Learn more about iron overload
For more information about iron overload and to sign up to receive additional educational materials, please go to AskAboutIron.com.
A simple test, called a serum ferritin test, can tell if you have too much iron. If you have too much iron (a high serum ferritin level), there are ways to remove it, which your doctor or nurse may discuss with you.
If you (or your loved one) have received blood transfusions, you should ask your doctor or nurse:
- Have I received 10 or more blood transfusions?
- What are my serum ferritin levels? Is that too high?
- Should I have a blood test to check if I have too much iron?
- Do you see any clinical evidence that I have iron overload?
Download tip sheet
Click here to download and print a free version of the Be Sickle Smart. Ask Larenz About Iron tip sheet, or call 1-888-SCD-TATE to request a hard copy.
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Learn more about SCDAA
For more information on the SCDAA, please go to sicklecelldisease.org.
You might've seen me in movies like Ray, Crash, and Love Jones, but one of my most rewarding roles has been as a supporter of patients with sickle cell disease.
This is a great place to start learning all you can to “Be Sickle Smart.” Take these questions to your doctor. I want to offer you a chance to receive more FREE information about sickle cell disease and iron overload.
Get FREE Information on Iron Overload
Staying informed is the key to staying healthy.
I know first hand what sickle cell disease can do. My family has lost close friends to the disease. That was my inspiration for joining with my brothers Larron and Lahmard to start the Tate Bros Foundation. I want to help educate others about sickle cell disease and serious complications like too much iron — or iron overload — so they're empowered to take an active role in their health.
For many people, having sickle cell disease often means getting regular blood transfusions to stay healthy. Blood transfusions can save lives, but they can cause too much iron to build up in the body. This excess iron can damage key organs, like the liver or heart, and it can happen after only 10 blood transfusions. Iron overload has no symptoms, so people don't even realize they're at risk. If you don't diagnose and treat iron overload, it can be dangerous — even life threatening.
That's why I'm determined to get the message out that it's really important for people with sickle cell disease who get transfusions to know about excess iron and ask their doctor if they might be at risk.
The facts about sickle cell disease and iron overload
What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a commonly inherited blood disorder in the U.S. It affects 1 in 500 African Americans and 1 in 1,000 Hispanic Americans. In sickle cell disease, red blood cells become deformed and can block blood vessels. This causes pain, can damage tissues and organs, and can lead to stroke if the blockage occurs in the brain.
Why do some people with sickle cell disease get blood transfusions?
Repeated blood transfusions are a standard treatment for some with sickle cell disease; and they help reduce complications of the disease. Blood transfusions are used to treat pain crises and even prevent strokes, which are “brain attacks” that happen when part of the brain experiences a problem with blood flow.
What is iron overload?
Iron overload is the build-up of too much iron in the body. It can begin with as few as 10 blood transfusions, and if left untreated, it can damage key organs like the liver or heart.
How do I know if I have iron overload?
There aren't always tell-tale signs that you might have iron overload, so people don't even realize they're at risk. If undiagnosed and left untreated, it can lead to damage to the heart, liver, and other organs. Your doctor can perform a simple test, called a serum ferritin test, to check your iron levels.
How is iron overload treated?
The only effective therapy to remove excess iron due to blood transfusions and prevent complications of iron overload is a drug called an iron chelator — a substance that binds to the iron in the body and helps remove it.
