What Are the Signs and Symptoms of
Hemochromatosis?
Hemochromatosis can affect many parts of the body
and can cause many different signs and symptoms. Many of the signs and symptoms
are similar to those of other, more common diseases. Some people with the
hemochromatosis genes may have no signs or symptoms at all.
Signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis usually are
not seen until middle age. Men are more likely to develop complications such as
diabetes or
cirrhosis, and women are more likely to have general symptoms
such as fatigue (tiredness). Signs and symptoms also vary based on how far the
disease has advanced.
Common signs and symptoms of early-stage
hemochromatosis include:
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- General weakness
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Palpitations (a fluttering sensation in the
chest)
Common signs and symptoms of mid-stage
hemochromatosis (as more iron builds up in the body) include:
- Joint damage and pain (arthritis)
- Enlargement of the liver
- Reproductive organ failure (for example,
impotence, shrinkage of the testicles, loss of sex drive, infertility, absence
of the menstrual cycle, and early menopause)
- Heart problems (for example, chest pain,
shortness of breath, and abnormal heart rhythms)
Common signs, symptoms, and conditions of
advanced-stage hemochromatosis include:
- Poor liver function (iron overload can lead to
cirrhosis, failure, or cancer of the liver)
- A high blood sugar level (glucose intolerance or
diabetes)
- Chronic (frequent or repeated) abdominal
pain
- Severe fatigue
- Poor hormone production of the pituitary and
thyroid glands
- Damage to the adrenal gland
- Heart
failure (iron overload can damage the heart muscle, leading to heart
failure)
- Changes in skin color (for example, yellowish
skin, tan skin not caused by the sun, and reddish palms not caused by use of
the hands)
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