A Doctor explains this common, misunderstood Genetic Disease

What is Ironic Health ?

Ironic Health is a book authored by Dr Chris Whittington regarding her experiences studing hemochromatosis cases with Professor Lawrie Powell, probably the foremost authority on Hereditary Hemochromatosis in the world. It was he who convinced the world that Hereditary Hemochromatosis was a genetic disease in 1989 and provided the impetus for the work that was to lead to the cloning of the HFE gene in 1996.

Why Should I Purchase Ironic Health ?

When you purchase and read Ironic Health, you will get

An understanding of Hemochromatosis
Information presented by reference to real world case studies
Very readable presentation of the information

How do I get the eBook ? CLICK HERE

Ironic Health is available as an eBook (in PDF Format) downloaded from the internet immediately.

Hemochromatosis is a straightforward disease. The disease causes your body to not only absorb an overabundance of iron, but to store it as well. This extra iron accumulates in the body’s organs and eventually damages them. If left untreated, the disease can cause your liver, heart and even pancreas to fail.

Patients with hemochromatosis depend on a phlebotomy for a good health for the rest of their life. Scarring of the veins would be a big health problem. For this reason the venipuncture in these patients should always be done by the most experienced staff members! Many patients make an appointment when the person that can stick them the best is on duty.

If there are problems to find a good vein to take the blood, for example due to a thin bloodvessel, there are a number of alternatives possible. Patients with cold hands have contracted veins. They can put their hands 5 minutes in warm water (3, p.85), or putting a warm water bottle on the arm. It is even possible to put a woolen sock over the arm (the end cut out) and putting this well in advance over the arm or putting a warm wet towel on the arm.

Itching can be prevented by putting another sock unther the woollen one. There are also other possibilities why the bloodvessel can be not accessable. The following options may help: regularly pinching in a little bal, bowing the elbow with some force up and down for some time with a fist, massaging the arm with firm pressure, walking some stairs prior to the phlebotomy, shaking the arm 1-3 minutes below the heart.

Taking niacine (NOT niacimide!) about 30 minutes before phlebotomies may help dilate veins. The dosage needed will be adjusted for the individual. Start with 100 mg (–>700-1000 mg). The niacine will release histamine and this will increase the bloodflow making the vein larger. Do not take it on a regular/daily basis. Consult your doctor!

In the case of a “rolling” vein it is helpfull to put a cuff below and above the venipuncture site. This will help keeping the vein at its place. The use of a blood pressure cuff is the most comfortable for the patient and also can help in controlling the bloodflow. Because often the blood pressure is measured before the phlebotomy the band can stay on to the upperarm.

The pressure should be increased just before the venipuncture to have a good access. Immediately after the venipuncture the pressure should be released to a comfortable lower pressure. But the pressure should be so high that it helps the bloodflow. The best pressure is also something that can be noted in the patients personal journal. When the bloodflow begins to diminish pumping up the pressure a little bit can help to give the flow the extra boost that was needed or making a fist (or changing to a new vacuum bottle).

If it is impossible to find a good bloodvessel in the elbow region, other places should be looked for: the lower arm, hands, feet, underlegs, upper legs, neck. The veins in these regions are thinner, so always a small needle should be used (no. (19), 21 or 23). These needles are about the size of the needles used when a little bit of blood is drawn for the lab. When a thin needle is used controlling a constant bloodflow can be a problem (especially if thinner than no. 19).

For this reason a relatively high and constant pressure from outside should be used. As explained before a vacuum bottle should be used to keep this pressure. The size of the needle used, the site of te venipuncture, and all other specific characteristics of the phlebotomy should be noted in the medical chart of the patient. The patient can also fill in a phlebotomy chart as is available from for example the Iron Disorders Institute (the personal health profile) or the AustralianHS, the EnglishHS or the DutchHS.

When using (the smallest possible) needle there is always a little chance of clotting. There are some precautions that can allmost always prevent this. The first thing is that the patient should be well hydrated. This can be done by drinking enough fluids in the 24 hours before a phlebotomy. These fluids should ideally not consist of coffee (or tea in a lesser degree), as it dehydrates.

