Hallelujah!

[vocalEK]

My latest T3 result:

T3 FREE 1.90 pg/mL (2.57 - 4.43 pg/mL)

Two months ago, my result was 2.3 pg/mL, which my doctor characterized as "slightly low," Two years prior to that (October of 2017), my result was 2.64 -- very near the bottom of the range. So there is a definite downward trend happening.

This is what she wrote to me:

"Your labs show low T3, I sent a low dose replacement to the pharmacy, please take once daily.

We can repeat these labs in 6 weeks.

Your Ferritin is elevated, but iron panel is normal.

Please have additional lab testing done. I will check blood count, liver function, and also repeat your a1c.

Please let me know if you have any questions."

Here are the Ferritin results. I am not supplementing with any product that contains iron. I don't eat liver or any other organ meat for that matter, but I do eat beef, chicken, pork, and fish. What would cause my Ferritin level to go above the range? Is this dangerously high?

FERRITIN 185.5 ng/mL (10.0 - 150.0 ng/mL)

Thanks for your input. (I am over the moon that she has decided to start treating me with T3.)

[humanbean]

FERRITIN1 85.5 ng/mL (10.0 - 150.0 ng/mL)

Unless my eyes deceive me your ferritin is roughly mid-range. I wonder why your doctor has described it as "elevated"?

Do you have the results for your iron panel?

[vocalEK in reply to humanbean]

Iron 82 Ug/dL (30-160 Ug/dL)

Iron/TIBC 25% (13 - 50%)

TIBC 331 Ug/dL (228 - 428 Ug/dL)

The last time these tests were run was in 2014.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to humanbean]

Your eyes deceive you . Ferritin is 185.

[vocalEK]

Sorry, the result came in with only 1 space between each thing, and when I put in an extra space, I put it in the wrong spot, leaving the "1" pinned to the back of the word "FERRITIN".

I have since edited it to read correctly:

FERRITIN 185.5 ng/mL (10.0 - 150 ng/mL).

[vocalEK]

Found this online:

"The results may vary slightly among laboratories, but in general, normal ferritin levels range from 12 to 300 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL) for males and 12 to 150 ng/mL for females."

So it looks like I have a male-pattern ferritin level. I was once told I had a male-pattern Cortisol output.

Later found this from the Mayo Clinic:

"The normal range for blood ferritin is:

For men, 20 to 500 nanograms per milliliter

For women, 20 to 200 nanograms per milliliter

A higher than normal ferritin level can be caused by:

Hemochromatosis — A condition that causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat

Porphyria — A group of disorders caused by an enzyme deficiency that affects your nervous system and skin

Rheumatoid arthritis or another chronic inflammatory disorder

Liver disease

Hyperthyroidism

Leukemia

Hodgkin's lymphoma

Multiple blood transfusions

Alcohol abuse"

I don't believe I have any of the above. At least I hope not!

[MaisieGray]

As you've read, men tend to have higher ferritin levels, and apparently the differential is especially evident when comparing men with women of reproductive age. Interestingly, that bigger differential is not mirrored in primates who menstruate; and it's thought by some researchers that in fact, the "normal" reference ranges used for women are ..... wrong. There's a view that when the ranges were developed, many of the women in the sample studies used to compile the numbers, were actually of menstruating age and also (therefore) iron deficient; and consequently the female reference ranges should be factored up for a more accurate "norm", or even replaced by the male ranges. So in your case, you may actually have a healthy level, than an excessive level.

[vocalEK in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks, MasieGray. Great points.