Dear Dr. Roach: I have hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) and atrial fibrillation. My AFib burden seems to vary with my iron levels. My AFib went from 58% to less than 2% in two weeks after I had a phlebotomy recently. I can't find anyone else who has had this experience. Am I the only one?

My last ferritin test from a few weeks ago was 96 ng/mL. About the same time, I stopped using my combined COPD inhaler because of side effects.

— P.M.

Dear P.M.: HH is a disease of iron absorption where the body cannot regulate how much iron it takes in. Normally, the body stops absorbing iron if it doesn't need it, but with HH, the body absorbs as much as possible all the time. The body has no normal way to get rid of iron, except when menstruating women lose some iron every month, but this isn't alw

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