yes there are tests. I have posted alot about on PN forum over time. Search "hemochromatosis" and you'll find out more.

The treatment is giving blood frequently until the transferrin comes down for primary form(genetic). For secondary hemochromatosis there are two IV drugs and one oral, all very hard to deal with...with problems of their own with toxicities. Secondary hemo occurs with blood transfusions and some rare other circumstances.

In women the symptoms don't come on full force until menopause. In males it is earlier.

And this is NOT rare. It is about as common as gluten intolerance. Kaiser Permanente HMO did a huge screening of its members and a few doctors turned up positive! Never had a clue!

Some genetics have been done in Britain, and 1 in 3 of Irish descent can carry these genes! That is the highest ratio. So if you are of Irish descent, even partially, you need to be screened for this. The skin bronzing that occurs in women is often misdiagnosed as melasma (hormonal).

Here is an example:
http://www.blogfabulous.com/miracle-...ception-shift/

onpub med i got 6 hits on "gluten hemochromatosis", two of which were of the belief that celiac blunted the expression of hemochromatosis.....which therefore would make sense that you would see the problem after you fixed the celiac....

Well, my regular PCP is out with a virus, imagine that, so I saw one of his associates today. She thinks my iron looks just fine, says all my numbers are good. She thinks I am suffering from epstein barr flare-ups, often times referred to as chronic fatigue. I think her tests will come back negative, but what the heck, let her run the tests. I do have the virus in my body, we knew that. I had mono when I was 15, 100's of years ago!

She's doing a complete thyroid panel, liver enzymes, CBC, EKG (which was good) and I had a chest xray this afternoon. Oh, and the epstein barr. She says--"maybe you need a B12 shot" to which I told her I take 5000mcg daily, so she looks back and sees my level at 1015 and decides against a B12 shot...at least she does feel B12 is important.

We will see what comes back now. How can I be so darn healthy, and still feel so much fatigue, and a constant headache?