Re: Jan

December 19, 2008

I have two bad genetic genes that produce too much iron and I am finding it in

my family and they will give me traatment after transplant.

Lyncia

In life family and friends take us on all kinds of adventures, God helps us

choose our path....Enjoy your journey!

From: abijann <no_reply >

Subject: Jan

To: livercirrhosissupport

Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 10:40 PM

Alot of what they know about the liver has only been established

in the last 50 years and it has been a progressive learning to

where they are today. Liver disease, that is hereditary, can be

caused because the body tends to hold onto iron.

This is known as Hemochromaotosis

Here is a link to explain about this condition:

http://www.irondiso rders.org/ Disorders/ Hemochromatosis. asp

Since there are many causes of liver disease, it would be hard

for us to tell whether it came from overload of iron or not.

The bilirubin levels can be high for a number of different reasons.

It may be because there is a stone blocking the flow of bile

to the intestines. It could be because of liver damage.

The bile area may be malformed or twisted in nature. There may

be a problem with the liver cells to convert this into a soluble

form. Or it could be because the body produces too many red blood

cells, or the red blood cells are dying off too fast.

The Red Blood Cells have on them heme, that is what the oxygen

attaches to. That is how it is transported to other parts of the

body. The red blood cells die...of which that is continually

happening. The spleen takes the heme off the cells and converts it

into Bilirubin. If someone has alot of red blood cells...that

means there is more to die off than average and if, for some

reason something causes the red blood cells to die faster...then

there is more bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin elevation is

a condition... it is not a disease.

How this is connected to cows or animals..I don't have any idea...

though, I know they can also have liver and blood problems just

like humans do. Many people, in the olden days used to cook

with cast iron skillets...people can get too much iron from

using these or taking iron supplements. Vitamins with iron

was a big thing back in those days also. Even baby milk was

fortified with it. I hope this gives you more light on what may

be...but, only the medical records he would have could tell you more.

Some people had alot of iron in their water, also.

Sometimes I think doctors now a days, when someone has been

diagnosed with something ages ago...should do testing to

see if the diagnose condition is accurate. It would require

more testing...but in many circumstances, with all the

advances in medicine--they might catch something and treat it

now that they would not of been able to do back then.

December 19, 2008

Abijann - Thanks for your response. You brought a couple of other things to

mind. Our well where I grew up and where my grandfather was living when he

died was very high in iron content. And of course, they did use cast iron

cookwear. But even though the well water was so high in iron, our family

members have frequently been anemic. I am sure it wasn't just our well, but

all the other farms in the area too which had high iron content.

I have been told by more than one doctor including liver specialists that

even though my uncle and cousin had/have hemochromatosis, a history of liver

problems can mean that future generations could have different liver

problems and they would all be hereditary. A genetic deficiency in the

liver could result in different conditions in different people. I found it

interesting that my doctors figured my grandfather had actually died of

cirrhosis, and my cousin's doctors thought he had probably died of

hemochromatosis. So, regardless, looks as if he probably didn't die of the

pernicious anemia which was what they called it at the time. They tried all

the accepted treatment for it, but nothing worked. I wonder if the anemia

could have been secondary to a liver problem. I know my hemotologist keeps

a close watch on my blood work, looking for anemia. Jan H

On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 9:40 PM, abijann <no_reply > wrote:

> Alot of what they know about the liver has only been established

> in the last 50 years and it has been a progressive learning to

> where they are today. Liver disease, that is hereditary, can be

> caused because the body tends to hold onto iron.

> This is known as Hemochromaotosis

> Here is a link to explain about this condition:

> http://www.irondisorders.org/Disorders/Hemochromatosis.asp

>

> Since there are many causes of liver disease, it would be hard

> for us to tell whether it came from overload of iron or not.

> The bilirubin levels can be high for a number of different reasons.

> It may be because there is a stone blocking the flow of bile

> to the intestines. It could be because of liver damage.

> The bile area may be malformed or twisted in nature. There may

> be a problem with the liver cells to convert this into a soluble

> form. Or it could be because the body produces too many red blood

> cells, or the red blood cells are dying off too fast.

>

> The Red Blood Cells have on them heme, that is what the oxygen

> attaches to. That is how it is transported to other parts of the

> body. The red blood cells die...of which that is continually

> happening. The spleen takes the heme off the cells and converts it

> into Bilirubin. If someone has alot of red blood cells...that

> means there is more to die off than average and if, for some

> reason something causes the red blood cells to die faster...then

> there is more bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin elevation is

> a condition...it is not a disease.

>

> How this is connected to cows or animals..I don't have any idea...

> though, I know they can also have liver and blood problems just

> like humans do. Many people, in the olden days used to cook

> with cast iron skillets...people can get too much iron from

> using these or taking iron supplements. Vitamins with iron

> was a big thing back in those days also. Even baby milk was

> fortified with it. I hope this gives you more light on what may

> be...but, only the medical records he would have could tell you more.

> Some people had alot of iron in their water, also.

>

> Sometimes I think doctors now a days, when someone has been

> diagnosed with something ages ago...should do testing to

> see if the diagnose condition is accurate. It would require

> more testing...but in many circumstances, with all the

> advances in medicine--they might catch something and treat it

> now that they would not of been able to do back then.

>

--

Jan H

December 19, 2008

Abijann,

You said something that maybe explains why my bilirubin is rising

since starting my treatment for hepatitis C. The treatment is

causing my hematocrit to drop a lot, so maybe that is why my

bilirubin is rising? My coordinator didn't say anything about it,

but I didn't ask the specific question about why my bilirubin is

rising either. Do you think that is why my bilirubin is rising?

Penny