Best absorbed are fluids with 50% water and 50% juice and a LITTLE! salt (1). These can be ingested during the hours before the phlebotomy. A good option is a sport tonic (without iron!). Some patients also take 0.5 liter of the drink to the hospital and drink it the 30 minutes before the phlebotomy and drink another 0.5 liter during and after the phlebotomy. Drinking too much can be very dangerous with heart problems, so if this is the case a doctor should be consulted!

A phlebotomy should be postponed when the patient has diarrea (or is feeling ill)! When this takes to long, actions should be made to ensure that the patient is well hydrated!
A second precaution is that the doctor or nurse sits next to the patient and increasing the blood flow a little bit when it is too low by pumping up the pressure cuff a little bit. Sometimes it also helps to move the needle a little bit (very carefully) when the flow is getting less.

A third precaution is to thin the blood a little bit. This can be done by the use of (a natural) vitamin E (400-800IU) supplement. Vitamin E is also a very good anti-oxidant in iron overload (vit C supplements should be avoided > 200 mg!). Another option is to take one (baby) aspirin before the phlebotomy. In rare cases your doctor will subscribe a blood thinner.

Usually after the first few initial phlebotomies the blood will get a little thinner. If the needle clots, the next time a little bigger needle may be tried.

If the blood flows to fast and you are using a bloodbag with a big needle it allso helps to lift the bloodbag a little (away from the floor).

When there are problems with the blood pressure consult your doctor!!! If it is not serieus you can drink something with caffeine just before the phlebotomy (coke, coffee or tea). This may help to increase the blood pressure (Caffeine attenuates vasovagal reactions in female first-time blood donors (also consult your doctor!)).

If even a vacuum bottle does not work there are a few options left. One of them is the use of a special low vacuum bottle. This bottle ensures that the vacuum is not to high and that the vacuum stays at a low and constant pressure (for example 0.15-0.25 kg/cm2). This can also be done by using a large number of vacuum tubes that are used for lab drawings of blood.

Another option is the use of a (at least 2) syringes (the larger the better). In this case the (very small needle (no 21-23) is inserted with a tube connected to it (butterfly-needle). The doctor or nurse then has to pull the blood out very gently with a constant pressure, ensuring the vein does not collapse. When there is a third person, changing the tubes is more easily and the flow does not stop, so clotting is prevented. This third person can hand the phlebotomist the syringe and take and empty the filled one while the phlebotomist is filling the next one.

Pain from the stick?

Inserting the needle can be made less painfull by using Emla creme 1 2 3 , a local anesthetic. Emla should be applied about 1 hour before the venipuncture. Emla is prescribed by your doctor, just ask for it.

I found a comment today from someone who suffers from hemochromatosis (toxic iron overload) who said a chemist friend recommended eating cabbage. He said the results were so drastic in reducing his iron load that his doctor retested him …got no idea if this is true but wtf…cabbage is good for ya.

PS. Are you drinking plenty of water
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Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is the most common genetic disorderof persons of northern European extraction. Approximately 1 in 200 to 300 persons of northern European extraction has the disorder.

Hemochromatosis has beenfound in virtually all populations. There are different forms of the disorder but here we will consider northern Europeans.

The incidence of HH in persons of Irish extraction is higher than the average rate for northern Europeans. A rate exceeding 1 in 100 has been found in Ireland. Most cases of HH occur in patients who have two copies of the mutation known as C282Y which is found on the HFE gene.

A smaller percentage of patients may carry one copy of C282Y and one copy of another mutation known as H63D. These patients are known as compound heterozygotes. Other less common combinations occur such as C282Y heterozygotes where the patient only has one copy of C282Y but has hemochromatosis.

In these cases another gene or genes is present. Sometimes this gene or genes can be identified. Identification of such genes is currently the source of
much research into hemochromatosis.

HH is characterized by excessive absorption of dietary iron and a consequent progressive increase in total body iron stores. Of interest it is non-heme iron or the iron contained in sources such as vegetables which is excessively absorbed in HH. Iron accumulates in the parenchymal cells of the liver, the heart, pancreas, anterior pituitary and skin.

