Medical Diagnosis for sexless marriage - finally!!!!
May 15, 2017 10:45:48 GMT -5
Dan, GeekGoddess, and 3 more like this
Post by currion on May 15, 2017 10:45:48 GMT -5
After years of dealing with a sexless marriage, including counseling, medical tests, and hormone therapy, we finally know what is causing low libido in my husband.
He has hemochromatosis. This is a genetic metabolic disorder that affects the ability to process iron. Iron overload can affect many organs and cause damage.
The sneaky part of this disorder is that even though it is genetic and always present, high iron levels may not show up in males until later in life (in their 50's) even though the disease has been impacting them. For instance, the pituitary glad can be impacted which in turn affects hormone levels which impacts libido.
My husband had tests that indicated hormonal imbalance. He used androgel (with not much success). However none of his doctors could ever tell us the root cause of his hormonal imbalances. They didn't even try to figure it out. It wasn't until just recently that a routine blood test showed very high levels of iron that his doctor sent him for genetic testing. This testing confirmed hemochromatosis.
Unfortunately for him, the damage has been done to his pituitary gland. He needs more tests to see how much damage may have been done to other organs such as liver or pancreas.
Here is some information on the genetics.
Type I hemochromatosis is caused by defects (mutations) in the HFE gene. HFE has many purposes, but one important role is that it helps to control the amount of iron that is absorbed from food. There are several known mutations in the HFE gene, but presently testing for only three is available: C282Y, H63D, and S65C.
There are doctors now who are urging that men who present with low libido or sexual dysfunction, particularly when they are younger, should have the genetic testing done. It could take years before the iron load is discernible through a blood test and by then damage has been done.
The condition is treatable!!!! I wish we had known this years ago.
He has hemochromatosis. This is a genetic metabolic disorder that affects the ability to process iron. Iron overload can affect many organs and cause damage.
The sneaky part of this disorder is that even though it is genetic and always present, high iron levels may not show up in males until later in life (in their 50's) even though the disease has been impacting them. For instance, the pituitary glad can be impacted which in turn affects hormone levels which impacts libido.
My husband had tests that indicated hormonal imbalance. He used androgel (with not much success). However none of his doctors could ever tell us the root cause of his hormonal imbalances. They didn't even try to figure it out. It wasn't until just recently that a routine blood test showed very high levels of iron that his doctor sent him for genetic testing. This testing confirmed hemochromatosis.
Unfortunately for him, the damage has been done to his pituitary gland. He needs more tests to see how much damage may have been done to other organs such as liver or pancreas.
Here is some information on the genetics.
Type I hemochromatosis is caused by defects (mutations) in the HFE gene. HFE has many purposes, but one important role is that it helps to control the amount of iron that is absorbed from food. There are several known mutations in the HFE gene, but presently testing for only three is available: C282Y, H63D, and S65C.
There are doctors now who are urging that men who present with low libido or sexual dysfunction, particularly when they are younger, should have the genetic testing done. It could take years before the iron load is discernible through a blood test and by then damage has been done.
The condition is treatable!!!! I wish we had known this years ago.
