SILENT DESTROYER

REGARDING the story, New drug could change lives (TC, 9/8), it was great to see the raising of awareness of haemochromatosis and the lifethreatening damage it can do when not diagnosed and managed early.

Sadly, however there is still a general lack of awareness of the condition and consequently many people suffer the effects of haemochromatosis without being diagnosed.

Early symptoms are fairly common to other conditions with people often feeling tired all the time, sometimes with aching joints. When undetected and untreated, haemochromatosis can cause organ and tissue damage potentially resulting in premature death.

One in seven people are carriers of the gene, often without being aware of it and one in 200 Caucasians are genetically predisposed to haemochromatosis.

Even though this is an hereditary condition, its chronic under diagnosis over many years means many family deaths in the past have been put down to other causes. With so many of its effects mimicking other conditions it is only by having iron studies (not a routine part of blood tests) that dangerously high iron levels can be detected.

The good news is that if detected before damage occurs, with management, haemochromatosis is no barrier to a normal life or life expectancy.

If you have any concerns, please speak with your GP. There are still too many people whose health is at risk because of this “silent destroyer”.

More information can be found at www.ha.org.au

DR DIANNE PRINCE, president, Haemochromatosis Australia