I can vouch for that...that's why HH people who have undetected iron overload have so many troubles with so many other co-infections and viruses along with HHC. The immune system is definitely compromised. This is especially true of protecting ourselves from viruses like Hepatitis, as people with healthy immune systems can generally fight these off, and we all exposed to them a lot more than we realize, it's just that we fight it off and never know we were exposed.

However, there is a higher prevalence of other viruses and infections that HHC people are more vulnerable to. So it is good to get immunized to things like Hep A, and B, and although there is no immunization against Hep C, it is a good idea to get checked for them from time to time. The liver is already compromised in the case of HHC and iron overload damage, expecially if it is found out later, so the sooner we find out if there is virus the better. The more damaged a liver becomes the harder to treat.

C

I have multiple colds lasting 2 weeks or more every year. I dread the children coming home from school with a sniffle. With all my aches and pains a cold is the one that makes me most depressed despite being the least painful.

This is great information---as it confirms what I suspected. I was a "staph carrier" for several years but my doctor ran a test and confirmed that. A staph carrier is someone who has chronic staph overgrowth in their sinus cavities but without symptoms---but they can pass staph infections to other people. I can throw off most upper respiratory infections well enough,

It;s the skin infections that would have killed me a half dozen times over, in the past 15 years, had it not been for strofng antibiotics. My cat gave me a deep scratch on a finger last week---within 8 hours it was so swollen/infected that there was no blood flow to the tip f the finger. The doctor gave me antibiotic shots in my hips---and huge pills to take .
I want to print out that article so I can show it to my new doctor. Thanks, Strype

Great find Strype

Strangely prior to deironing i used to nearly always have a mild cold but they were never severe but were long lasting. (Is this what they mean by "a large range of disease severities"?) But now that I'm deironed I seem to be getting more severe symptoms of colds/flu just like the rest of the family. However it's probably too early to say for certain as I've only been deironed for a few months so may just be this seasons flu is more severe. The good news is I now have a clear nose most of the time.

I have been sickly my entire life. I could catch Polio by watching it on Discovery Health. I'm sick right now!

Birkita - I FEEL YOU.

WOW explains why I was in the hospital for a month this year fighting for my life. Contracted C-diff while in the hospital for pancreatitis & almost died within 4 hours. I have been on vancomycin now for four months straight and hopefully this horrible infection is gone.

I too will be printing out this info & taking it to my doctor . Thanks for posting it.

I just want to add that if you get an infection or flu or cold or intestinal issues please start taking probiotics! Miss Sophie, you mentioned that you got C-diff while in the hospital---How frightening to come that close to death. What you can do now is buy some probiotics: these are good gut bacteria that play a huge part in keeping our immune system functioning better.

The doctor gave me a very potent antibiotic last week for my cat-claw wound mega-infection. It can cause such bad diharhea that some people get C-diff! But I was also using "Ultimate Flora" daily probiotic capsules.

The flora/ good-bacteria in our guts play a huge part in our immune systems. Any health food store or places online sell many good brands of probiotics. But if you buy some---please check the label to make sure that they contain at least 3 strains of Bifido-bacterium and 5 strains of Lactobacillus. The more variety of strains, the better.
(I am not a doctoe, but just passing on what I have read and learned through experience.)

That's also why it's recommended HHC people stay away from eating and handling raw seafood as it contains bacteria that a person with HHC could be much more susceptible to getting an infection from with the compromised immune system that comes along with having HHC.

Having HHC leaves one much more vulnerable to all types of infections and viruses...as was mentioned by others some examples...even the Hepatitis viruses...very good for HHC people to get immunized as we are all exposed much more than we realize...if a person has to have surgery of any kind it is good to find out from dr what to do to try to help prevent further infection. My husband had so many complications from prior surgeries, not knowing why he got so sick, getting peritonitis and almost dying as another person mentioned...it is very scary. Also contracted Hep C somewhere along the way...the underlying systemic compromised immune system in people with HHC is a very real threat. The amount of inflammatory disorders associated with iron overload is another testament to the damage this disorder causes, as the immune system attacks it's own body...


C

In furtherance to that...I found the site where I had run across some (scientific and medical at times) explanations of the processes of how the excess iron causes cell and tissue dmage that leads to the reduced immune response...it is through the Iron Disorders Institute website...a link they had

http://www.healtheiron.com/iron-infection

I know it is a little scientific in wording, but it is interesting and there are many points that can be gleaned related to this immunity topic. For those that like a brain challenge!!!! You can impress all your friends around the Xmas tree this year!!! LOL

Cheerz, C