Comments on: The Problem With Bloodletting http://cobbsblog.com/blog/the-problem-with-bloodletting/ Fresh perspective, forward thinking, informed by the past Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:04:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Hemochromatosis Marches On: Paging nurse with big needle — The Stephen Cobb Blog http://cobbsblog.com/blog/the-problem-with-bloodletting/comment-page-1/#comment-329 Hemochromatosis Marches On: Paging nurse with big needle — The Stephen Cobb Blog Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:25:32 +0000 http://cobbsblog.com/blog/?p=449#comment-329 [...] I trust people “got” that the image which accompanied my February post on phlebotomy was the barber’s chair from Sweeney [...] [...] I trust people “got” that the image which accompanied my February post on phlebotomy was the barber’s chair from Sweeney [...]

]]> By: MsDale http://cobbsblog.com/blog/the-problem-with-bloodletting/comment-page-1/#comment-328 MsDale Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:00:16 +0000 http://cobbsblog.com/blog/?p=449#comment-328 I just came across your blog. I too have hemochromatosis and was very lucky to be diagnosed in my 40s with no symptoms. Although my levels are quite low for this disease, my doctor arranged for me to have quarterly phlebotomies at our local hospital (they won't take me at Canadian Blood Services (our blood bank) because I once had melanoma). I haven't read all your postings yet, but I see a Dec entry with your wife's symptoms and this Feb entry where she still hadn't started phlebotomies??? That is shocking! I hope this has since been rectified and she is now getting this critical treatment. (my husband is also left-handed and colour vision deficient :-) I just came across your blog. I too have hemochromatosis and was very lucky to be diagnosed in my 40s with no symptoms. Although my levels are quite low for this disease, my doctor arranged for me to have quarterly phlebotomies at our local hospital (they won’t take me at Canadian Blood Services (our blood bank) because I once had melanoma). I haven’t read all your postings yet, but I see a Dec entry with your wife’s symptoms and this Feb entry where she still hadn’t started phlebotomies??? That is shocking! I hope this has since been rectified and she is now getting this critical treatment.
(my husband is also left-handed and colour vision deficient :-)

]]> By: Eric Nelson http://cobbsblog.com/blog/the-problem-with-bloodletting/comment-page-1/#comment-317 Eric Nelson Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:56:32 +0000 http://cobbsblog.com/blog/?p=449#comment-317 Here is the current policy at the blood bank where I live: www.bloodcenters.org/donating/hemochromatosis.htm In addition, the restriction against giving blood from the same website is: UNITED KINGDOM: You have visited or lived in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar or Falkland Islands for a total of 3 months or more from 1980 thru 1996. With that said, I am not understanding the reason why her doctor has not given her a prescription for the phlebotomy. It seems reasonable to decrease the amount of iron in her system and this seems the quickest way to do it. As you have noted, iron builds up in the organs over time and it take time to leach it out again. The advantage of the excess iron is recovery from a donation is quick since the iron to build red blood cells is abundant. The test results showed an abnormal result and I am only guessing that was a high range iron related readings; the question being is this the cause of the problems or the result of another process. Here is the current policy at the blood bank where I live:
http://www.bloodcenters.org/donating/hemochromatosis.htm

In addition, the restriction against giving blood from the same website is:
UNITED KINGDOM: You have visited or lived in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar or Falkland Islands for a total of 3 months or more from 1980 thru 1996.

With that said, I am not understanding the reason why her doctor has not given her a prescription for the phlebotomy. It seems reasonable to decrease the amount of iron in her system and this seems the quickest way to do it. As you have noted, iron builds up in the organs over time and it take time to leach it out again. The advantage of the excess iron is recovery from a donation is quick since the iron to build red blood cells is abundant. The test results showed an abnormal result and I am only guessing that was a high range iron related readings; the question being is this the cause of the problems or the result of another process.

]]> By: Pat http://cobbsblog.com/blog/the-problem-with-bloodletting/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Pat Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:12:22 +0000 http://cobbsblog.com/blog/?p=449#comment-316 You can find lots of real life tips from Pat at his blog: <a href="http://ironoverload.info" rel="nofollow">http://ironoverload.info</a> You can find lots of real life tips from Pat at his blog: http://ironoverload.info

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