The Iron Exchange Our Community Forum:
admin1 day ago
Day 7. I start to just not feel great, it's a Friday, I leave for vacation in a week. Then Saturday, I thought I think I need to check my iron levels.
Sunday, I knew, I knew that Iron had gotten the best of me. I was SICK, It's like having the flu, without coughing or sneezing, you just feel horrible. Exhausted, getting through the day felt like I was walking in quicksand, but I'm going on vacation, this cannot be happening!
Monday morning I went and got tested you saw the results.. I could not believe my SAT, I was living what I was warning everyone about. I felt like I brought this on myself and I had. I stopped working out, I stopped taking care of myself, and the people around me. I let my mission to help others, take me down. I have to get a phlebotomy the day before I leave for my vacation. I am no quitter, I am a wrecking ball!
I will remember that I come first, my health is my life. Without our health we have nothing. I will work out, I will spend time with my family and friends, I will laugh more, play with my dog. Take time in the middle of the day just to take a walk and be in nature. I will find time for myself all day long. Life is what is most important. You cannot help others if you cannot help yourself. We will always be here for you. Be patient, be kind, we are all just human. We hope we can help you through your battle your journey. Remember there is only one you, one life, and you are easy to love.
Brooke-Admin
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This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What does your blood type say about you?
Personality Traits, your Health,
and Relationships
Is Hereditary
Hemochromatosis Rare?
No — but it’s treated like it is.
Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is the #1 genetic disorder in the U.S., UK, Ireland, and Australia. It’s most common in people of Northern European descent, but it’s not limited to that population.
Recent studies and clinical reports are identifying cases across France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — it’s underdiagnosed, not uncommon
The myth of rarity has delayed diagnosis for millions. It’s time to change that
Symptoms to Watch For:
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint pain
- Arthritis in the knuckles of the first and second finger
- Bronze or grey skin tone
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Brain fog
- Mood changes or personality shifts
- Irregular heartbeat
- Type 2 diabetes
- Enlarged liver or liver conditions
- Heart failure or cardiomyopathy
- Unexplained Motion or Motor skills decline
Signs You’re Being Dismissed — You’re not crazy, you’re not being tested!
- Doctors are completely unfamiliar and think HH is rare, so they don’t test.
- Your symptoms are not taken seriously, or brushed off entirely
- You're told “your labs are normal” without a full iron panel
- Your having Liver issues and your Dr. thinks it’s alcohol, when it isn’t.
- You're offered antidepressants instead of real answers
- Your symptoms are labeled as “in your head” or "just anxiety"
- You’re sent for unnecessary surgeries or misdiagnosed repeatedly
- No one tests you for HH — even with existing liver issues, diabetes, or heart symptoms
- Neurological symptoms: brain fog, tremors, memory loss, or balance issues.
You know something is wrong. But you’re not getting answers. Trust your gut. Question everything. You know your own body.
Take the 7-Day
Detox Challenge
Rid your body of processed and toxic foods (Includes Chicken & Fish)
Take the 7-Day
Detox Challenge
Plant based & Vegan
Preventing Life
Threatening Dangers
If you are having any of these symptoms, please get a full iron panel and make sure it includes FERRITIN. That is the first step. If your ferritin level for women is over 200 and 300 for males your next step is a DNA test. Hemochromatosis is a mutation in the HFE Gene, the two most common are C282Y and H63D. Remember Dr.’s don’t know everything. You can get your own test done inexpensively. Do not end up having unneeded surgeries, that is very common. If you have Hemochromatosis your body does not get rid of excess iron and it feels like you are being poisoned because you are. Your iron will start to store in your organs, liver, pancreas, heart, and joints. We all know arsenic is a poison, it’s also a metal, just like iron. Too much iron can also lead to death.
Liver damage
Cirrhosis also increases your risk of developing liver cancer.
Surgery and medicine can help relieve symptoms of cirrhosis, but the only way to achieve a complete cure is to have a liver transplant.
