What are some of the symptoms of hemochromatosis?

A few: Lack of energy, abdominal pain, memory fog, loss of sex drive, heart flutters, irregular heart beat. When symptoms are associated with hemochromatosis, these usually begin in men in their late 20’s to early 30’s. In women, symptoms usually start about 10-15 years after they stop having a period due to menopause, birth control pills or hysterectomy.

That's moot: Hemochromatosis is able to produce a huge number of different symptoms -- everything that diabetes or liver failure can do, as well as gray-bronzing of the skin or heart rhythm troubles. Pain in the joint at the base of the thumb is famous. It's easily diagnosed on follow-up on the yearly chemistry profile that you get, or a serum ferritin. Talk with your doctor and get checked; it's common.

Depends: Depends on age and gender, also which organ is affected...There is a large spectrum. This is inherited so speak to your kids and family to get tested.

Varies: Many times, it is only presented with high iron saturation and or iron storage without having any symptoms. However, the clinical manifestations of iron accumulation can include liver disease, elevation of liver enzymes, skin pigmentation, diabetes mellitus, arthropathy, impotence in males, and cardiac enlargement with or without heart failure or conduction defects etc.

Subtle: Simply feeling unwell. Arthritis worst at the base of the thumb is said to be quite suggestive. Erectile dysfunction in a man. When the symptoms become obvious, the damage is already massive.

It depends: Not everyone with the gene (you need 2 defective copies) will develop symptoms. Women take more years to develop them than men, because of pregnancies and menstrual cycles that naturally deplete their iron stores. You may need to discuss this with a physician, but florid presentations include diabetes, joint pains, skin discoloration, impotence, liver problems and increased risk of liver cancer.

Subtle: Simply feeling unwell. Arthritis worst at the base of the thumb is said to be quite suggestive. Erectile dysfunction in a man. When the symptoms become obvious, the damage is already massive.