Beauparc woman urges early testing after haemochromatosis diagnosis

A BEAUPARC woman who spent months battling fatigue and joint pain before discovering she had haemochromatosis is encouraging others to seek testing early as World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week gets underway.

Sharon O'Farrell, a counsellor, psychotherapist and part-time lecturer, was diagnosed with the condition in 2016 after experiencing persistent tiredness, aching joints and a general feeling of unwellness.

Like many people, she initially assumed she was suffering from low iron levels.

“I had never heard of haemochromatosis,” Sharon said. “Like a lot of people, I grew up hearing that if you were tired you must be low in iron, so I was taking vitamin C and supplements. I had no idea that was actually helping my body absorb even more iron.”

A visit to her GP and a routine blood panel eventually revealed elevated iron levels. Further genetic testing confirmed she had haemochromatosis, a hereditary condition that causes the body to absorb too much iron from food.

“It was completely new to me,” she said. “I was lucky that it was picked up early.”

Sharon's story was highlighted during World Haemochromatosis Awareness Week, which ran from 1st-7th June aimed to encourage people to recognise the symptoms of the condition and seek testing sooner.

Often referred to as the ‘Celtic Gene’, haemochromatosis is Ireland's most common genetic condition. Around one in five Irish people carry the gene associated with iron overload, while approximately one in 83 people are genetically predisposed to developing the condition.

Despite its prevalence, haemochromatosis frequently goes undiagnosed because symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, abdominal discomfort and joint pain can easily be mistaken for stress, ageing or other common health complaints.

Following her diagnosis, Sharon underwent weekly venesection treatment, a procedure similar to blood donation that removes excess iron from the body. She required around 13 treatments before her iron levels returned to a healthy range.

Today, she undergoes regular monitoring every few months and says the condition is highly manageable when caught early.

“Once my iron levels are within the normal range, I don't have symptoms,” she explained. “The fatigue and joint pain disappear. It's only if my levels start to rise again that I notice anything.”

According to Prof John Ryan, Consultant Hepatologist at Beaumont Hospital and Chair of the Irish Liver Foundation, early diagnosis is crucial.

“The key message is that once haemochromatosis is diagnosed, it is highly treatable. It may be frequently missed because early symptoms are so non-specific, but we have the tools to diagnose this early and prevent complications.”

If left untreated, excess iron can build up in organs including the liver, heart and pancreas, potentially leading to serious complications such as liver disease, diabetes, heart problems and joint damage.

Sharon believes greater public awareness is needed, particularly because the symptoms of iron overload can mirror those of iron deficiency.

“What's really important for people to understand is that the symptoms can be almost identical to low iron,” she said. “That's why it's so important not to self-diagnose and start taking supplements without knowing what's actually going on.”

The Beauparc woman says her diagnosis reinforced the importance of looking after both physical and mental wellbeing, something that aligns closely with her work as a psychotherapist and her long-standing interest in equine therapy and Reiki.

“I feel grateful that mine was caught before any real damage was done,” she said.

“There are people who don't find out until much later when serious complications have developed. I can't emphasise enough how important early diagnosis is.”

The Irish Haemochromatosis Association is encouraging anyone experiencing persistent tiredness, brain fog, abdominal discomfort or joint pain, or those with a family history of the condition, to speak with their GP about testing. Initial screening involves a simple blood test, and early diagnosis can help prevent long-term complications.

For further information or support, visit www.haemochromatosis.ie