What are the symptoms of iron overload, hemochromatosis?
Patients can have iron overload and NOT have symptoms (asymptomatic) and that is the best time to diagnose the patient. Many doctors have been taught to look for “signs and symptoms” of HH but by the time symptoms appear, it is often too late to save the patient’s life. Iron overload and storage in vital body organs can damage and may cause: • chronic fatigue (the most common complaint by patients); • cirrhosis/cancer of the liver (with or without a history of alcohol use); • arthritis/joint pain; • impotence/sterility/infertility; early menopause/irregular menses; • hair loss; hair thinning • diabetes (bronze diabetes, a darkening, graying of the skin not caused by sun exposure); • cancer (cancer thrives on iron); (especially primary liver cancer) • abdominal pain/swelling; • weight loss; • frequent colds/flu/infections, compromised immune system; • headaches; • hypothyroidism; (low thyroid) • heart irregularities/heart failure/heart attack (especially in younger men); • cirrhosis of
