Do I Have Hemochromatosis?

Do you have a family history of hemochromatosis?

Do you feel very tired all the time (fatigue)?

Do you have pain in the joints, particularly in the knees and hands?

Do you have pain in the abdomen in the upper right part of your abdomen (in the area of the liver)?

Do you have an unexplained weight loss?

Have you lost interest in sex?

If you are a man, do you have an inability to get or maintain an erection?

If you are a woman, do you have irregular periods or absent periods?

Do you have darkening of skin color, which may appear gray, metallic, or bronze?

Do you have a brain fog (you feel like you are not yourself and you are unable to think clearly)?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is an inherited disease that is characterized by the accumulation of iron in the body over the years. In people with hemochromatosis, the body absorbs too much iron from the food they eat, so iron piles up over time in the liver, heart and pancreas. This condition must be treated, because otherwise it can lead to diabetes, as well as serious damage to the heart and liver. The symptoms of hemochromatosis usually occur between the ages of 30 and 60, and are common in people of Celtic origin (countries such as Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is an inherited disease that is also known as iron overload. It is characterized by the accumulation of iron in your body. Hemochromatosis is a result of a mutated gene that you can inherit from one or both of your parents. If you inherit two defective genes, you may develop hemochromatosis, and you can also pass on a defective gene to your children. However, if you inherit one defective gene, you are unlikely to develop the disease. A diagnosis is based on a positive family history, high iron levels in the blood, and additional tests.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is an inherited disorder in which your body absorbs more iron than it can use. The body cannot remove excess iron, so it stores it in organs and joints. Treatment involves a simple and safe method called phlebotomy. Phlebotomy represents the regular removal of a certain amount of blood from your body. The frequency of blood removal and the amount of blood that should be removed depends on the severity of the disease. The goal of phlebotomy is to reduce iron levels to normal, withdraw symptoms and prevent complications.