Ferritin and transferrin saturation high in range

[Tweetypie28]

Hi

I've been working so hard on getting myself well and gave really made so much progress. I've been self medication with NDT and gave finally got my t4 and t3 levels to where they should be 😀

However, I've been taking prescribed iron tablets and as usual, the doctors have been rubbish. No one has bothered to check my levels.

So I had a full blood count recently and was shocked to find my ferritin level was 151 ( 13-150) and my transferrin saturation was 50 (15-45)

I'm now panicking that I have too much iron and will damage my body 😐

Can anyone advise/put my mind at rest? I have now stopped taking the iron tablets.

[lovelife1966]

Where do you get your ndt. I need somewhere I know is legit to order.

[Clutter]

Relax Debby, neither is significantly over range and won't have caused any damage

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Clutter]

Ahh thanks Clutter! If I cease the iron tablets will these levels reduce? I've been reading that the body cannot get rid of excess iron??

[Clutter in reply to Tweetypie28]

Debsy, it can if the excess is due to over supplementation and you stop supplementing.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter. I'm pretty sure the excess is due to supplementing because my ferritin level was 20 2 years ago, hence the supplementation. although since becoming optimal on thyroid meds, my B12 had strangely shot up to 720 without supplementing. I'm beginning to think that optimal thyroid meds also optimises vitamin and mineral levels too?? Although vit d hasnt risen so perhaps that blows that theory out of the water! I really don't understand though how 1 yr ago my b12 was 300 and now it's 700 and I haven't supplemented?! any ideas?

[Clutter in reply to Tweetypie28]

Debsy, a guess only, optimal thyroid levels has improved stomach acid and you're absorbing supplements better, hence high iron, and better absorption of nutrients means better cleaving of B12 from food.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to Clutter]

Yes, a guess for me too but it makes sense!

[lucylocks]

Hi

I have got the same thing with my ferritin, it is over range at 158.6 same range as yours. I had this done privately by Blue Horizon.

I have been taking iron and have now stopped.

I really don't understand it as in December last year my ferritin was 91 range 15 - 300

which was taken by the G.P. May this year it had dropped to 75 whilst still taking one iron tablet a day now it is 158.6 a different range but still over range.

I know inflammation can cause a raised ferritin level and this is what I was concerned about but as I had the CRP tested which came back as 1.5 range <3 I was told on here that this is a test for inflammation and as it is in range so I cannot have inflammation, all I can think it must be the iron.

I think I shall go to my G.P. next week and show him the result and ask for a full iron panel, whether he will do it I don't.

Sorry I can not offer any advice but just thought I would let you know.

Best wishes browny

[Tweetypie28 in reply to lucylocks]

Hi browny, what are your thyroid levels like? My levels were low when I started taking iron supplements and the iron wasn't rising very quickly. I'm now self medicating and have managed to get my levels optimal but I think this has caused the iron to rise quicker?? What is your transferrin level? X

[lucylocks in reply to Tweetypie28]

Hi Debbie

TSH 0.02 range 0.27 - 4.2

T4 19.24 range 12 - 22

T3 4.58 range 3.1 - 6.8

Now you have said your thyroid levels are better and this has raised your iron/ferritin, I now see how mine could have gone up quickly.

In January my G.P. reduced my levo. because of a suppressed TSH.

I was taking 100mcg/125mcg. alternatively. He reduce to 100mcg daily. I then felt worse so he had a change of heart and increased to 125mcg. daily.

So maybe the reduction in levo. caused my ferritin to drop and then the increase caused it to increase.

I never thought of it like that before. I always thought iron/ferritin had to be at the right level for thyroid meds. to work but as you say maybe the thyroid levels help raise iron/ferritin.

I think maybe you have hit the nail on the head and we do not need the iron supplements now.

My previous T4 has never been more than 14 and T3 never more than 4.4

I still have some hypo. symptoms and as my T3 is till a little low I am looking at adding a small amount of T3.

So glad you are feeling better on NDT.

[lucylocks in reply to lucylocks]

Sorry omitted to say I have never has transferrin level tested

[Tweetypie28 in reply to lucylocks]

Who knows eh Browny?!? It does look like you could benefit from a little T3 though looking at those results. If you do go to the doctor about your iron levels, please let me know what he says! x

[lucylocks in reply to Tweetypie28]

Yes I will let you what Doctor says,

I will go next week.

From what Clutter says I don't think we have anything to worry about (fingers crossed)

Best wishes browny

[humanbean]

You may find this page useful.

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

Look at the table at the bottom and see if your results fit into any particular category. I'm hoping you have other results besides ferritin and transferrin saturation to help in any decision making.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks human bean. I would say the other iron related results are all normal do I think my high ferritin and transferrin is purely down to taking iron tablets for too long 😧

[humanbean in reply to Tweetypie28]

It could be. People do lose iron, by the way. Everyone, even the healthiest of people, loses a small amount of blood in their faeces every day for a start, and that will mean there is iron being lost.

quora.com/How-do-we-lose-ir...

There are some good answers in the above link.

Your overdose of iron is very small. It will be gone before you know it.

[Tweetypie28 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you HB. Yourself and Clutter have been most helpful and put my mind at rest!

[sue_b in reply to humanbean]

really easy to understand this chart, great share

[Heloise]

Hi Debsy, this is iron-ic (pun intended), my ferritin is exactly the same: 151

I was also wondering if it truly is over range but I found that this can happen when there is a lot of inflammation. I'm thinking that is the cause. Check this list.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

[Ill_us-Ions]

Best way to take iron is Spatone - iron in water satchets which are easily absorbed by the body and gentle; take with vit c.