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Re: Iron again!!

The link doesn't work, and since you have personal experience I ask -
Will the excess iron show up on a hair mineral analysis test?

Last year I chelated out heavy metals (because I had signs of mercury poisoning) and the test after showed very minute quantities of all heavy metals (includung Iron)

Re: Iron again!!

The link should be
The Haemochromatosis Society UK

English spelling not American.

Try that Margaret, should work.

Re: Iron again!!

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.

Re: Iron again!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 975824)

Enough to make a grown man cry!? Yes Jay fortunately I have not had to have that done, but the lady in the opposite bed did, and the doctor could not find the artery, she got really terrified and I had to go across and hold her in my arms to comfort her while he kept trying. Don't think he ever succeeded but someone else came and did it and she said it was agony though she had calmed down a bit by then. I shall never forget that.

To be honest, they now have nurses that can do blood gases (I always see a nurse when I go for my 4 monthly MOT)at one time it was always a doctor, who, in previous lives, were kicked out of the Gestapo for cruelty:rolleyes:. its the same with a venflon for intravenous treatment, the best at inserting these are paramedics, then nurses and if you've any sense you'll keep doctors well away from that task too they're bloody useless:eek::eek:

Re: Iron again!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 975839)

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

Re: Iron again!!

If there is doubt about the result they offer MRI scan.
I know that serum ferritin levels can be raised in arthritis, inflammatory conditions, infections.....hepatitis and excessive use of alcohol......so along with the iron screening, I had Liver function tests, Serum Ferritin, B12, folates, Total Iron binding Capacity, Transferrin Saturation, Common Reactive Protein(shows up infections - though it doesn't tell you what is infected) and also screening for arthritis.(it felt like an armful of blood)
Thankfully, all my results were within the normal levels.
If any of the results had been abnormal I would have been referred for MRI scan and possibly a liver biopsy.