Is my Ferritin low?

[annabhaird]

Hi all, got some blood results back today from my local hospital. Unfortunately they don't do a wide range of tests.

Ferritin 51.4 ug/L (16-650)

Vitamin D 101 nmol/l (50-125)

B12 >2000 pg/ml (197-771)

Haemoglobin 14.2 g/dl (11.50-16.50)

TSH 0.05 ulU/ml (0.27-4.20)

T4 14.8 pmol/L (12.0-22.0)

I'm supplementing B12 and Vitamin D.

I'm also on Nature Throid 1.75 grains and still feeling rotten. Had increased to 2 grains for 2 weeks but felt truly dreadful, extra fatigued, tearful, hopeless, despair, could barely cope at work. So dropped back to 1.75 grains a few days ago. Still have loads of symptoms but at least I can work without bursting into tears!

Does anyone know if my results indicate low ferritin? And if so could this account for the lack of improvement in my symptoms and the horrible side effects whenever I try to increase to 2 grains?

I know I need to get free T4 and free T3 done, which will be done when I see my private GP on Tuesday. Thanks everyone. Anna

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Yes it is low. It needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work, it's said half way through range is best but for females I've seen it said 100-130 is good. That is a very wide range though, we normally see something like 15-150 or top end 300-400.

[annabhaird in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much SeasideSusie. I suspected that it was low by these levels, course GP says it's fine! Anna

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to annabhaird]

GP says it's fine because it's in range, it's just that we Hypos know better as far as it needing to be 70 for thyroid hormone to work is concerned.

I was recently offered iron tablets because my ferritin had fallen from 119 to 39. It was the nurse practitioner, he wasn't going to offer any, he just said that ferritin was fine at 39. I pointed out that it had fallen from 119 and that result wouldn't be on his computer because I tested privately because I know it had to be 70 for thyroid hormone to work. He immediately offered the prescription with no further discussion. I actually turned it down saying I have enough trouble with constipation so I would go back to eating liver once a week.

[annabhaird in reply to SeasideSusie]

Good to know about the liver, which type of liver is best? I'm not a big fan of liver but needs must in my case now! I know iron can cause all types of problems, especially constipation. Thanks for that information SeasideSusie. Anna 😃

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to annabhaird]

It can be any type of liver, I use lamb's liver because it's mild tasting, calves liver is too. Chicken liver is also good. I always buy from my local butcher as I know it is from Welsh lamb, supermarkets often have imported liver. No more than 200g a week because it has a high Vit A content.

Besides liver as a meal you can mince or chop small and add to casseroles, curries, cottage pie, bolognese, etc, also liver pate.

[annabhaird in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much SeasideSusie. Will get some tomorrow. Anna.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to annabhaird]

I had liver and onions tonight, fried in butter, roasted cherry tomatoes, peas and some mashed potatoes - YUM!! Sometimes I have it with rice, I add vegetables to the rice and cut liver into thin strips and fry them add to the rice mix - mess on a plate but tastes lovely!

If frying liver, it doesn't take long, so gently fry for a few minutes, too long and it will go leathery. There are lots of recipes online but I like it nice and simple

[ShootingStars in reply to annabhaird]

Not so fast. It’s not so cut and dried. What’s the rest of your iron panel? Your thyroid hormone supplementation May very well be working perfectly. It might just be the wrong medication or wrong dosage...

My ferritin was between 23 and 30 for several years. The rest of my iron panel was mid range. My thyroid hormone supplementation worked just fine. I take levothyroxine and loithyronine. TSH had been suppressed perfectly to between .38 and .9, FT3 was mid between 1/2 and 3/4 range, FT4 was over 1/2. I had no hypo symptoms whatsoever. No weight gain, etc.

Last Nov I started taking iron. Ferrin increased 15 points in two weeks to 38. The rest of my iron panel was mid range. I just retested my iron panel. Ferrin is now 54, highest it’s ever been! And the rest of my iron numbers? They are now either way too high or way too low. I NOW HAVE IRON TOXICITY. Now I have to cut back on taking so much extra iron. I had started iron pills and eating a lot of beef. That’s what made me iron toxic.

