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hemochromatosis

Hey Does anybody out there have hemochromatosis and also hep C . Seems like every doctors visit they tell us something else thats wrong with Mark. I also am worried about our children from what I understand hemo... is a genetic disease and can cause hep c cirohsis and many other medical problems Any answers would be greatly appreciated
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419309 tn?1326503291
My husband has hep c but not hemochromatosis, but I do know a little about it.  First of all, hemochromatosis, although it cannot be cured, can be managed by diet and regular testing -- the damage hemo causes is due to the body's inability to remove excess iron.

In terms of genetics, it's a recessive condition -- that is, just because your husband has it doesn't mean your kids will necessarily have it.  (In order for your kids to be at risk, you would have to be a 'carrier' for the hemochromatosis gene, and the likelihood of that is about 1/30.)  There is gene testing available for you and your children.  You can have yourself tested for carrier status, and if you're not a carrier, you can stop there and rest easy.  You can also have your kids tested directly to see if any of them are affected. If detected early, appropriate diet and management can help prevent damage from excess iron stores that come from having hemochromatosis.

Hemochromatosis cannot cause hep c, and hep c cannot cause hemochromatosis, but they are both diseases that damage the liver.  Hemo can cause cirrhosis because excess iron stores over time damage the liver; hep c causes cirrhosis because the active virus damages the liver cells, causing scarring that can lead to cirrhosis.  Different mechanisms, but they can both seriously affect liver health. Hope that helps, and best wishes to you and your family. ~eureka
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Thank you and best wishes to you and your family too.
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I know this is an old thread but I have hemochromatosis as well as hep C... I have avoided treatment for both for years (no excuses). I would love to hear how treatment went
You might do better to post a new question.

As far as hep c goes, treatment has changed dramatically since the new generation DAA’s we approved starting in 2014.

Most people tolerate treatment very well with the most commonly reported side effect is mild headache. The new DAA’s (Direct acting anti-viral) meds also boast cure rates around 98% vs the old interferon treatments that were about 6 months long with many side effects and only had about a 30% cure rate. The treatment duration with the new meds in some cases can be as short as 8 weeks but most will be 12 weeks.
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