This accumulation of iron in body tissues causes disease. The body needs iron to function and has an ability to store large amounts especially in the liver. However when this storage capacity is exceeded disease occurs.

In severe HH the disorder manifests as potentially life threatening conditions such as septicemia, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, diabetes, heart failure and heart arrhythmias.

Arthritis is common and a severe arthritis involving numerous joints may occur. Ovarian and testicular failure secondary to iron deposition in the anterior pituitary and possibly the hypothalamus may occur.
Rarely hypothyroidism may occur.

If HH is not treated liver disease may be fatal. The morbidity and mortality of HH can be reduced by early diagnosis and treatment by phlebotomy or blood letting. If a patient with HH is treated before cirrhosis of the liver develops liver functioning can be improved
and fibrosis of the liver may be reversed.

There is frequently a delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. This is because early symptoms such as fatigue and arthralgia are nonspecific. A high degree of suspicion is needed to make the diagnosis of HH in a patient if the initial symptoms are vague. Because of the inherited nature of hemochromatosis relatives
of those with HH are at increased risk.

Here it is easier to make the diagnosis because an initial case
has been identified. It is very important to make an early
diagnosis of Hereditary Hemochromatosis because patients who have
not developed cirrhosis and are treated by phlebotomy have a normal
life expectancy. Treatment is life long.

If you Suffer from Hemochromatosis, have a Relative with the
disease or Just wish for more information You must Purchase
“Ironic Health”.

An insightful look at how hemochromatosis affects so many different
people. Very readable and interesting. Is a ‘must read’ for both
patients and their doctors. Make it a point to read this one from
cover to cover. Just click the below link
http://www.ironoverload.info/ironichealth

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Hemochromatosis Symptoms

Probably the greatest difficulty in diagnosing early
hemochromatosis is that it is nonspecific and symptoms are vague.
Many sufferers are often diagnosed with the “flu” or “chronic
fatigue syndrome”. Some have suffered years where they have been
suspected of malingering. Paradoxically anemia may firstly be
suspected because of decreased energy.

If the correct tests are not done sufferers may even be given iron
tablets which further worsen their symptoms. Iron overload is
insidious and usually takes many years to develop. Women may begin
to load iron at menopause as the phlebotomy effect of menstruation
has ceased. If this possibility is not suspected the symptoms may
be written off as being due to “hormonal changes”.

The earliest symptoms of hemochromatosis are fatigue and arthralgia
or aching joints. Once iron has begun to accumulate in body tissues
the liver may be affected. In the past it has not been uncommon for
sufferers to be suspected or being secret drinkers when abnormal
liver function tests are found.

As iron continues to accumulate the condition of the liver may
worsen and other organs may be affected.
Other organs which may be involved include the skin, pancreas,
ovaries, testes, heart, digestive system, thyroid and joints.

Annoying skin rashes, palpitations, impotence and diabetes may be a
consequence of too much iron. Many patients suffer from recurrent
infections and may decide to take “immune boosters” which are
metabolized by the liver. This can make their condition worse.

Patients with severe hemochromatosis may present with septicemia or
blood poisoning, heart failure, failure of the reproductive organs
and severe arthritis where joint replacement is necessary. In the
worst cases liver transplant may be necessary. Those cases that
require liver transplant have a 50% mortality within the year after
transplant.

This mortality is often due to heart problems or septicemia. Men
over 55 years of age with severe hemochromatosis have 200 times the
chance of developing liver cancer.

It is important to have a high index of suspicion for the
possibility of hemochromatosis as the disorder is a great mimicker
of other disorders. With the rapidly advancing knowledge on the
disorder it is becoming more common for doctors to order
transferrin (transferrin-iron) saturations (TS) on their patients
and unsuspected cases of hemochromatosis are being found more
frequently.

Elevation of TS values is a big clue as to the diagnosis. However
if only ferritin levels are ordered an early case of
hemochromatosis or even a person with hemochromatosis who has been
a blood donor may be missed. Testing for iron studies is not
expensive. Taken together the TS value and ferritin level will
detect most cases of hemochromatosis.

