Advise About Hemochromatosis.

Check out www.webmd.com.

Yes, I have it. It's in ghe genes. I have two brothers, one has it and the other does not. When your blood tests come back and you are OK, just continue regular (yearly) checks. If not, go see a Hemotologist. You can get all the information you need from the internet, just type in hemochromatosis. I was a regular (quarterly) blood doner anyway, so it posed no problem to go once a month for about a year. The Dr. has set a iron % he wants. I was diagnosed a couple of years ago. I now got to the blood center about every 6 weeks or so. As for food...drink tea. The acid will counteract the iron in what you eat. Don't eat liver. Most everything you eat has iron. The blood center keeps a list of foods recommended for persons who don't have enough iron. Just get one of those and do the opposit. If you take vitamins, take one with no iron. Don't worry about the condition. It is life threatening ONLY if you don't treat it. It can cause multiple problems otherwise. The main thing is to see a blood specialist. I am 72 and if you've never been a blood doner, this is a good time to start. The state of Texas has OKed hemochromatosis blood to be usable, so not only will you be helping yourself, you'll be helping others as well. Good Luck.

Hi T., my husband was diagnosed with it several years ago when we lived in Chicago. He did the giving of the blood for about 6 month. He is very stubborn and a HUGE red meat eater, so he has not changed his diet at all. We have moved twice since Chicago and each new doctor, he tells them about it and they don't seem to be able to diagnose it. So he took it very seriously at first but now he pretty much goes on with life as if he doesn't have it. It makes me mad. His Dad was tested positive for it as well, but doesn't do anything about it. So, sorry I am really of no help. It sounds like your brother is doing the right thing.

Although I don't have it, my mom did (still does). She got it under control by cutting out all red meat, raisins and a few other foods that are really high in iron. She was able to work around the foods she eats to control it. She did NOT have to become a vegetarian, she still eats chicken and pork, but she even made sure that her multivitamins (Centrum Silver) have no iron. Good luck with it, my mom did.

My 78 year old sister was diagnosed as having Homozygous Hemochromatosis about 3 months ago, after years of being misdiagnosed on medical issues she was having. She is unfortunately in the end stage of Cirrhosis of the Liver, initially caused by the Hemochromatis. The doctor says the theraputic phlebotomy (blood donations) will not help her at this point and chemotherapy is not an option either.

My 79 year old brother just passed away from complication of diabetes caused by hemochromatosis. My 74 year old brother has it as well but is classified as a carrier and not active.

Several of my nephews have been tested and are carriers but not active. I am currently awaiting test results.

my aunt just found out she has it, she has to go in once a week to give blood to get rid of the excess iron.

My father has this and he does give blood every 2 weeks but I don't think you "have" to do that. It just helps and is easy. He did have to change up some foods that were high in iron, especially fortified cereals, etc. He does ocassionally still have red meat but he is more careful.