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C-La-Canth t1_itdgke8 wrote

My husband has hemochromatosis, a hereditary condition. His body produces too many red blood cells, and it was starting to impact his organs, including his brain. If untreated, it can be fatal. Fortunately, the treatment is very simple. For a couple of years, he would just go regularly (every two weeks or so) to have blood withdrawn. No meds, just blood withdrawn. Now, his red count is normal, and he's made a remarkable comeback.

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Eaglemum1 t1_ite2of8 wrote

Although people with haemochromatosis tend to have higher than average Hb levels (probably because they never suffer from iron deficiency which is fairly common), unlike polycythaemia vera, the hamoglobin levels don’t get high enough to cause damage per se. It’s the iron deposits from excess iron which directly cause organ damage.

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