Totally weird bloodtest results!! Help please!!

[Amazon07]

So my blood test results came back, and I have fairly low ferritin (65.8 - ref. Range: 10-291) but high iron (33.8 - ref. Range: 8.8-27). I'm not taking any iron supplements, haven't taken any for years apart from 1 bottle of Floradix last summer. My transferrin was 2.63 (ref. Range: 2.00-3.80). B12 was 687 (211-911), Folate was 12.7 (3.00-17.00)

TSH was 0.01 (0.55-4.78), FT4 was 0.50 (0.89-1.76), and FT3 was 3.23 (2.30-4.20). I'm on 25mcg T3 (circadian dose), 1.5 grain of NDT at 11am and 1 grain NDT at 5pm. At the time of the test (7am) I haven't taken my 5pm dose the previous day and my circadian dose on that day).

I looked everywhere online and can't find any answers for the lowish ferritin but high iron! I'm freaking out! Can anyone help please?? Thanks!!

[Clutter]

Amazon07,

Ferritin is stored iron and levels fluctuate throughout the day as iron is dumped into ferritin and withdrawn according to requirements. There's no need to freak because iron is high or ferritin is low but iron levels should be montiored because high iron can indicate haemachromatosis (iron overload) nhs.uk/conditions/Haemochro...

B12 and folate are good.

TSH is suppressed because you are taking quite a high combination dose of NDT and T3. FT4 is low because you are taking proportionally more T3 than T4. FT3 is mid-range and as it would be 20 hours since your last dose normal circulating FT3 is probably around 3.7.

[Amazon07 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter !

As far as I know, nobody in my family has haemachromatosis. I read the link you sent, and it's not clear to me how the GP would check if it is haemachromatosis?! I never had this high iron before, but had v low ferritin about 5 years ago and then with taking ferrous fumerate and Vit C I got it up to optimum level about 4 years ago. I then got pregnant and while pregnant and after giving birth, my ferritin went out of range high. It's gone back to be within range gradually, and now this! I don't really know what to make of my fluctuating iron and ferritin levels, especially that apart from that bottle of Floradix last summer, I haven't taken any iron supplements since I was about 12-20 weeks pregnant (my daughter is going to be 3 years old this weekend).

I've some fatigue but I don't sleep enough (7 hrs / night usually and I need 8 to feel well, I'm working on this!) and I e had muscle aches and pains but this vastly improved since I started exercising regularly and taking Zinc.

I've been gluten-free for over 20 years and paleo for 3 years (plus 1 year before pregnancy).

Thanks!!

[Clutter in reply to Amazon07]

Amazon07,

It may simply be monitoring a rising iron level over a period, I don't really know, but your GP will.

[humanbean]

You might find the following link useful :

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

The table at the bottom doesn't explain high serum iron and low(ish) ferritin. But one thing to bear in mind is that it is possible to have more than one kind of iron problem or anaemia problem.

For example, someone with iron deficiency would have low ferritin, someone with low B12 would have high ferritin. Put both conditions into the same body and you might end up with a normal-looking ferritin.

So, you would need more information before you could decide why you have low in range ferritin and high serum iron. And in the end you might not find an answer at all, sadly.

[Amazon07 in reply to humanbean]

humanbean & Clutter Thanks! What other info would I need? This might be entirely silly, but I had a medium rare steak the night before the blood test, would that effect the iron levels so quickly?? Thanks!