Quote:
Originally Posted by leeslay
My Dr did say something about Iron Overload too, did it affect any of your organs? How did they test for that? What treatments options do you have for that? Sorry, it seems like when people actually go through things they have more "real" opionions.
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Yes, it damaged my heart and possibly my liver and pancreas. The heart was tested using ultrasound, ECG, and angiogram. I take a nitro type pill twice a day to help deal with some of the issues, and try and keep myself fit and healthy to avoid the problems getting worse. My coronary arteries are apparently 'just beautiful', but the heart muscle is another matter.
My liver is going to be biopsied next year to assess any lasting damage. Getting the iron out saved it.
My blood sugar began having issues with regulation in 2005 (the year we got the iron down) so the pancreas may not be in tip top shape, either.
We should have put a central line in (port) YEARS before we put in a temporary trilumen catheter in 2005 in order to do 24 hour desferoxamine infusions two days on/one day off (it would have made transfusions easier, too). Oral iron chelators weren't available here in Australia except in clinical trials during 2005.