Hemochromatosis (Iron Overload) Affects the Pituitary

[~MaryO~]

http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/111...p;story=hn1.htm

 

11/16/06

 

TOO MUCH IRON RUSTS THE LIVER

 

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband died at age 62 of liver cancer. I have a feeling that it might have been caused by the undiagnosed complications of hemochromatosis. I think this is so because three of my five children over the age of 40 have just been diagnosed with hemochromatosis and are presently under treatment for it. Could there be a connection between it and my husband's cancer? -- P.F.

 

ANSWER: Hemochromatosis (HE-moe-CROW-muh-TOE-suss) is an inherited disorder with an unfortunately unusual name that makes people think it's a rarity. It is not. It has to do with an inappropriate absorption of iron.

 

Humans have a built-in mechanism that allows the digestive tract to absorb only the amount of iron that is lost every day. People with hemochromatosis don't have this mechanism. They absorb far too much iron, which deposits in many tissues and organs. The liver is the principal organ affected, and the iron rusts it, so to speak.

 

Excess liver iron leads to cirrhosis. Iron in the heart brings on heart failure. In the pancreas it causes diabetes. Joints filled with iron become arthritic. Iron infiltrating the skin turns it a bronze color. Iron can invade the testicles and the pituitary gland and greatly damage them.

 

Although the defect is present from birth, signs don't develop until sometime between 40 and 60. If the illness is diagnosed before organ damage takes place, treatment by removing blood keeps organs healthy. Blood is the body's storehouse of iron.

 

Liver cancer can be a consequence of hemochromatosis. It happens to about 30 percent of those hemochromatosis patients who develop cirrhosis.

 

Since hemochromatosis is a genetic illness, all your children should be checked so that early treatment can keep organs healthy.

[JenS]

Wow. This runs in my family. But my iron is low! It gave my cousin diabetes and killed my grandfather. Great article. Thank MaryO!

[Brenda Par]

Would you happen to know what it will do to the kidneys?

It seems like my brother was diagnosed with this about 15 yrs. ago, but I will have to check with him. He does have cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes really bad, and now his kidneys are failing him. He only has 25% kidney function. His vision is really bad from the diabetes or so I think it is from diabetes and they are seeming to look like they are beginning to buldge to me. I haven't said anything to anyone but they are to me.

Thanks for the information.

Brenda

[JenS]

Is he still being treated - as in- drawing off blood to control it?

I am not very familiar with it. I did a lot of research at first but now I don't remember much. My cousins live far away from me so I don't talk to them much. I know one is very healthy and the other has more problems. The third brother did not get it.

Bulging eyes is usally indicative of thyroid disease... I suggest you gently get him in to be tested. That can be treated - Grave's disease. But just in case it is something else - no sense in messing around with the eyes.

[Brenda Par]

He has never had the blood draw for it. He is now 63 yrs. old and things really look bad for him. They are now wanting him to get the shunt put in his arm for dialysis and he has an appointment to talk to the doctor about that in December. I am wondering if it is something to do with the pituitary gland if it were treated or fixed or the thyroid if it his kidneys would improve? Just a thought. I have tried talking to him tonight as he is visiting us from Pa. I tried to get him to talk to his doctor before about checking his pituitary gland and thyroid but he didn't say anything to his doctor. He is just one of those set back people that thinks the doctor knows everything. He did say tonight that he did want to get a second opinion and I told him that he should if that is what he wants and he said but what will the other doctor say. I told him, I don't know but at least he would find out if he did. I pray that he will get a second opinion and maybe find out that there is something that can be done to fix his problems.

Thanks for anwering.

Brenda

[JenS]

There is only one treatment for hemachromatosis - and that is regular blood draws to stop the damage. For a while, my one cousin had to give a pint a week. Now they go less often, but still must go. Your brother needs to see someone who knows how to treat this! Why was he diagnosed and not treated! It is an easy treatment, relatively, and the consequences, as you can see, are awful. I hope he gets another opinion. He suffered needlessly.

[Brenda Par]

Jen,

Thanks for the info. I don't know why the doctor did not tell him this. I did ask him last night and he did say that is what he was diagnosed with when he lived here in NC. A lot of the doctors here do not know what they are doing. He now lives in Pa and I don't know why they haven't told him about this either. Maybe a lot of doctors are ignorant to this prevention. I hate that if it could have been stopped by doing the blood draw and they did not tell him this and all or a lot of his medical conditions could have been avoided. I forgot about the blood draw when talking to him last night. I could not think of what you had said about the blood draw, but I will tell him tonight when I talk to him and see what he says, if they did tell him and he didn't do what they said or if they didn't tell him.

Thanks again,

Brenda

[JenS]

Here is a link.

http://www.ironoverload.org/treatment.html

Did he have a liver biopsy to confirm the diagnosis? Has the family all been tested for it?

Good luck to him.

[denney]

Hi Brenda,

 

Here are another couple of links for info.

 

http://0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/n...osis_course.pdf

 

http://0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/n...g_treatment.htm

 

My dad was checked for this when he had hypopituitary symptoms and lab values. He was negative. I think he was considered more at risk because both his mother and father were of Irish descent. One source indicates apparently one in eight people of Northern European ancestry have this mutation so it is not rare. I think most forms of it are autosomal recessive but apparently there are autosomal dominant versions as well.

 

Wishing you well,

 

den