It is important to diagnose hemochromatosis early as it can be
treated easily. Fortunately with increased awareness this is now
happening. While the patient with end stage hemochromatosis may
save the lives of others as he (usually but sometimes she) has
alerted the doctor and relatives that others may have
hemochromatosis, this represents an unnecessary tragedy that
fortunately is becoming rarer.

People with a specific type of hemochromatosis, an inherited disorder that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron, have more than twice the risk of stroke, according to a report published in Neurology.

Hey I thought I’d just remind everybody, HH or not…

Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

So…drink tons. When I was really powering the water, I was dumpin pounds like mad. But since I quit smokin……

I gained 15 pounds in 90 days. So I will be starting to power the H20 again. Try it. You’ll feel good.

I’ve heard that we need an ounce of water for every 2 pounds of your weight. That would be 69 OZs for me.
138 pounds.

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Book Description

Hemochromatosis is one of modern medicine's greatest oversights.
An inherited metabolic iron disorder, it is most common in people

of northern European descent and most prominent among Scotch-Irish.

For people with metabolic iron disorders, controlling one's intake

of iron contributes to wellness and the prevention of such chronic

diseases as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver disease,
impotence, and depression.

The Hemochromatosis Cookbook is designed specifically for those

who suffer from such iron disorders. It has chapters on appetizers,

salads, fruits and vegetables, main courses (including casseroles),

breads and muffins, and desserts.

Tags: The Hemochromatosis Cookbook

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Hemochromatosis Can Lead To Cancer

10/07/09

Risk factors for primary liver cancer include Having hepatitis, having cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, being male, Low weight at birth. Persons with associated cirrhosis brought on by chronic hepatitis B or C infections, alcohol, and hemochromatosis have the highest risk of developing this kind of cancer.

 Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the world after lung and stomach cancer

The cause of liver cancer is usually cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). Cirrhosis may be caused by viral hepatitis, primarily hepatitis B and C, alcohol abuse, hemochromatosis, certain auto-immune diseases of the liver, and other diseases that result in chronic inflammation of the liver.

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National Hemochromatosis Month

16/06/09

May 2009 was National Hemochromatosis
Genetic Screening & Awareness Month.

Sponsored by the American Hemochromatosis Society

Help us to spread the word about Hereditary Hemochromatosis.

The American Hemochromatosis Society’s, “National
Hemochromatosis Genetic Testing and Awareness Month”

is May 2009 (www.americanhs.org).

The American Hemochromatosis Society (AHS) is urging

Americans to test themselves for hereditary hemochromatosis,
also known as iron overload or iron storage disease.

Hemochromatosis is easy to diagnose. You can even diagnose

it yourself through a self testing lab. And, it is also

easy to treat with bloodletting, identical to blood donation.

In fact, you can prevent hemochromatosis by becoming an
avid community blood donor.

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Hemochromatosis And Anemia

26/03/09



When I was first diagnosed with HH,

my doctor bled me a bunch for the first months.
300 CCs twice a week. He made me anemic to get

my body to use up the iron that was stored in

my heart, liver, pancreas, brain, etc.

Then he slowed down the phlebs until I wasn't

anemic anymore. He told me to take folic acid.

Because folic acid is needed for cell replication

and growth, rapidly regenerating cells such as red
blood cells and immune cells have a high need for

it. Folic acid is found in many foods, such as
asparagus, broccoli, endive, spinach. lima beans.

Anemia and associated diseases compromise the
oxygen-transport capabilities of red blood cells

and the normal immune function of both red and

white blood cells due to increased adhesion,
reduction, or malfunction.

Scientific study strongly suggests that trace
minerals may act as an adjunctive preventive

therapy to reduce the effect of anemia on normal
blood cell function.

Aging, viral infections, blood diseases, and a
variety of drugs, as well as cancer chemotherapy

and radiation therapy, can cause deficits in red
blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelet
production.

I'm no doctor but I would think being anemic is

not a good thing. Having HH already is very hard

on our bodies. We are 32% more likely to suffer

from stroke and heart attack too.

Symptoms of Anemia

Weakness and faintness

Shortness of breath

Increased heart rate

Headaches

Sore tongue

Nausea and loss of appetite

Dizziness
Bleeding gums
Confusion and dementia
Heart failure in some severe cases

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