My thyroid? TSH is now super suppressed, .009. FT3 is now almost at 3/4 range, 3.4. 3/4 is much too high for me. FT4 is highest it’s ever been, 1.4. I have had some heart palpations, so I am cutting back on my medication just a little until I can get in to see an endocrinologist who specializes in autoimmune thyroid condition in late March. I have no other hyperish symptoms. I don’t look hyper at all. I don’t look hypo either.

Your medication might not be working if you’re not getting the right amount of T3 and T4 supplementation that your body need. Your labs will tell you. Also, have you been tested for Hashimoto’s, autoimmune thyroid disease? THAT matters a lot. If you have it, might be eating foods that cause increase autoimmune reactions and increased hypo symptoms. Some people with Hashimoto’s cannot take NDT. I could not. It gave me a huge autoimmune reaction.

[annabhaird]

Thanks so much, I'll give it a try tomorrow, sounds lovely! Anna 😊

[Marz in reply to annabhaird]

Crushed juniper berries can add a tang and yogurt at the last moment ... think it's a Delia recipe 😊

[annabhaird in reply to Marz]

Hi Marz. Thanks for that, will try it. Anna.

[ShootingStars in reply to annabhaird]

Please get a complete iron panel before starting to take a bunch of iron. Please also get complete thyroid panel, TSH, FT3, FT4, and thyroid antibodies TPO and TH.

[Hidden]

Please ask them to run an iron panel. My son was diagnosed with low ferritin was 22 took iron tablets for three months re checked and was 52. Stopped taking them and then had to have some bloods for something a month later I asked the gp to run ferritin test whilst she was there just to check it hadn’t dropped. The gp requested an an iron panel which came back with iron nearly at the top end of normal and the saturation point almost where they class iron overload. I was so surprised as he had been taking half the dose he was prescribed, for only 3 months and had been off the tablets for a couple of weeks. Not saying this is the case for you but everybodys body is different absorbs and reacts differently to supplements and what is optimal for one may not be so for someone else. Too much iron can be a problem as too little.

[annabhaird in reply to Hidden]

Hi Booboo212. Thank you for making me aware of this. I'll ask my private GP when I see him on Tue. Hope your son is doing ok now. Anna

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

This, totally! This is exactly what happened to me! In my case my ferritin went from 23 to 39 in only three weeks, and then to 54 six weeks later. That is when my other iron values showed iron toxicity.

[annabhaird in reply to ShootingStars]

Wow, will really have to keep a close watch on levels whew I supplement. Thanks ShootingsStars. Anna.

[ShootingStars in reply to annabhaird]

You’re welcome, annabird. There is no text book or study that states that ferritin absolutely must be at a certain level in order for the thyroid to function. Same with hair growth. I am living proof in both cases. I have had no hair loss or eyebrow loss. My hair is very healthy and almost boob length. It grows perfectly fine!

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Oh gosh, yours raised quickly too! I was really shocked as I’d only given him half the prescribed amount as he complained of racing heart and palpitations couple of hours after each tablet which he had never had before. All stopped when he discontinued the tablets. Think both of my kids absorb vitamins differently to the majority.

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

I know! It is very concerning! In my case, I took 28mgs of iron bi-glycinate. I think that’s the right name. I also took one 1000 mgs pill of vitamin C. C increases iron absorption. Then I started eating a lot of beef. Interesting about your sons heart racing. I thought mine was from my thyroid levels, but maybe it’s from the iron? I suppose my suddenly very suppressed TSH could be from my iron toxicity, too.

I had people telling me my ferritin was too low at 23 and to hurry and get it up. Not one doctor has ever told me that.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Just shows that we are all so very different and all metabolise things differently. My son had ringing in his ears too plus faint white lines in his toenails appear after being on iron both of which I’ve read can be due to iron/metal toxicity. The ringing has stopped now.

Like you was told must get his levels up and I really panicked!

Hope you start to feel better soon. X

[Hidden]

I found some while back Dr Kunin's website which has many interesting articles and I bought one of his books "Mega Nutrition for Women" (I think he only wrote 2 books). I don't have a problem with iron myself (I am 75) but the following link is what he has to say about iron which I thought you might find interesting. He proposes that men and post menopausal women should tread very carefully with iron supplementation as they have no natural ways for the body to get rid of excess iron.

kuninhealth.com/index.php?p...

[annabhaird in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Cassie0707. That's a very interesting article. Anna