Does blood-letting actually improve symptoms?

[Chancery]

Hi, I'm currently at the investigatory stage for my health problems, but I wondered if the blood-letting that's done to treat this condition actually helps symptoms, or it just stops them getting worse. I am thinking specifically of fatigue and muscle/joint pains. Mine's are very incapacitating and I'd give anything to be able to exercise without aching horribly after, and to be able to climb a hill and still breathe!

Does anything actually get better after treatment?

[Endersgame]

The venesection forces the production of new red blood cells. Red blood cells use iron. So over time and depending on the frequency of your venesections the stored iron level is reduced and eventually removed. If your symptoms are caused by the build up of iron then yes you will feel an improvement, but if they are caused by the damage caused by the iron build up then it will depend on if that organ can self repair. Im sure your consultant can explain this in much more detail than I can. Good luck and dont worry

[Chancery in reply to Endersgame]

Thanks. It was muscle and arthritic pain I was thinking of. I suppose the former might improve but I suspect the latter won 't....

[Endersgame in reply to Chancery]

Difficult to say. Joint pain is a symptom of haemochromatosis if iron has built up at the joints so venis may improve that. However if you have arthritis (which may or may not be linked to your haemochromatosis) then thats possibly not.