hemachromatosis help

[feeb]

ETA - Feeb, if you can't donate blood but your iron levels are high, you can have a procedure in hossy which removes some blood. Just like giving blood actually but the blood isn't reused.

I did see a physician at st V's and he did tell me to get blood taken off but i have BAD veins and first try the nurse got 30 mls and 2nd time i went they got a professor to take blood and she got it but from veins on upper arm and OUCHY and bruised so badly, they never ever made me more appts, or returened calls when i rang.

When i was preg OB was not concerned and just took some extra bloods to moniter, all was ok

[MantaRay]

That sounds ouchy Feeb.

I found my iron levels dropped a lot during pg and bfing - I even was on one iron supplement a week at the end of my first pg. But as soon as I stopped bfing I could feel the signs of my levels rising.

[feeb]

ohh ok interesting, i wonder what my levels are now as havent had them checked since i was 36 weeks preg!! I am still BF but i am really tired but hard to know if iron, sleep deprivation or what.

When i first found out i didnt know anyone else with it now soooooooooooo many people have it!!! I dont feel like a weirdo anymore!!!

[MantaRay]

I know, it's odd isn't it. I didn't either - and now I know lots of people. The colleague I sat next to at the time I was diagnosed was diagnosed with it a year later. Poor guy hates needles and when I was diagnosed he said "thank goodness that's not me"! And the other day the paed we were seeing for DS1 said she had it too! It must be more common than I realised.

[feeb]

DS is going to hemaology clinic at RCH for appt next week as per our pead to be tested.

[Salsa]

Yep - I have it too!
It occured to me only recently that I should see a dietician about it and some other things I have which are affected by diet. I wish my Gp had thought to refer me to a dietician earlier, like when I was ttc or preg , anyway I have asked my GP recently for a referal. I am not sure how long it will take for the referal appointment to come thru, but I will try remember to come back and add anything that might be useful after I do.
I suugest if you have heama and other conditions you ask your GP for a referal too.

And yes, sadly I cannot donate blood which seems a shame to waste what they suck out of my veins. I cant because I lived in UK too, and last I heard in the UK they wont accept your blood for donation if you have the condition!