Although haemochromatosis is inherited, the build-up of iron in the body happens quite slowly and symptoms do not usually appear until a person is aged 30 or 40 years old. In women, this is commonly closer to 50 years. Remember that for many homozygotes for C282Y the lifetime build-up of iron is quite small and does not cause clinical problems. When symptoms do appear, they may include the following:
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tiredness, fatigue or lack of energy
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a feeling of weakness in your limbs
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pain in the joints, especially in the knuckles and in the joints of your first two fingers
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pain in your stomach or abdomen
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loss of libido (sex drive) and possibly
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impotence or early menopause
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evidence of liver damage from scarring (fibrosis) and cirrhosis
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cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle)
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type 2 diabetes
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a yellowing or ‘bronzing’ of the skin.
Some people diagnosed with haemochromatosis report having mental confusion, mood swings
and depression.