The Celtic Curse - TFK Haemochromotosis Sufferers and Carriers Thread

A thread for those of us with rampant levels of ferritin to offer help,support and raise awareness.

So far there is myself @Fagan ODowd[/USER] and [USER=110]@Fran

There are surely more.

There are definitely suffers on the board who are unaware of their condition.

Male Western Ireland dwellers have something ridiculous like a 1 in 4 chance of having it due to our years of inbreeding.
Fatigue, joint pains, liver problems are all symptoms.
The good news is, if you have it, you have Viking Blood in you.

1 Like

Great thread Julio

[QUOTE=“Julio Geordio, post: 996353, member: 332”]A thread for those of us with rampant levels of ferritin to offer help,support and raise awareness.

So far there is myself @Fagan ODowd[/USER] and [USER=110]@Fran

There are surely more.

There are definitely suffers on the board who are unaware of their condition.

Male Western Ireland dwellers have something ridiculous like a 1 in 4 chance of having it due to our years of inbreeding.
Fatigue, joint pains, liver problems are all symptoms.
The good news is, if you have it, you have Viking Blood in you.[/QUOTE]

Flesh out the symptoms there, Julio.
I’m fatigued but had linked it more to parenthood than a condition.
Can one develop this condition or do you just have it?
How do I know if I have a liver problem?

[QUOTE=“Juhniallio, post: 996362, member: 53”]Flesh out the symptoms there, Julio.
I’m fatigued but had linked it more to parenthood than a condition.
Can one develop this condition or do you just have it?
How do I know if I have a liver problem?[/QUOTE]

It doesn’t kick in usually till mid to late twenties.
You can have it for years with no idea.

Liver stuff comes late in life. The disease is genetic. If there is a high incidence of liver/kidney problems in the family history, or family history of arthritis in the hands, hip replacements and the like then it could be related. Its only since the early 90’s that doctors have started diagnosing it so lots of people have it all their lives and never find out.

Heres what their website says.

Iron builds up slowly so symptoms may not appear until age 30 or 40. These symptoms include:

[LIST]
[]Chronic fatigue
[
]Abdominal pain
[]Impotence
[
]Arthritis
[]Diabetes
[
]Liver disorders
[]Cardiomyopathy
[
]Skin pigmentation
[/LIST]

Most of these symptoms can be found in other disorders but when arthritis affects the first two finger joints, it is highly suggestive of haemochromatosis.

Chronic fatigue, weakness and lethargy may be ascribed to the after effects of viral infection or to psychological causes, and abdominal pain to irritable bowel syndrome. Similarly, liver disorders may be put down to excessive alcohol intake, even in moderate drinkers.

In such cases haemochromatosis[/URL] should be considered as a diagnosis. Most individuals with [URL=‘http://www.haemochromatosis-ir.com/_haemochromatosis.html’]haemochromatosis will develop at least one or two of these symptoms, although possibly in a mild form. The need for treatment does not depend on the presence of symptoms. Anybody with this diagnosis should be treated to remove iron overload.

We are Celts as well rather than Vikings.

I have been suffering from fatigue and joint pains a lot lately. I put it down to old age and too much sport.
Also a few months back I ate a load of liver for breakfast and wasn’t right for a few days after it, I assume this was due to the amount of iron in the liver. I have a strong family history of this, so I am undertaking to get tested in the next couple of weeks.

[QUOTE=“TreatyStones, post: 996370, member: 1786”]I have been suffering from fatigue and joint pains a lot lately. I put it down to old age and too much sport.
Also a few months back I ate a load of liver for breakfast and wasn’t right for a few days after it, I assume this was due to the amount of iron in the liver. I have a strong family history of this, so I am undertaking to get tested in the next couple of weeks.[/QUOTE]

:clap:

TFK medical threads move to specialisations and already paying dividends.

Keep us informed Erik the Red.

TFK medical threads move to specialisations and already paying dividends.

Keep us informed Erik the Red.[/QUOTE]

Huzzah. We are Celts rather than Vikings I got that mixed up. So something like Runt of the 9 Hostages might be more apt.

I’m pretty sure two of my uncles have this. I shall investigate.

There’s nothing major to it anyway mate. But there can be if untreated. If your Uncles have it you probably do.

This thread is working brilliantly already.

My Grandad lost the first two fingers of his hand to arthritis… bollox… that’s all I need now is to be worrying about a fucking illness I can’t pronounce on top of having to worry about the raping Walter Walsh is going to give us in Croke Park

As I said above. I wouldn’t worry about it. But you should find out if you have it and maybe cut back on the Guinness.

My mother suffers from it.

Severe at any stage of life but particularly so amongst the elderly.

[QUOTE=“Julio Geordio, post: 996380, member: 332”]There’s nothing major to it anyway mate. But there can be if untreated. If your Uncles have it you probably do.

This thread is working brilliantly already.[/QUOTE]

how do they fix it? Antibiotics is it?

Take a pint of your blood once every three months*.

*more often at the start to get it under control.

[QUOTE=“Elvis Brandenberg Kremmen, post: 996389, member: 1624”]My mother suffers from it.

Severe at any stage of life but particularly so amongst the elderly.[/QUOTE]

Have you been checked?

[QUOTE=“Julio Geordio, post: 996391, member: 332”]Take a pint of your blood once every three months*.

*more often at the start to get it under control.[/QUOTE]

I just almost puked.

Yes, but ruled out thankfully. I actually ticked a lot of the boxes as I’m Diabetic and regularly suffer from abdominal pain, but that’s mainly an unpleasant side-effect of diabetes medication.

It was actually the doctor treating my mother that initiated the process of my brothers and I being screened.

I should point out that the doctor takes it. You don’t drink your own blood in some sort of vampire thing.

that would defeat the purpose of the exercise anway

I gathered, but I am a pussy and the thought of some bastard taking a pint out of me sickens me.