Too much iron causes problems

MOST of us have heard of anaemia but very few people have ever heard of Haemochromatosis.

Genetic Haemochromatosis is an excess of iron in the body. Two genes from both parents have mutated and the body therefore absorbs and retains the iron from our diet.

The symptoms may start to appear after the age of 30 plus when an excessive amount of iron has accumulated in the body (iron overload). If the condition is not diagnosed and treated the overload of iron can damage different parts of the body such as the liver (unless treated it can cause cirrhosis of the liver or even cancer). The iron overload can also damage the pancreas and the heart.

Some of the symptoms are tiredness/chronic fatigue/generally feeling weak and lethargic. One may also suffer pains in the joints, especially in the hands and fingers. There may well be problems in one’s sex life such as erectile dysfunction and menstrual periods may be disrupted or even absent for women. One may also suffer from depression, mood swings, anxiety and low self-esteem.

If one experiences some of these symptoms in later years when the iron has accumulated then one should consult one’s doctor without delay for the relevant blood tests.

The treatment, though primitive, is effective in reducing the iron overload by having about a pint (500ml) of blood removed (venesection) on a regular basis.

Initially, I needed the treatment every week for several months until the ferritin count had been reduced to a safer level to avoid further damage to my organs. I am now on maintenance and visit the clinic in the University Hospital of Wales every three months depending on my condition.

The standard of nursing care is excellent, especially for someone like me who used to have a phobia about needles and seeing blood.

I was first diagnosed 15 years ago when I was 59.

Many of those who suffer from Genetic Haemochromatosis are from a northern

European background.

It is estimated it affects one in 150 people in Wales and 1 in 113 in Scotland and Ireland.

Next week ( June 1-7) is the World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week. More information and excellent support is provided by the Haemochromatosis Society UK on the internet.