Originally posted by magkelly Ugh, went there, did that, my sympathies. They thought I might have it there for a while. Turned out not, diet didn't do a thing for me, but a year I was on a gluten free diet. I still have foul memories of it. Things are better now, more options and better tasting gluten free stuff out there, but still never again. I was absolutely miserable...
Recently got confirmation (DNA test) that I have hereditary hemochromatosis ("HH" in the jargon) -- genetic defect that interferes with normal iron absorption, causes one form of "iron overload". Long story short, the hematologist said to me, "when I started practicing medicine 38 years ago, there was one, and only one, treatment for this. Today, 38 years later, there's
still one, and only one, treatment for it..." So I have had biweekly blood draws (the one later today marks a half-gallon) since mid-July. I'll know in a couple of weeks how much longer that has to continue... I was fortunate to have my internist suspect it and order the tests, got confirmation of the diagnosis before the iron level in my liver and other organs reached toxic levels. But I will have to have periodic bloodlettings for the rest of my life, hopefully not more often than about once every 3-6 months.
But the local blood supply is thereby enhanced for victims when Tokyo is destroyed. Take
that, livE hociR
!