Quote:
Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington
Margaret, the test they do is Serum Ferritin Levels.
I am not sure if it would show up in hair samples.
The iron, which cannot be processed or excreted, in people suffering from HH is deposited in the internal organs......the liver, the pancreas, the brain and the heart........it used to be called Bronze diabetes, because often those suffering from this condition were found to be diabetic and they also had iron pigment deposited in the skin...giving a bronzed(even healthy) look.
Untreated, HH can lead on to liver cancer, but once diggnosed treatment is successful and sufferers can have a normal life span.
Symptoms can include :- tiredness
Abdominal pain
Joint pains
Memory problems
depression
alopecia(hair loss)
The severity of the symptoms may vary according to the severity of the disease.......most people will not be diagnosed until they reach their 40's and women are usually diagnosed later than this.(because they lose iron during menstruation)
I hope this helps.
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Margaret you are right about the ferritin test although it can be high for other conditions, not just Haemochromatosis.
The genetic test is really the only way to confirm.
Also sorry about the link, I have my members card here and it says
www.haemochromatosis .org.uk