Hemochromatosis :: Extreme Fatigue And Then Insomnia
Feb 14, 2016
I was recently diagnosed and started treatment in Nov 2015 every two weeks. My doctor expects I will be done with phlebotomy by mid March. The question I have is that the last 2 treatment, I feel terrible. My hemoglobin is 11 and I have trouble with my blood clotting. I actually feel worse since starting treatment. It goes to extremes fatigue and then insomnia. Is this normal? Will I feel better when the ferritin reaches 50?
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I am 56 postmenopausal woman, having these symptoms: extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, left side headaches, tingling on left side of face, nausea, hair loss, intense all over pain, bad memory and concentration. The gp did blood work and my iron was 56, the transferring was 307, saturation was at 13%, ferritin was 16. She wasn't concerned until I pushed the issue of feeling so bad and she added 325 of iron tablets everyday. Been taking this 3 weeks now and feel worse. Gp says probably my fibromyalgia and wants me to see a neurologist. I'm at my wits end, I cannot function anymore from the exhaustion, pain and headaches. Any info would greatly be appreciated. Thanks, Pam
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This adventure started about 9 months ago. Instead of my normal routine of get up, eat, hygiene, off to work (I was a remodeling contractor), I started falling back to sleep after breakfast. I must pretext this by saying that I take 40 mg of Adderall in the am and the afternoon. First it was 1/2 hour and eventually 3 hours. Then it was an afternoon nap also, Then an evening nap. This was not every day but most days. About eight or so weeks ago, I developed a blood clot behind my left knee and several in my lungs (as a result of being on my knees for long periods of time installing floor trim we figure). After I got out of the hospital, I started a slow but sure incline in my energy level. Then on October 23 (my 40th birthday) I got short of breath, disoriented, incapable of making clear decisions. eventually I called 911 and when the EMTs got here I had a blood O2 level of 89%. They took me to the ER in a bus and I have never been the same since. I have experienced no increase in my energy level, I have a sore throat most of the time, flu like symptoms, muscle weakness, Most days my mind is still strong but not all, I am functioning at about 25% of what I used to be capable of, I have problems pulling the proper word out of my brain (sometimes 8 or more times per day), I feel run down especially the day after I over do it, at least 4 people have recently tried to talk to me about conversations that I have no memory of, my allergies are not only out of control they are the opposite of what I usually experience (instead of a dry nose I now have a constantly runny nose and I sneeze 50 times per day. I did test positive for Epstein-Barr exposure at some point in my life. I have 6 of the eight symptoms for diagnosis and like 25 of the 35 or so that people with CFS report. We have not yet ruled out MS, Lupus, and all of the kinds of cancer that are required for a CFS diagnosis, but I am almost positive it is CFS. Thoughts?
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I am just wondering whether anyone has had genetic testing to rule out causes of fatigue? Myself and my brother both suffer with extreme tiredness and I'm wondering if it's worth asking for it to be investigated down the genetic route.
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None of the medications that I have taken are helping with fatigue and energy, and are causing a lot of side effects. So I'm thinking about going on Dr. Teitelbaum's protocol for fibro and CFS: D-Ribose, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Co Q10 and 5-HTP. Has anyone tried these supplements and did you have any results (good or bad)?
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How often do you have venesections? When you have them how much blood do they take (500 cc.'s)?
After getting to your number, how often have you had to have more venesections?
Somewhere I read that it may be better to take smaller amounts of blood more often.
I realize everyone is different but just trying to get a handle on this.
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I've been diagnosed with Haemochromatosis . My ferritin level was 1421.
I've only had 4 venesections so far but my levels are down to 700.
I know ferritin levels can fluctuate but to me this is a drastic reduction considering I've only been having treatment for a month.
Is this normal.
Also my feet get extremely cold at night if I'm just sitting down Reading or watching TV. I also have to wear bed socks at night as they are so cold. Could this be due to bad circulation and is it a symptom of Haemochromatosis.
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I'm 25 and was told I have hemochromatosis about a year ago. I drank pretty heavily in college and have on weekends since. I eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. I noticed a slight tint of orange on one of my fingers and fearing the worst. I have slight discomfort on my right side sometimes but never pain.
I question if I have done too much damage to myself and fearing the worse. I had questions as does this condition take years to effect or can it take a turn for the worst in the 20's?
I have been going with Green Tea and many other recommended options for a long time. Do others that have this cut out alcohol completely?
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Has anyone out there known someone to have a liver transplant due to hemochromatosis? If so, what was the experience like" Did the patient continue to store iron afterward?
