Anybody had high Iron /Ferritin

[grouchyOldGuy]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how many HCV people have ever had high Iron or Ferritin on or off tx. Mine has always been high and please let me know if that was ever a problem for any of you. If so would you explain what your doctor did to lower it, I have heard the tx responds better with low or normal Iron/ Ferritin. Has anybody been phlebotomised by there doc to lower it before starting tx? Please explain, Thanks and good luck to you all.

[Jim55]

The article was brief but a good one. My GI told me when I was Dx that he was having an iron panel done. He said that, as the condition of the liver gets worse. More iron would accumulate in the blood. Don't know why. Maybe the liver can't process it as well. I was stage 2-3, grade 2-3. My iron levels were normal so I did not have to worry about that. I would suggest that everyone have an iron test done. Because iron helps build red blood cells and you need all of them that you can get. If you are on Tx and you have iron poor blood anemia will get you down faster than if you didn't. When anemia sets in it screws up your Tx plan (ie. reduction or stopping Tx). Neither is a good thing.

Hang in there.

[ts2010]

I have never quite understood the difference between serum iron levels, ferritn levels and % of saturation levels (is this the same as tranferrin saturation?)  If someone is knowledgeable on this matter would you please explain it to me.  Thanks.

[tina b]

grouchyOldGuy: Try to stay away from cooking in iron skillets along with watching your diet. My hubby never had a 24-hour urine test so I cannot comment on that. I did ask doc yesterday  if he was going to do more than the scheduled 48 weeks of combo (seems to be a lot of that extra time going around) and he smiled and said "We will negotiate that later and see how he is tolerating it". Good luck on your dr. visit.

[DH Bill]

BTW I'm clear at this point and am learning to work thru the mental game of tx at this point. I'm doing much better than a month ago, thank God. 14 shots to go

For those of you struggling with the normal **** life seems to throw at us on top of tx HANG IN THERE! I have wanted to quit so bad BUT have managed to hang in there.
THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!

dh bill

[Luke307]

Hi, does anybody know of sugarless breakfast cereals without added iron.I'm getting very tired of Post Shredded Wheat.Lol

I was told by a hematologist that any kind of trauma to the liver can raise the ferritin level,for what thats worth.


luke

[tina b]

I heard that too about liver damage and ferritin........any kind of trama can cause ferritin levels to rise....even a broken arm according to one doctor I talked to.

[DH Bill]

Bear with me. I'll give you a little history. In 1967 I got sick, was dx with non A/non B hepatitis (which was what they used to call hcv)got over it in about 6 weeks and forgot all about it. 1998 in a routine exam I was dx with hvc. At the time they didn't have combo tx here nor would insurance pay for it they did biopsy and said my liver was not to bad. They sent me on my way with just this infomation. I left thinking I would die of liver disease so what the hell I started to really drink a lot.

Christmas 2002 (I was 53) I decided to stop drinking and get my life together and pursue my sports related activities (Mt bike racing). By March I was not feeling good so I went to Doc and was tested for EVERYTHING! Found nothing and said I need to see new hepatitis doc in town. He found bx showed not much change I think stage 1 grade 2, 1-b, 315,000 vl, gallstones and very high iron levels.
He tested for Hemochromotosis and explained the plebotomy which depressed me more than hcv tx. The test finally came back and said I didn't have it and now into shot #34 my iron levels are normal and don't know why.
Make sure you have a good doc and please try not to worry about what you don't know yet. It won't help. Nothing you can do without facts and knowlege.