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Haemachromatosis

Posted , 4 users are following.

tanya13544
tanya13544

Does anyone who suffers with Haemachromatosis have low immune system and are always coming down with things?

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Tina_72
    Tina_72 tanya13544

    Posted

    Hi Tanya yes I'm the same this is the second cold I've had in 3 weeks feeling like crap I don't usually catch anything but my iron levels are coming down and the nurse told me today my immune system low. 

    • tanya13544
      tanya13544 Tina_72

      Posted

      Hi Tina,

      yes I keep getting respiratory infections. Do you know if we can have any thing to build are immune system up without it containing iron or vitamin c?

      x

  • sheryl37154
    sheryl37154 tanya13544

    Posted

    Yes, we are prone to a low immune system, and because of this we need antioxidants A, C & E.  Yes, especially vit C.  I have been treated for haemochromatosis for 19 years and this is my experience.

    If I did not take a chewable/disolving 500mg Vit C last thing at night (I let it disolve in my mouth as I sleep), I would end up with a sore throat leading to a cold.  The timing of taking vit C is important - it needs to be long after you have eaten and hopefully when your stomach has emptied past the duodenum.

    If this sore throat takes hold of me anyway, I will take a vit C during the day between meals, because it is more important to me not to be sick than it is to absorb a bit more iron that can be venesected out of me.

    I also try to eat more antioxidant foods - dark berries are higher in antioxidants than most other foods, and they are not so high in sugar.  Juices are too high in sugar.

    An allergy problem (just to something in the air) has develped since haemochromatosis taking hold,  which makes me sneezy, runny nose, etc. but I easily treat that with a good antihistamine.

    Good luck with it.

     

    • tanya13544
      tanya13544 sheryl37154

      Posted

      Hi, sheryl

      Thanks a lot for that information, I have been avoiding Vitamin C as I thought it's a no no. Will certainly be doing that. I can't afford to have anymore time off work it's ridiculous.

      What is your diet like any tips apart from dark berries?

    • sheryl37154
      sheryl37154 tanya13544

      Posted

      Over the years I realised it was starches/sugars that made me feel like a train had hit me during/after eating.  I also read a study that said we (with HH) do not digest sugars and starches well and it causes fatty liver, not to mention insulin resistance, (and big waists!).

      So I feel much better avoiding them and my waist got smaller.  I continue to eat red meat as well as white meat etc. and lots of greens, cauli and NO potatoes, bread (I have found a soy and linseed bread which is higher in protein and lower in starches), pasta (sob), rice, biscuits, etc.  I don't have them in my house but if someone home bakes something, of course I have to be polite lol, and I share some of my husband's weekly cheesecake which is the bribe for him to go grocery shopping with me.  All I need is a taste now.

      Coffee and tea with meals are said to help reduce the uptake of iron, the polyphenols in a small red wine, calcium as in dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt which has become my desert), plus I take my calcium tablets with dinner.  Dark berries and greek yoghurt are yum.  I sometimes mix some cocoa powder in my yoghurt for that chocolate hit.

      A study reveals that Vit E and CoQ10 are beneficial to the health of those with HH.  Also make sure your Vit B12 is good as well as your vit D (blood tests).  If you cannot absorb Vit B12 via tablets, injections really work.  And if vit D tablets are not working for you, Vit D3 forte drops do make a difference.

      For years I was hard to venesect because my blood was so black and thick, I decided to take 100mg aspirin a day.  It made a huge difference.

      I hope that helps.

       

    • tanya13544
      tanya13544 sheryl37154

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thanks a lot for that, that has given me something to look at.

      Thanks

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