Blood levels

[4getmenot]

I know anaemic people have low iron levels, so what is wrong if you have too much iron in your blood?

[johnlambert]

Iron overload occurs when, after many years, the body absorbs an abundance of iron which builds up in organ tissues such as the heart and/or liver. Iron overload is a serious chronic condition that must be properly diagnosed and treated. Undiagnosed iron overload can lead to hemochromatosis � a potentially life-threatening disease.
Hemochromatosis occurs as a result of significant iron overload. In the U.S. more than one million people have hemochromatosis. While the majority of cases are genetic in origin, other non-genetic causes may occur such as complications from other blood disorders, chronic transfusion therapy, chronic hepatitis, and excessive iron intake.

What are the Symptoms of Iron Overload or Hemochromatosis?
While there is no distinct set of symptoms that indicate iron overload, early symptoms of iron overload or hemochromatosis include:

Fatigue
Weakness
Weight loss
Joint pain
Abdominal pain
As iron overload progresses, patients often experience:


Arthritis
Dyspnea or shortness of breath
Certain conditions are associated with the advanced stages of hemochromatosis. These conditions include:


Arthritis
Abnormal liver function
Glucose intolerance
Diabetes
Severe fatigue
Hypopituitarism
Hypogonadism
Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia
Liver cirrhosis
Liver cancer
Heart failure
Gray or bronze skin pigmentation
Other factors may influence the progression of hemochromatosis. These factors include:


Excess iron in the diet
Alcohol consumption
Vitamin C intake
Infections
Iron lost through menstruation or blood donations
Environmental factors

[4getmenot]

Thank you lambert, the symptons you put are spot on and I think this has to do with excess drink and liver problems my friend thinks she has, she is going through tests at moment and they have found abnormalities in liver and also high iron, but she's worried what they might find in further tests.

[RATTER15]

You get rusty!!!

[johnlambert]

Tell her not to worry until there is something to worry about, the stress of imagining the worst will only add to the condition. Let us know how she gets on willya?

[4getmenot]

thanks ratter but she really is quite worried, I'm sure knowing her she'll laugh at that though :-) I have said alot of it could just be worry she is working all the time and very stressed. she hasnt been right for a while though and this is the first time doctors have actually come up with anything

[johnlambert]

but she's getting sorted now, that's the main thing, perhaps 'environmental factors' should have been on top of that last list, it came into my head late, sorry

[whiffey]

Following on from JL's excellent account, a bit more here:

http://womenshealth.about.com/od/commonhealthi ssues/a/ironoverload.htm

[4getmenot]

Thanks JL you're a star :-)

[whiffey]

My link says nearly the same :)

[4getmenot]

and?

[whiffey]

There may also be symptoms of gonadal failure.

[4getmenot]

no she's had her hormone levels checked. but thanks for that.

[whiffey]

So, just the 1 star for me ?

Check out JL's excellent account, then my link, and see if anything comes into your head late.

[4getmenot]

Are you somehow trying to get lambert in trouble. Of course I know he copied it from a site but it saved me looking and he was very helpful with his comments after. I gave you one star because you were helpful but not the thing I was looking for. Don�t worry yourself about it.

[whiffey]

Yes 4g, but did everybody else know it was copied from the web ?

'perhaps 'environmental factors' should have been on top of that last list, it came into my head late, sorry'

- suggests that it wasn't ? Which is possibly a bit mischievous. I'm not worried, just grey and dyspnoeic.

[4getmenot]

does it matter if they knew or not. It all helped me and thats what I came on here for. :-)

[johnlambert]

methinks I have a stalker, about time too
heyho!!

[4getmenot]

no just a grass :-)

[whiffey]

Look up PLAGIARISM.

[4getmenot]

no thanks thats what I needed to know I;m sure this post could have stopped at
'no she's had her hormone levels checked. but thanks for that' end of really :-)