Hemochromatosis
What is Hemochromatosis? Hereditary Hemochromatosis is an iron disorder in which the body simply loads too much iron. Too much iron can lead to life threating conditions, such as liver diseases, heart problems and diabetes. Hemochromatosis is most often seen in people who have two copies of this C282Y mutation (one from the mother and one from the father). Hemochromatosis is not something that be cured, the patient will need to be monitored and treated for the rest of his life. However, iron overload is curable. Iron is an essential nutrient found in many foods. Iron carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Normally, humans take in 8-10% of the iron in foods that they eat. People with Hemochromatosis can take in four …show more content…
A person with severe iron overload may need to give blood as much as 8 times in a single month! The goal is to bring blood ferritin levels to an ideal range of 50-150ng/mL. Depending on the amount of iron overload at the time of diagnosis, reaching normal levels can require several phlebotomies. Serum ferritin drops about 30ng/mL with each full unit (500cc) of blood removed. When ferritin falls more rapidly following a phlebotomy, there is likely some other reason for the fast rate other than the blood donation. These reasons are specific to the individual but can include the presence of inflammation, changes in alcohol consumption, or changes to medication. Once iron levels reach normal, a person can begin maintenance therapy, which involves making a blood donation every 2 to 4 months for life. Some people may need to give blood depending on what they eat and how quickly their body absorbs iron. The TS% and serum ferritin tests can be done periodically to help determine how often blood should be removed. When hemochromatosis is diagnosed early and treated before organs are damaged, a person can live a normal life expectancy. For people who have the disease at the time of diagnosis, life expectancy may be shortened depending on the disease. If a person is diagnosed and treated before serum ferritin is above 1,000ng/mL the risk of liver cancer is less than
What is Hemochromatosis? Hereditary Hemochromatosis is an iron disorder in which the body simply loads too much iron. Too much iron can lead to life threating conditions, such as liver diseases, heart problems and diabetes. Hemochromatosis is most often seen in people who have two copies of this C282Y mutation (one from the mother and one from the father). Hemochromatosis is not something that be cured, the patient will need to be monitored and treated for the rest of his life. However, iron overload is curable. Iron is an essential nutrient found in many foods. Iron carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Normally, humans take in 8-10% of the iron in foods that they eat. People with Hemochromatosis can take in four …show more content…
A person with severe iron overload may need to give blood as much as 8 times in a single month! The goal is to bring blood ferritin levels to an ideal range of 50-150ng/mL. Depending on the amount of iron overload at the time of diagnosis, reaching normal levels can require several phlebotomies. Serum ferritin drops about 30ng/mL with each full unit (500cc) of blood removed. When ferritin falls more rapidly following a phlebotomy, there is likely some other reason for the fast rate other than the blood donation. These reasons are specific to the individual but can include the presence of inflammation, changes in alcohol consumption, or changes to medication. Once iron levels reach normal, a person can begin maintenance therapy, which involves making a blood donation every 2 to 4 months for life. Some people may need to give blood depending on what they eat and how quickly their body absorbs iron. The TS% and serum ferritin tests can be done periodically to help determine how often blood should be removed. When hemochromatosis is diagnosed early and treated before organs are damaged, a person can live a normal life expectancy. For people who have the disease at the time of diagnosis, life expectancy may be shortened depending on the disease. If a person is diagnosed and treated before serum ferritin is above 1,000ng/mL the risk of liver cancer is less than