Hemochromatosis+-+Danielle+Hinckley

 = Hemochromatosis =  **Causes**: Hemochromatosis is caused by a mutation in a gene that controls the amount of iron your body absorbs from the food you eat. Hereditary hemochromatosis is a recessively inherited disease; you must inherit two abnormal HFE genes, one from each parent. If you inherit two abnormal genes you have a 70% chance of actually developing hemochromatosis. If you inherit one abnormal gene you are considered a carrier and can pass the mutation on to your children. Juvenile hemochromatosis is caused by a mutation in the HJV gene and is similar to hereditary hemochromatosis except symptoms will appear much earlier, usually between the ages of 15 and 30. There is also neonatal hemochromatosis, which is thought to actually be an autoimmune disease. In neonatal hemochromatosis iron builds up in the liver of the developing fetus. **Symptoms**: Primary symptoms are generic and include joint pain, fatigue and weakness. Secondary symptoms are from organ damage and include joint pain, diabetes, loss of sex drive (libido), impotence and heart failure. **Treatment**: Phlebotomy (blood removal) – doctors can treat hereditary hemochromatosis by removing blood from your body on a regular basis to help reduce iron levels back to normal Chelation – medication to help remove excess iron from the body. The medicine can be injected into the body or taken as a pill. The medication helps expel iron through urination or defecation. **Home Treatment to reduce risk of complications**: Avoid iron supplements and multivitamins containing iron, avoid vitamin supplements especially with food, avoid alcohol, avoid eating raw shellfish, drink tannin-rich tea.