing organ dysfunction. It is the main iron overload disorder. Hemochromatosis is notorious for having symptoms that are often initially misattributed to other diseases.
New to group, please assist. been diagnosed for almost three years now, but never been explained the illness or what to look for. I have been struggling on my own it feels like this whole time. I had to ask for a liver biopsy. No doctor could figure out what was causing my bruising or high to high normal iron blood result on lab test...result C282Y two copies...Ferritin started at 742 after phlebbing was at 53, but Oncologist/Hematologist wanted 50 so I gave in to one more Ferritin dropped to 11...that was a year and a half ago....the Ferritin has not gone above 19 since...bouncing between 17 and 15 most of the time. No additional phlebotomy since plummet from 53. I have been almost bed fast from joint pain, fatigue, pain in right side and arm, popping in upper back/shoulders, alternating diarrhea/constipation, stomach pain, brain fog since. PCP and Hematologist has sent me to Internalist/arthritis (put me on Lyrica and anti-inflammatory meds), ran numerous test to include Jak2 everything has been negative, hormone test have been ran neg....but in Oct '18 sat% is 86, Iron 229, and UIBC 37; in Dec '18 Iron Serum is 82 TIBC 298, Hematologist said I go by Ferritin Iron not concerned about these numbers...pain in right side sounds like muscular and walks out the door (that was two years ago. This pain was covered up by meds given by Internalist. I discontinued those when I gained thirty pounds in four months. I was unable to stay awake for more than three hours at a time. Pain returned when meds were stopped). Hemoglobin ranges 15 to 16.1; Hematocrit 45 to 49; EOS: 5.0-7.0; BASO: 1.2-1.5. I have to use a cool wash cloth to control body heat changes at least four or five times a day and nighttime otherwise my head becomes hot and warmth works its way downward. Sweat breaks out around ribcage. I also have Essential Tremors no known cause. MRI in Dec '18 Migraine/Chronic Microvascular Ischemic. Only reaction from Hematologist is she wanted to do a sleep study told her no due to over $4,000 in my cost plus insurance of negetive test results in last eighteen months. Went home have lost 30 lbs. Next appointment end of June is with her to do Ferritin and yearly CBC. Live in DFW area. Any help finding answers or type of doctor I should be seeing would be appreciative. Name of good HHE doctor in westside of DFW would be a blessing!!