Too much blood may kill you

For 27 years, I suffered from a strange illness that doctors, herbalists, nutritionists, neurologists, physiotherapists and pastors could not put a finger to.

I tried everyone I thought could possibly be of help, in vain. I gave up and waited to die! I could not move my body in any angle, lest I felt I would break. I could not sit nor hold anything in my hands and neither could I write. I had to first take pain killers before going to the toilet. I suffered from a very dry and painful cough for a while and a sharp pain in the right side of my stomach that would disorganise my whole body.

I started taking drugs everyday from 1985 and with time, my body size started increasing, which I believed was the effect of the many drugs in my system.

In 1992, a doctor in Mulago Hospital, after running several tests, including x-rays, scans, blood tests, urine samples and failing to diagnose the problem, he assigned me a nurse to prepare me for an operation to check what the problem was. I did not go through the operation after last-minute advice from a doctor-friend of mine, who said I could die.

My body size continued to increase, whereas at the same time, the pain was constant, not to mention the constipation that I experienced every single day, for 27 years.

Later, I developed acute pain in my right hip. I saw a bone specialist, who told me that due to the excessive weight, one of my bones had weakened.

Besides, I also had severe and timely cravings for different foods. On top of that, I suffered sleeping problems; sometimes I lost sleep, while other times, I over-slept and in between I would feel extremely cold! I had headache, weak bladder, my body felt heavy, especially my hands and feet and I had difficulty breathing.

As told to Desire Karakire

This is the story of Steven Karakire, a 61-year-old man, who, for 27years, suffered from hemochromatosis, a rare condition of the blood, that even doctors agree can be very difficult to diagnose.

What is Hemochromatosis?

Hemochromatosis is a genetic blood disorder characterised by iron overload in the body. It comes about when there is high absorption of iron in the digestive system from the food we eat.

Who is prone?

According to Dr.Alex Kakoraki, a medical officer at Murchison Bay Hospital, Luzira Prisons, the condition occurs as an end stage amongst people of 40 to 60 years and is more common in men than women. This is because women lose a good amount of blood every month through menstruation.

Causes:

It is caused by excessive absorption of iron in the body. However, it is also genetic. Too much foods high in iron including red meat, liver, kidney and green leafy vegetables can also spark off the condition.

Signs and symptoms:

Joint pains

Skin pigmentation

Enlarged liver

Constipation

Seasonal and severe cravings of different foods

Increase in body size

Sleep disorders such as lack of sleep and over-sleeping

Stomach pains

Difficulty in breathing

Dizzy spells (near-collapse feeling)

Excessive swelling of joints

Frequent urination

Paralysis, especially of the hands and feet

High iron levels, especially in the liver

Some people may develop diabetes, while others may suffer heart problems.


Diagnosis:

A small piece of the liver (biopsy) is extracted and examined in the laboratory for high levels of iron.


Treatment:

Weekly removal of half a litre of blood from the body is required.

A special diet is observed, for instance, a hemochromatosis patient should avoid foods with a high iron content such as organic meat, liver and kidney. One should also cut down on meat, avoid green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds and beans.

Relaxants may be given to reduce the stay of food in the digestive system, to reduce iron absorption into the body.

Prevention:

Screen for possible haemochromatosis of partners before they have children.

Prevalence:

Kakoraki says it is a rare condition, affecting about one in one thousand people (0.001%) and most people die before it is diagnosed. The cause of the death however, remains unknown.

Complications:

If not diagnosed and treated in time, hemochromatosis can cause;

Heart failure

Diabetes

Liver failure

Renal/kidney failure

Excessive swelling of joints

In most cases, it results in death.