No diagnosis, unsure what to think while waiting

[Jasma]

Hi. I wonder if anyone here can offer an opinion. I haven’t been diagnosed but my gp mentioned it in passing a few months ago. I got a partial result back this evening and can’t sleep trying to figure it out. Unfortunately the sample was haemolysed (it was a home test) so I only got ferritin (61) and iron 33umol/l (normal limit 26). I was put on 120mg iron in October as I had low normal ferritin (24) and an under active thyroid. After 6 weeks my ferritin was 34 and iron 17. The sample was haemolysed again so luckily I retook it 2 weeks later and it had soared to 40. Haemolysed again so finally a full iron panel in January showed

Iron 36

TIBC 49

TS 82%

I stopped all iron and multivitamins. I retested last week and the serum iron is still high at 33. I think I was ok until I started the high dose supplement. What do you think? Transient? Haemachromatosis? I’ve sent away for an LFT while waiting for reply from doctor.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have any opinion I’d be grateful.

[whend100]

I would follow advice of your doctor, not people on line, unless you know that they're very familiar with this blood disorder. For me, supplements put my iron levels through the roof, even while menstruating. So, I would not take any supplements unless instructed to do so by a physician. Because the only way to get rid of the excess iron is through phlebotomy. Excess iron can create huge problems, so be very careful and follow advice of doctors.

[radd in reply to whend100]

whend100,

What blood disorder? The o/p is referring to blood samples.

[whend100 in reply to radd]

Im sorry i recently received an email, but it didnt include the string of replies to the original post, i didn't mean to misinform, my intent was to help alleviate stress, not cause it.

[radd in reply to whend100]

🙂

[Jasma in reply to whend100]

Thank you!

[radd]

Jasma

Without test ranges it is impossible to see if your iron results are elevated or over range but a TF result of 82% means your body is overly saturated.

If I was you I would ask your doctor for a full iron panel in six months time to see if iron levels have reduced. If you were prescribed iron supplements on only a ferritin result, it maybe that you never actually needed the extra as serum iron was fine.

[Jasma]

Thanks everyone. I have an appointment next week so will finally see what the story is.