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After reaching the required level of 50 or below, I was told I didn't need to be tested for 3 months. Was wondering if anyone on the maintenance program has had to have more phlebotomies or has it remained a constant at lower than 50?
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I was recently diagnosed with Hemochromatosis. I am waiting for the genetic testing result before they do treatment. One of the issues I have been having is hair loss, which led to me getting my iron tested. Have others of you experienced hair loss? Once you started getting treatment (blood drawn) did your hair grow back? Did you have to do other treatment for the hair loss?
I should probably be more concerned about other aspects of this disease, but as a woman in her 40's, losing half your hair is very disconcerting. I also feel like my scalp is burning or tingling quit a bit. That and the hair loss started about 6 months ago.
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has anyone stuck with a low iron diet. Have you found the results to be beneficial. I will do anything to avoid more blood draws!
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A genetic test has just come back that I have this. Can someone help me understand this and is this why I'm exhausted all the time.
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I have just been diagnosed as having haemochromatosis and really scared as i don't like needles and don't know much about this and the doctor only told me i had it over the phone i am not sure what to expect but i am really dizzy and sick with it and seem to sleep a lot but i also get awful thirsty the doctor won't give me medication as she says she has to see how to deal with it.
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I am a 25 year old Male from Ireland (both parents are Irish) and I recently attended the doctor because I found two lumps, one under each armpit (one painful,one not). I asked the doctor what this could be and she told me they were probably blocked sweat glands. She wrote a prescription for some antibiotics and that was almost that. Before I left, I also mentioned that I had been getting persistent pressure like headaches in the top right corner of my forehead. They were not severe, merely an annoyance but their persistence was what worried me.
When I told the Doctor this she said it would be best if I had blood tests done.
I had the tests done and everything came back normal apart from my Iron levels. My transferrin Saturation was at 61%. My iron level was 36.8 umol and my TIBS was at 61 as well.
The doctor wrote on the results that a transferrin saturation above 55% was highly indicative of Hereditary Hemochromatosis (94% predictive).
I spoke with my parents and asked if there was a family history and found out that in fact, my whole family have a history of low iron levels and vitamin B12 deficiency.
The same applied with my brothers and sisters (family of 5).
Shouldn't there be a history of at least one family member with high iron levels?
Is there any way that transferrin saturation levels can be raised temporarily and result is a flawed blood test?
I gave a second blood test yesterday but was told that the screening process for hemochromatosis takes 10-12 weeks.
I have read up so much about the disease in the past two days and have really worried myself so if you have any information or previous experience it would be great if you could share.
Could any of the following have affected my results:
I Binge Drink once a fortnight/month
I Smoke 10-15 a day
I Eat a lot of takeaway food.
I Was taking Centrum Advance supplements sporadically in the lead up to the blood test.
This has been a wakeup call for me so I immediately quit smoking and focused on improving my diet.
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I am wondering if there is someone else who is or has dealt with this condition at this young age. She will be undergoing a series of test in 2 weeks.
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I am a 34 year old male who was diagnosed with hemochromatosis only after a liver biopsy because i only have one of the genetic markers. When diagnosed my ferritin was over 5000. Shortly after i was diagnosed with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. Is anyone out there in the same boat as me.
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Does anyone else experience extreme bloating on trimethoprim?
I have also been prescribed it for a UTI, and only a 3 day 200mg dose. Does anyone else find the same?
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I've already wrote a post below but just wondering if anyone knows how long the genetic test takes. I had mine two weeks ago but have now been told it could be 4 - 6 weeks. My bloods came back showing that I am anemic so my doctor doubts I have HH anyway. I have all the symptons and now waiting to be referred to gastro for my third lot of investigation. I am thinking the doctors really are not clued up about this at the moment.
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I need to have facial hair removal but have been told that having hemochromatosis, I may be a further risk towards possible skin damage, which could result in skin hypo/hyper-pigmentation.
My Haematologist told me that skin discolouration could occur from having hemochromatosis, which I was aware about (and this is only if your iron levels aren't controlled) but I don't know if by simply having hemochromatosis, destroying the follicles that produce hair, by laser, could result in unsightly skin damage that wouldn't otherwise happen if I didn't have hemochromatosis?
I've asked the hemochromatosis society and Christianos centre (laser clinic) but none of them have come back with any information based on people who have had laser hair removal, more a vague hypothesis on the matter at this stage involving detailed information I'm continuingly absorbing but being lead astray with as it's not an area I'm experienced with enough to gain a constructive enough opinion (biology). I'm transgender so need to have this done soon as poss.
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anemia and iron overload at the same time.
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