What Causes Severe Headache While Suffering From Hemochromatosis?

Posted on Mon, 2 Nov 2015

Question: I have a bad headache at the back of my skull similar to the one i get when my iron levels are too high, leaving me feeling wooly. Nausea, diarrheoa, I have three comressed discs lower back and that whole area is inflammed so that i could not walk yesterday. Every weak/damaged joint hurts and the only way i am keeping upright is with paracetamol. my anti inflammitories, inner health plus, diarrheoa tablets and endone. This morning i am walking with pain but have swollen feet. After this my neck went like glass and at the hospital they gave me endone script and told me to go to my docs for muscle relaxant to fo with paracetemol and my anti inflammitories. after near two weeks i can move my head mostly from side to side and use my jaw the headache is less although still there. It has moved up into my left eye and it is full of blood in the white. I awoke after having to get my kids with some riduiculous mumble speach to push me to wake my muscles up which is something that has not happened in about six months. I am so sick of feeling bad and can't find out why. I have had a blood test taken to find out if it is XXXXXXX river fever or something like that but the sleep thing has happened for years. My doctor orders blood tests and after i found out about hemochromotosis in my family i got him to check for that and have blood drawn off now. but what is with the rest. who knows just want it down in writing somewhere so that at least i have it down.

Answered by Dr. Suresh Heijebu (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Symptoms are directly related to hemochromatosis.

Detailed Answer:
Hello, Madam.

I can understand your concerns.

You possibly seem to have inflammatory arthritis.

These symptoms could be a part and parcel of Hemochromatosis.

Headache can be due to hyper viscosity symptoms related to iron overload.

The eye symptoms could be due to uveitis or Glaucoma. This need differentiation for therapeutic management.

I advise you to get a slit lamp and fundoscopic eye examination for better assessment.

I can guide you better if you can upload your earlier test reports.

Hemochromatosis is a systemic disorder and can affect many organs in the body including bones and joints.

Definitive therapy is Chelation of iron stores.

I advise you to get total Serum Iron and Ferritin levels.

Post your further queries if any.
Thank you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar