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[masa2333]

Hi everyone,

Could someone please let me know what could be the cause of low ferritin levels and high prolactine? (I’m not pregnant nor breastfeeding)

Google doesn’t really help, just freaks me out. So if anyone knows please let me know

[Hidden]

High prolactin is due to excessive secretion of prolactin from the pituitary gland, this could be due to a benign adenoma. Hopefully you have been referred to an Endo to see if this is the case, it can be treated by medication if it is not too big.

[masa2333 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I am having an appointment on Thursday. Hopefully it’s not the case.🙏

[SlowDragon Administrator]

High prolactin can be linked to Hashimoto's

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Low ferritin is extremely common with Hashimoto's.

What are your results and ranges?

What has GP prescribed?

If ferritin is too low then thyroid hormones can not work well.

When thyroid hormones can't work due to low vitamins, become more hypothyroid and prolactin levels may rise

Essential to test vitamin D, folate and B12 too

With Hashimoto's testing vitamins regularly and we often need to supplement regularly to maintain good vitamin levels

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

If not, consider getting coeliac blood test just to rule it out, before trying strictly gluten free

[masa2333 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello,

I will write you my blood test results so if you have time to see please help me if you can to understand it.

S-Calcium 2.56 mmol/L HIGH (reference range 2.10-2.55)

S-Ionized Calcium 1.29 mmol/L (1.12-1.32)

S-Fe 18.9 (8-30)

S-Ferritin 10 ug/L LOW (15-260)

Folic acid 16.9 nmol/L (2.27-54.4)

Prolactin 620 mlU/L HIGH (109-557)

Cortisol 471 nmol/L (101-536)

PTH 2.7 pmol/L (1.3-8.2)

Vit D 43.7 (>50 optimal)

I have endocrinologist appointment on Thursday so I have to wait to see what she will tell. She also ordered me to get Vit B12 and magnesium blood test done, but they couldn’t do it in the hospital so I will have to wait for those... I’m not on gluten free diet actually but I oftentimes get pain in stomach. My doctor only tested me to see if I had Helicobacter pylori but not other conditions.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to masa2333]

Your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's Gut connection is very poorly understood

Persistent low vitamins with supplements suggests coeliac disease or gluten intolerance

gluten.org/resources/health...

Vitamin D is too low, you need to increase supplement dose so that levels increase to at least 80nmol, but may be better around 100nmol

[masa2333 in reply to SlowDragon]

Wow thank you on all those usefull websites! I didn’t know any of this. I will surely open a new thread about diet and Hashi’s.

I read that low vit D could lead to anxiety symptoms and I have been diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder recently. But I did supplement on those, but obviously not enough.