Are you taking iron ? Eating a lot of red meat? When you have hep c the liver tends to store the iron and helps the hep c. Iron is bad for hep c. This is all I know and not 100% that I know what I am talking about but that was what I was told.

i quit eating red meat about a year or two ago and i rarely eat chicken...waiting for the second blood test to come back...thanks for your reply...o and i don't eat fish sheesh...where is this iron overload coming from

I have iron overload. Been having phlebotomy for two years now. My ferritin is now at 26 and am on what is called a maintenance schedule - every three months.

I have the double gene mutation C282Y, which is Hereditary Hemochromatosis. Each parent passes on one gene. Ask your doc to run the genetic test. I passed one gene on to my son so he is a carrier.

With HH, you do need to stay away from milk thistle and vitamin C. No vitamins with iron. No iron supplements. Red meat is very high in Heme iron - BAD. Non-heme (fruits and veggies) GOOD. It's a different kind of iron that does not process.

What is your ferritin and saturation percentage? That determines how often you have phlebotomy. I was on an every three week schedule until deironed, now every three months.

You have to be deironed before you can begin tx.

The best info is in two books. One at local bookstores. Hemochromatosis Cookbook by Cherly Garrison. The second is on line called Medifocus Guide to Hereditary Hemochromatosis.

I have tried on line support groups and found they were not for me. A lot of bad information.

Sorry you have it, but it is fixable. If you do have HH you will have to have phlebotomy for the rest of your life.

Vitamin C supplements. If you do eat citrus it is best to wait a few hours after to eat anything else.

That's great info from Sandy. There was a post not long ago by Johnny talking about the same thing. The actual amount of free iron you have is pretty important. It's not unusual for HCV folks to have elevated levels, but not everyone has Hemochromatosis and needs bleeding.

You are right. There are many causes other than HH that causes high ferritin.

thank you all, and thank you sandye55, i've been so depressed about this....how long does a bleeding session take and do you start to feel better as the iron level goes down? my iron is at 367..they've check my blood a second time and i should find out in a week or so...were you tired and intollerant to the cold...even my hair is thinning...

I dont know much about this, but i do know, according to Sandy that your iron level is real high. I'll get her to respond back to your post, and she can tell you more. She is VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE in this department.

thank you all so much

Kathy, yours is not that high. In women 50 - 200 is the norm. If it turns out you have HH it will not take long to get you to 50, and weekly phlebs would not be necessary. However, doctors are different. Those who go weekly are in the 1,000's and that's when liver, heart, pancreas, and brain functions can become damaged.

The symptoms you described are very common. Fatigue and joint pain being the worst. Every person is different as to how they respond. It took me quite a few phlebs before I could feel a difference, but my ferritin was much higher. And I can now tell when I'm loading.

Here's some sites to help you.

http://www.irondisorders.org/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hemochromatosis.html

http://www.ironoverload.org/

http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~jO3tricadskc9/

These are just a few I have more. This is a very common genetic disorder, in fact, the third most common.

Hope this helps.

Sorry, missed this question.

Usually HH patients give a pint each time. For me, I am a fast bleeder and a pint takes me five to seven minutes. Now that I have finished tx for HCV, I am being treated by the hemotologist - they use a much smaller needle and it took 44 minutes.

you've all been so helpfull...i do feel a little better now...wasn't afraid of the needles, was afraid it might be like dialasis with the shunt and all...thank you all.

The procedure is exactly like when you donate blood, except the needle is larger. 16 gauge. I do know people who get a 14 gauge.