Iron overload

[bluedove57]

  I have major iron overload in my liver. I've been getting iron shots for the past 5 1/2 years. In October they discovered by a MRI that my liver is loaded with iron. This has been cause by the iron shots we get in dialysis. Apparently my body doesn't utilize iron so it stores it in my liver. This could cause Chirosus of the liver. I'm lucky that my liver hasn't been affected yet. They are now dumping my blood after dialysis instead of returning it to get rid of the excess iron. Has anyone been tested for this? I was told it is common in dialysis patients but they don't look for it. Doesn't that suck!!! Now they are no longer giving me iron shots and will never again. A fluke MRI spotted this. Does anyone have this same problem...let me know please. 

[shay_pcb]

I don't, but thanks for the warning!! I'll be sure to ask my dialysis center about it!!

[Rerun]

I'm glad you found out.  I did not think of that happening.  Thanks.

[Bajanne]

That is a real eye-opener.  One more thing we have to be careful with!  The list goes on .............

[livecam]

As part of some blood work for a non renal issue one my docs noticed that my serum iron levels were out of sight.  Those levels can cause many problems and are a possible indicator of digestive tract problems among others.  He ordered a test for Hemochromatosis which is a genetic disorder that causes abnormally high iron levels.

The test came back negative which was nice.  He sort of stopped worrying about those levels and I haven't heard anything more for about 9 months regarding them.   The treatment for Hemochromatosis is sort of dialysis like, periodic bleeding which is the only way to bring those levels down over the long term.

I should just say that I'm about 64 months post transplant and received iron both orally and by injection during my dialysis years.  Whether that had anything to do with this so much later is unknown.  Further testing of the digestive area later showed all to be in proper order.

[bluedove57]

Yes I was just diagnosed with hemochromatosis. They are doing the bleeding in dialysis. They don't return my blood after treatment. I was told I only have one bad gene which is not like having two. My mom got checked and she is good. My father is deceased so I guess I got the gene from him. It is something to look at. My hemotologist said hemochromatosis is common in white people but to costly to screen for when a dialysis patient. Aren't we lucky.

[livecam]

I hope they are giving extra Epogen to correct for the additional blood loss.  I had blood leaks in dialyzers a couple of times and my hgb took nosedives each time.  Ya know something?  That statement your hematologist made was totally brain dead.

[bluedove57]

Yes they check my HMG's before they dump my blood. By the way, the hemotologist that made that statement saying it's common in white folks is Indian. Have you ever met a doctor that doesn't have an answer even when he doesn't have one? I'm begining to think most docs are brain dead.