More and more people are being diagnosed with hereditary haemochromatosis without showing any symptoms. Symptoms can be difficult to spot, as they are often mild initially, with many potential causes. Fatigue and lethargy are common, and joint pain or arthritis may occur. Sexual problems, particularly impotence in men or loss of menstruation in women, may be an important early sign. As the iron overload increases, sufferers may experience the following diseases. Liver disease: the liver is the main site of excessive iron build up. The disease causes scarring or liver fibrosis leading to cirrhosis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, jaundice, swelling of the ankles or abdomen and enlargement of the liver or spleen. In severe cases bleeding from the gut or coma can occur. Heart disease: excess iron deposits may lead to one of two heart conditions. These are heart failure (indicated by tiredness, lack of energy, shortness of breath and ankle swelling) and abnormal heart rhythms. Patients may experience extra heart beats known as ectopics or disorders where the heart goes either too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia). Pancreatic disease: sugar diabetes (diabetes mellitus) may be an early sign of haemochromatosis and develops in up to half of all patients with advanced disease. Diabetes is due to excess iron in the pancreas gland damaging the insulin producing cells. This complication together with the dark skin pigmentation that can occur has led to haemochromatosis sometimes being called 'bronze diabetes'. Other rare symptoms: endocrine gland problems particularly with pituitary, thyroid or sex hormones can occur, as can skin and neurological disease. | 