Diabetes
If the pancreas is damaged, it may not produce enough insulin, which can lead to an increase in the level of sugar in the blood.
Arthritis
If significant damage has occurred, it may be necessary to replace the affected joint with an artificial one, such as a hip replacement or knee replacement.
Heart problems
If excess iron builds up in the heart, it can damage the muscles of the heart (cardiomyopathy).
This can lead to heart failure, which is where the heart has become so damaged it struggles to pump blood around the body properly.
What do we have in common?
Find out what your blood type says about you
Personality Traits,
your Health,
and Relationships
Is Hereditary
Hemochromatosis Rare?
No — but it’s treated like it is.
Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is the #1 genetic disorder in the U.S., UK, Ireland, and Australia. It’s most common in people of Northern European descent, but it’s not limited to that population.
Recent studies and clinical reports are identifying cases across France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — it’s underdiagnosed, not uncommon
The myth of rarity has delayed diagnosis for millions. It’s time to change that
Symptoms to Watch For:
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint pain
- Arthritis in the knuckles of the first and second finger
- Bronze or grey skin tone
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Brain fog
- Mood changes or personality shifts
- Irregular heartbeat
- Type 2 diabetes
- Enlarged liver or liver conditions
- Heart failure or cardiomyopathy
- Unexplained Motion or Motor skills decline
Signs You’re Being Dismissed — You’re not crazy, you’re not being tested!
- Doctors are completely unfamiliar and think HH is rare, so they don’t test.
- Your symptoms are not taken seriously, or brushed off entirely
- You're told “your labs are normal” without a full iron panel
- Your having Liver issues and your Dr. thinks it’s alcohol, when it isn’t.
- You're offered antidepressants instead of real answers
- Your symptoms are labeled as “in your head” or "just anxiety"
- You’re sent for unnecessary surgeries or misdiagnosed repeatedly
- No one tests you for HH — even with existing liver issues, diabetes, or heart symptoms
- Neurological symptoms: brain fog, tremors, memory loss, or balance issues.
You know something is wrong. But you’re not getting answers. Trust your gut. Question everything. You know your own body.
Take the 7-Day
Detox Challenge
Rid your body of processed and toxic foods (Includes Chicken & Fish)
Take the 7-Day
Detox Challenge
Plant based & Vegan
Preventing Life-Threatening Damage
If you’re experiencing symptoms, ask your doctor for a full iron panel. This must include:
Ferritin
This shows how much iron is stored in your body.
High ferritin can mean iron overload — but also inflammation, so it must be looked at alongside the others.
Serum Iron
Measures the amount of circulating iron in your blood at the moment the test is taken.
This can fluctuate daily, so it’s not reliable on its own..
TIBC (Total Iron-Binding Capacity)
This measures how much available space your blood has to carry iron.
In overload, TIBC is usually low — your body is already carrying too much iron.
Transferrin Saturation %
This is the most important number. It tells you what % of iron-carrying proteins (transferrin) are saturated with iron.
Over 45% is a red flag for iron overload — even if your ferritin is “normal.”
HFE Mutation Genotype Classifications:
Clinical term: Homozygous C282Y 2 Copies: C282Y / C282Y
This is considered “classic hereditary hemochromatosis “Highest known risk for iron
overload.
Commonly associated with type 1 HH
Clinical term: Compound Heterozygote C282Y / H63D|
You inherited one C282Y and one H63D mutation
This is not considered "classic", but it is clinically significant
Many with this genotype do develop iron overload, especially over time or under
inflammatory or hormonal stress
Risk is moderate, but in some cases, it mimics classic HH in severity
Clinical term: Homozygous H63D H63D / H63D
“Traditionally” considered lower risk
Many report clear signs of iron loading, particularly when paired with inflammation or
metabolic dysfunction.
YOU CAN LOAD IRON. Even if your ferritin is low what for high Saturation low TIBC.
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BLOGS
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