Health Advice

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Head Lice – Help!!!

Every parent’s heart sinks when they receive the dreaded note from school warning about head lice. Don’t worry – Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy in Donabate is here to to give us advice and tips. The first thing to do is to check the child’s head. You will need some tea tree conditioner, a... Read more >

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Are You SunSmart?

We ask Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy Donabate how to make the most of great sunny summer days whilst protecting our skin from harmful rays. Jane says “The Irish Cancer Society SunSmart program has great guidelines to keep us safe. See below for some useful tips and advice” Ways to protect your skin: Shade... Read more >

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Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes

Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes… Talk to Jane Brennan, your Hay Fever Expert in Donabate Are your eyes itchy, red or watery? Is your throat scratchy? Are you sneezing? Do you have itchy ears, nose or mouth? Do you have a blocked or runny nose? Do you wake up feeling exhausted? Hay fever can cause... Read more >

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Life Pharmacy Ireland – Live Better

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Diagnosing haemochromatosis

(11/09/2014)

Haemochromatosis can be difficult to diagnose as many of the typical symptoms can also result from other conditions.

Haemochromatosis is often diagnosed during testing for unrelated conditions.

Unless you have a family history of the condition, it may take a while before a correct diagnosis is confirmed.

If you do have a family history of haemochromatosis it's important to tell your GP.

Screening

If a close family member (mother, father, brother or sister) is diagnosed with haemochromatosis, there is a chance you will also develop haemochromatosis.

The chance could be as high as one in four if your brother or sister is diagnosed, so you may want to be tested for the condition yourself.

Similarly, family members, including any children you have, may want to be tested if you are positively diagnosed.

Blood tests

Haemochromatosis is usually diagnosed using blood tests, which may include:

  • transferrin saturation – a blood test that indicates how much iron is readily available for use in the body
  • serum ferritin – a blood test that indicates the amount of iron stored in the body

If tests detect high levels of iron in your body you will be referred for a more detailed blood test, where a sample of your DNA is checked for the HFE mutation.

This genetic test will usually confirm or rule out the diagnosis and also determine whether a person is a carrier of the HFE mutation. People who carry the mutation do not develop symptoms and signs of iron overload.

Liver biopsy

A liver biopsy may be recommended if tests reveal high levels of iron or there are enzymes present that indicate liver damage.

A liver biopsy involves taking a small sample of liver tissue. A hollow needle is injected into your skin and then into your liver and a sample of the tissue is taken. The injection is not painful as the skin is numbed with local anaesthetic.

The sample is then checked to see if the tissue is hardened, scarred or has cancer cells in it – all of which would indicate some degree of liver disease.