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Higher ferritin levels anyone?

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.

Molly M

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Just a newbie at all of this. Had a call from doctors surgery this morning to say my ferritin level was high. Sorry if its common knowledge (but it wasn't to me) but ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron. I have to go for a follow-up blood test in a month. I have done some reading and there is links to hemochromatosis (which an uncle had) and it also mentioned that it can cause diabetes. Has anyone had a high reading (they didn't give me a number of the reading so I can't compare it) and did you get told it caused your diabetes?

My liver, kidneys and thyroid have all been tested and are fine.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mx
 
Hi @Molly M . I have Haemochromatosis which is apparently the most common genetic condition you've never heard of! I certainly hadn't. Means you're descended from Vikings 🙂. I think it's more likely to cause type 1 diabetes as the iron overload causes the pancreas to stop working. The only way to confirm a diagnosis is through genetic testing. If you have it hopefully it has been caught at an early stage. Treatment is by venesection (similar to blood donation). Happy to answer any questions you have.
 
Hi Christy - thanks for coming back to me - I do have sticky out bits in my hair at the side so that could be where the old Viking horns used to be 😉. Hopefully the next blood test will reveal more. My uncle that had it used to say his blood was given to the premature babies because it was so rich in iron - would be lovely if that was true. Mx
 
Hopefully it's good news for you and you don't have it but many people live with it without it causing much concern. The UK charity provides great info if you need it. Sadly unless you donate through the blood transfusion service the venesected blood is destroyed so I think someone was telling you porkies 😉 o_O
 
Thanks Christy - will keep my fingers crossed but if I have it I will just need to cope with it as you are doing. Awwww that's a shame re the premmie babies - my uncle probably told me that so I wouldn't worry about him too much! 🙄
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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