iron overload!!!

[321yella]

Anyone’s af caused by iron overload or Haemochromatosis??

[BobD Volunteer]

This is very rare but we had a member in our old Yahoo forum (since defunct) who had this about five years ago.

[321yella in reply to BobD]

Thanks for that

[321yella]

Thanks for that

[JTJackie]

Hi yes I was diagnosed with AFib/ Iron overload about 8 years ago. Took a couple of years to get Iron down to normal levels then treated the A Fib firstly with meds and then Ablation - have been able to work and lead a normal active life during this time. Recently AFib becoming more persistent so another ablation booked for a couple of weeks time to hopefully fix it for a while

[djmnet]

Interesting question, yella. I've just had some blood work that reflects possible iron overload (and I'm a post menopausal woman). We're redoing the test and will see, but it's not something I associated with my afib. Very interesting. I'd be interested to see if other afibbers have encountered this phenomenon.

[321yella in reply to djmnet]

Been confirmed that I have Haemochromatosis “Irish curse “. Which affects about one in 90 people where I’m from in ireland 🇮🇪 it affects the joints the liver spleen fatigue dizziness impotence and can mess up the electrical signals in the heart so I’m starting venesections or “phelbotamy to take the blood from me at about 1 pint at a time to get my iron levels back down to normal. The gene I have was passed on to me by one of my parents but can’t be dectected by an oriinary liver test it has to be done looking for a specific gene c28y ?? Or something along them lines!! It’s estimated there are 1’5 million Americans carting this gene. Anyone with a Celtic background Scots welsh Irish north of England Iberian Australian Portugal Spain can be affected it’s dating back to our ancestors but if tested for it and found it’s very easily treated if got in time! Bronzing of the skin is another sure sign pain in your knuckles elbows and ankles can also be symbolic of it! High ferritin levels is another marker for it! The test costs about £16 just thought I through it out there and maybe it will help someone!!

[djmnet]

Wow. Very interesting information, and I'll be curious to see what effect if any it may have on my afib once my ferritin levels have been reduced. I'm ready to find out. (I'm in the US, and my EP out of the blue ordered this specific blood work.) Thanks for your post and this information! I'm encouraged.

[321yella in reply to djmnet]

Have you any Celtic roots? Djmnet

[djmnet]

Yes, along with German and Eastern European. I've been reading about the hereditary nature of it, but I have no information about my now deceased biological father's side of the family. No one on my mother's side has ever been diagnosed with hemochromatosis.

[321yella in reply to djmnet]

Got my first pint of blood taken out! Felt very dizzy during process funny after about 4 hours starting to feel a lot better. Just another 10 or 12 to go to get ferritin levels we’re they should be.

[djmnet]

Good for you! How often will you have this done? I suspect I'll be going down that road soon myself!

[321yella in reply to djmnet]

Depends how quickly ferritin levels come down one every 11 days for now and then once a week if it doesn’t drop quickly enough!! My levels of ferritin are at 1080. They want get it down to about 70 🇮🇪☘️ Good luck!!