Part 3: Why am I Never on the Same Page as my Doctor about Hemochromatosis?

[@RandyM403]

Thanks for posting this seminar. Very enlightening. I may have Hemochromatosis and will be getting the test done soon to find out so this was helpful.

[@thatisartnotpffft6368]

Hi. If ferritin is up only due to drinking some alcohol everyday and/or inflammation from arthritis in the knees, does that mean there is no iron accumulation due to those factors? In other words do those conditions cause excess iron absorption in themselves aside from any other problems, such as with the liver etc. Hope that I am wording my question accurately. Is that what would be called a false positive, if trying to figure out iron accumulation due to hemochromatosis, if alcohol etc were involved? Thank you.

[@michaelmccartney8506]

Good question

[@toomuchiron]

Hi there. If your ferritin levels are elevated due to excess alcohol consumption or inflammation, the ferritin does not accurately reflect iron stores. You can read more about that in the BC Guidelines on elevated ferritin: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/iron-overload