Following on from the visit to the rheumatologist I have had my ferritin and transferrin saturation levels tested again today. This rules out hereditary hemochromatosis so no need for HFE genetic testing.
It does not rule out liver disease though my liver enzyme tests were good a month ago. It can be due to chronic inflammation, which I have. It can be due to alcohol misuse but the level has gone up and I am completely on the wagon for four months now. She suggested JAK poly gene screening for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) to help explain the polycythaemia and to definitively rule out these rare malignancies. The GP said that this was very specialised testing and would need a haematologist to authorise. We will see the wife’s haematologist next week.
As is so often the case one test instead of closing options / diagnoses, opens others. My upcoming sleep apnoea study might add another clue to the mix.
In 1994 I was bled on a regular basis at St Thomas’ hospital to try to address the high haemoglobin levels. They took several “armfuls” … But memory says this increased the haemoglobin levels a few weeks after they pulled the pint.
Maybe I should buy some leeches and have a DIY approach.
I have just found out that I also have mild osteoporosis in the hips which is fairly normal aged related and lower bone density in my spine, osteopenia, slightly more advanced than normal for my age.
Must get a hamster wheel or a challenge reward maze from Amazon…
More questions…
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Dreamyoga 