Iron levels vs ferritin levels: So trying to get... - Thyroid UK

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Iron levels vs ferritin levels

Loriputnam11 profile image
7 Replies

So trying to get my ferritin level up because heard that would help the hair loss and thyroid function. Frustrated because ferritin levels going back down and the iron satiuation levels way high?! CORTISOL LEVEL Is still high. 33.5 (4.5-22.7)

3/1/18 ferritin 40.3 (20-234)

2/6/18 ferritin 51.7

12/19/18 ferritin 47.1

10/25/18 ferritin 20.4

3/1/18 Iron (37-170) 187

12/19/18 Iron 70

3/1/18 TIBC (264-497) 323

12/19/18 TIBC 383

3/1/18 Iron Satuation (11%-46%) 58%

12/19/18 Iron satuation 21%

3/1/18 TSH (.47-4.68) 2.20

2/6/18 TSH 2.69

1/8/18 TSH 9.35

12/19/18 TSH 1.89

3/1/18 T4 (.78-2.19) .99

2/6/18 T 4 1.07

1/8/18 T4 1.15

3/1/18 T3 (2.2-4.2) 2.5

2/6/18 T3 2.1

1/8/18 T3 2.3

I am on 50mg Tironsint and 10 mg T3, 5mg in the am and 5mg in the early afternoon. All my vitamens seem normal and take additional zinc and Iron. Last vitamin labs on 12/19/18

B12 661 (239-931)

Folic acid 20 (7-30)

Zinc 72 (60-120)

D3 was mid range

Any ideas of suggestions as to how to get my ferritin levels high without the iron and iron satuation way over? Heard ferritin needs to be over 70 for hair growth and between 90 and 120 for optimal thyroid function. Should I increase the tironaint or T3 and keep on the double dose of iron supplements? Thank you for any response, I tried to include everythin for a complete picture :) Doctors say it is all normal!

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Loriputnam11
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7 Replies
Clutter profile image
Clutter

Loriputnam11,

Ferritin is stored iron and is often tested as a guide to iron status instead of ordering an iron panel and full blood count. Low ferritin can indicate iron deficiency. Your iron and saturation 3/1/18 are high so you should stop supplementing iron because high iron is not good. As long as your iron is high it doesn'tmatter that your ferritin is low.

TSH 2.20 indicates you are undermedicated and both FT4 and FT3 are low in range. I would increase Tirosint to 75mcg and retest in 6-8 weeks.

B12, folic acid and zince are good.

What is the vitD result and range?

Annealise profile image
Annealise in reply to Clutter

That is so frustrating Loriputnam11.

My GP always does the full blood count and iron panel, yet we are advised by experts that its our Ferritin that should be raised sufficiently to enable thyroid meds to be effective. I've finally managed to triple my previously low Ferritin levels recently.

Due to some one mentioning something on here, I am now concerned other irons are out of sync/ become toxic.

Clutter what should i be looking at when I have my iron panel retested please- just iron and saturation levels?

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to Annealise

Annealise,

Iron panel:

What is included in an iron panel?

Serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and/or transferrin tests are usually ordered together and, subsequantly, the transferrin saturation can be determined and used to assess how much iron is being carried in the blood. A ferritin test may also be used to evaluate a person's current iron stores.24 May 2013

Iron - Lab Tests Online

labtestsonline.org/tests/iron

Annealise profile image
Annealise in reply to Clutter

Thank you. I take it I would be looking at very high levels for abnormalities?

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to Annealise

You might find these links helpful :

medichecks.com/tests/iron-s...

rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_...

humanbean profile image
humanbean

I've re-written your iron-related results in a way I can more easily take them in.

25th October 2017

ferritin 20.4

19th December 2017

ferritin 47.1

Iron 70

TIBC 383

Iron saturation 21%

6th February 2018

ferritin 51.7

1st March 2018

ferritin 40.3 (20-234)

Iron (37-170) 187

TIBC (264-497) 323

Iron Saturation (11%-46%) 58%

Your results from 1st March 2018 show the importance of not just relying on a ferritin result when looking at iron. Your ferritin is low in range, but your over-the-range Iron and Iron Saturation (usually called Transferrin Saturation) show that your body has too much iron right now and you must stop supplementing iron immediately. For some reason your body is failing to move iron from your blood stream into ferritin. If you had only had a ferritin result, you might have thought it was fine to keep on taking iron supplements, when actually the iron is poisoning you.

Ferritin is a measure of your iron stores. The iron your body currently has available for use can be seen in your serum iron result and it has too much – your blood is saturated with iron. What should have happened is that your body should keep the iron it needs in the blood stream and should move the rest into ferritin.

There are various reasons why this might happen. Which of the reasons apply to you can take some detective work and perhaps some trial and error.

According to this link : stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

look at the section on Iron, and compare your results.

If your ferritin is low with very good or high iron, plus a TIBC in the middle 300’s or higher, that usually points to having high heavy metals and an active MTHFR mutation.

MTHFR mutations are discussed here : stopthethyroidmadness.com/m...

I have written about the very little I know on MTHFR in this thread :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

But essentially, I don’t know anything of any substance, and you’ll have to do your own research.

Loriputnam11 profile image
Loriputnam11 in reply to humanbean

Thank you! Had my endo appt today to discuss and now doing swab cortisol tests with the 24 hour urine; said he is thinking these last 8 months might be an adrenal issue instead:( going to do them this week and if the levels are still high, which they have been each time, then doing a CT scan to look for tumors. I have asked all along why I feel so wired 24/7, I should be tired with thyroid. Wish they had thought of that 6 months ago or before this December so I dont have to start over with all the insurance deductibles;( Thank you for all this information; such a blessing!

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