Results What do these mean?

[fairyeyes]

SERUM FOLATE LEVEL(ng/ml)6.3

Vit B12(ng/l)522

Serum ferritin level(ng/ml) 6(-)

serum total bilirubinlevel(umol/L 13 (no idea what this is)

Thank you.

[helvella Administrator]

Bilirubin is made when blood cells break down. That is entirely normal. But the bilirubin should be processed further by the liver. If it is not processed, you end up with high bilirubin levels - which often causes yellow skin. Slightly impaired liver function is common in hypothyroidism but it should not be bad enough to cause yellow skin.

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilir...

[Hidden]

Do you have ranges? And your serum ferritin is 6 - ??!!! do you feel terribly terribly tired?

[fairyeyes in reply to Hidden]

Yes i am utterly out of this worl tired or should i say fatigued as usually tired means you have done something,i just exist at the moment.I had an iron infusion 8 weeks ago ant it did not do anything,had another yesterday so have my fingers crossed as it was a different type and is supposed to last 3 to 6 months,I also have always taken iron tablets and had good iron in my diet until a few months before my iron infusion when all i could literally eat was shredded wheat,odd but true,i now cant eat the shredded wheat again.

Hellvella was my bilirubin result ok.Also what ranges do you mean?

[helvella Administrator in reply to fairyeyes]

I cannot be sure of your bilirubin level. The ranges for many tests vary from one lab to another. However, some labs use 21 as their top of range. If that is the range your lab uses, you are only slightly over half-way up - so that is OK.

[fairyeyes in reply to helvella]

Thank you so much,so lovely to come here and get answers and advice,my gp is fab,I trust the gp totally but its nice to know whats going on and what it all means.

[helvella Administrator in reply to fairyeyes]

Thank you.

Most people here DON'T trust their GPs totally. And with good reason. I hope yours is worthy of that trust.

[fairyeyes in reply to helvella]

Yes 99.9%, but i will still be on my guard,i am lucky to have a great gp and been with that gp most of my adult life, i once thought i had something wrong with me as i had some of the symptoms and the gp did that test for it even though gp was sure i did not have it and gp was correct but it was so nice to have my mind put at ease.

[Hidden in reply to fairyeyes]

So you are anaemic. I bet you are, even if they are telling you your FBC is "normal". Do you have your full blood count figures?

You poor, poor lamb. Are they investigating why you are either not absorbing iron or losing blood? What have they ruled out so far?

I don't suppose iron is the only thing you are low in.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

OK just checked your previous posts, I guess it is the bowel endometriosis which is causing blood loss. You say you are happy with your GP, do you have a good gastroenterologist too? Are they suggesting surgery?

[fairyeyes in reply to Hidden]

I have had endometriosis since my very early 20s,had what is called to fake menopauses but did not really help,i also had what is called an ablation of the womb,which burns the womb lining away to stop the flooding and very heavy periods,all it did though was give me more pain and stoped the flooding which so far has meant no hystrectomy which is my main goal as i dont want one of those.Some years ago i had serve tummy pain had not been to the toiet for over 2 weeks and they thought it was the ibs i suffer from,i got worse and was put in to hosp,2 weeks i spent in there having tests done was allowed home for christmas and went beck in,they did so many tests and all came back normal,they said i had a lot of poo about 3 full carrier bags full to get rid of and they also and i agree that i have endometriosis on the bowel,i get diarrhoea on a reg basis and also i only go to the toilet about once a week to ten days.My gp thinks its my heavy periods that is the problem for the lack of iron although they are better now but they do last a long time and i think i sometimes dont really remember that my periods are very abnormal,i have been on now for 5 weeks with the first 2 being heavy,My gp was surprised that my first infusion had no effect so it will be interesting to see how this one goes ,i also have taken supplements of iron for a long time not too much as they make me sick,If its an absorption issue does anyone here now what might be next for me?My other levels of things were all good,which is good news i think.I dont have a gastro person as i dont think i qualify for one.

[fairyeyes in reply to fairyeyes]

Also should i be woried my Levo wont take effect or work because my iron is so low?Aslo what will happen when hopefully my iron starts to increase?thank you so much again x

[fairyeyes in reply to fairyeyes]

Anyone?

[Hidden in reply to fairyeyes]

Gosh, well you sound as though you qualify to me. If you can get your iron up you won't be so tired, and you might find other things improve too - mood, maybe less anxiety, maybe less palpitations, if you suffer from those.

If the infusion didn't work then I would think it is a matter of blood loss - after all, an infusion by passes any absorption problem. I think this is your overwelming health problem at the moment and personally I would say, to focus on this, and not to worry about its effects on levo etc at the moment, one thing at a time, and this is an important thing.

So so sorry you are having so many problems.

[fairyeyes in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, so even if there had or has been a problem with absorbing the iron ,an infusion by passes that? i did not know that so thats good to know thank you.I have a lot going on and i am wondering which is caused by the iron level or the thyroid so thank you for all the info and your time. x

[Hidden in reply to fairyeyes]

Yes, because the infusion goes straight into your veins, it bypasses any gut problems. So the fact that you are still so low in iron shows that it is loss of blood through the womb and/or bowels which is mainly to blame.

Because you will be so tired and weak as a result you may find it difficult to think through the choices you must make.

Is your GP suggesting anything to help short of hysterectomy?

Is it possible to go on the pill full time with no breaks to stop or reduce the bleeding?

You need urgent help, but I would think you GP is aware of that...

If in the end a hysterectomy is a realistic way to regain your health, then you maybe could talk to some women who have had had similar problems about how it felt before and afterwards to inform you and help you decide.