Further blood results....Please Help! - Thyroid UK

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Further blood results....Please Help!

Ilovethesea profile image
8 Replies

I had a full thyroid ultra-vit panel, done recently that revealed and overload of ferritin. I was adviced to further investigate. Which I have done, my results are as follows:- CRP 3.81mg/L ( < 5 )

Iron Status 19.09unmol/L (5.8 -34.5)

T.I.B.C. 70.39unmol/L (45-72)

U.I.B.C 51.3unmol/L (24.2-70.1)

Transferrin Saturation 27.12% (20-50)

Ferritin 229ug/L (13-150)

I did not start to take any advised Vitamins until after the blood test and left 24hrs from last dose of medication During my last visit to G.P. i asked her if she could arrange with pharmacist to keep me with same manufacturer, which is currently Mercury Pharma, and i am dosing on 125mgs three times a week 100mgs the rest of the time, slightly down from what I was doing since i last posted, which was alternate days. I would be very grateful if someone with more knowledge than I have, interpret my results for me. All i can see is my inflammation has gone up since last result, and yes I definately know the difference, I just dont know why? And although ferritin is down slightly, I,m not sure what that tells me. Thank you in advance for your time.

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Ilovethesea
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Ilovethesea

With an iron test, we fast for 12 hours beforehand (so preferably the test is done first thing in the morning), no high iron food in the week before (eg liver, liver pate, etc) and of course no iron supplement in the week before. We don't have to worry about any other medication or supplements as we're only testing iron, but it's always best to take any normal supplements/medication after a test whatever is being tested.

Optimal results for an iron panel, according to web.archive.org/web/2018083... :

Serum iron: 55 to 70% of the range, higher end for men - yours is 46.31% so it's not too bad but not quite optimal.

Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45%, higher end for men - yours is 27.12% (20-50) so it's within Medichecks range but not optimal according to rt3-adrenals.

TIBC: Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron, High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron - yours is very close to the top of the range.

UIBC: Low in range indicates that you may have too much iron in your blood which may be due to iron overload syndrome (hereditary haemochromatosis). High in range signifies iron deficiency. Yours is mid-range at 59.04%.

Ferritin: Low level virtually always indicates need for iron supplementation; High level with low serum iron/low saturation indicates inflammation or infection; High level with high serum iron and low TIBC indicates excess iron; Over range with saturation above 45% suggests hemochromatosis. Yours is over range but with serum iron and saturation not quite optimal but possibly not "low" in way they mean where I've underlined it. However, as your CRP has risen (although still well within range) then maybe there was or is some inflammation or infection. I don't know, it's just a thought, and of course, I'm not medically qualified.

Did you have doctor's comments with the test?

Ilovethesea profile image
Ilovethesea in reply to SeasideSusie

Hi SeasideSusie, thanks for your prompt reply. I thought i had ticked the box for a Dr's report but no report added. I Have Started taking B12, Vit C, Curcumin, ( as i thought it would help my joints and resolve any inflammation) and Calcium /Magnesium, all from igennus. And Vit D3 oral spray from Better You, unfortunately I chose the Vit D3 only and not with Vit k2. Next month I will get that one. I am tempted to just wait and see how things go, as apart from my sore joints and headaches. I feel there is a steady slow gradual improvement. Can you just refresh my mind about the saturation and Rt3, what does that actually mean? Thanks again much appreciate your help

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Ilovethesea

Ilovethesea

I Have Started taking B12, Vit C, Curcumin, ( as i thought it would help my joints and resolve any inflammation) and Calcium /Magnesium, all from igennus.

B12 or a B complex?

Folate 4.03ug/L (3.89-19.45)

Vit B12 75.9pmol/L (37.5-187.5)

Those results suggest that you need a B Complex (not just B12 on it's own) as SlowDragon suggested.

Have you had calcium tested? If not then you shouldn't be taking a calcium supplement, calcium should only be taken if tested and found to be deficient.

Can you just refresh my mind about the saturation and Rt3

Transferrin is a protein which carries iron through the blood.

Iron is complicated and I'm not the best person to try to explain it as I get lost in the science. This is from one article that I have seen:

Serum iron: This test measures the amount of iron in your blood.

Serum ferritin: This test measures how much iron is stored in your body. When your iron level is low, your body will pull iron out of “storage” to use.

Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC): This test tells how much transferrin (a protein) is free to carry iron through your blood. If your TIBC level is high, it means more transferrin is free because you have low iron.

Unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC): This test measures how much transferrin isn’t attached to iron.

Transferrin saturation: This test measures the percentage of transferrin that is attached to iron.

Humanbean gave you some information about iron in reply to your post here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

As for rT3, I can't see that you've had that test, what is it you want to know?

Ilovethesea profile image
Ilovethesea in reply to SeasideSusie

Good Morning SeasideSusie, Thank-you for your comprehensive reply. As suggested by SlowDragon I have indeed purchased a B Complex and take two each day. It was my error that I said B12 in the last Post. I started calcium/magnesium combined from igennus, thinking it would help my muscles, and somewhere in my head had read calcium can help you sleep, cant remember last decent nights sleep I had. Guess I got a bit carried away, in the eagerness to help myself. RT3 is just my curiosity, Im reading so much at the moment and obviously not retaining the full details of a lot of the info. However, I think it was to do with Rt3 and adrenal exhaustion, but I could be so wrong. Just thought you may know, but your right i havent had the test anyway. Maybe for the future.

The Ferritin in this last test seems to have reduced, do you think I should take this to my G.P. soon or could I wait till all this lockdown is over. I now wonder if this is why am getting a lot of chronic inflammation in my most of my joints. Going by some previous posts from others, G.P. dont seem to treat until the level of ferritin is well over. Thank you for all your help, so appreciated.

One more thing I have found all info re iron kindly suggested from Humanbean Thank-you

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Ilovethesea

Ilovethesea

RT3 is just my curiosity, Im reading so much at the moment and obviously not retaining the full details of a lot of the info.

Ah, OK. Well, don't waste your money or time on an rT3 test, it's a bit of a red herring.

A test can tell you if your rT3 is high but it can't tell you why and there are many, many reasons for high rT3, only one of which is due to thyroid.

High rT3 can be caused by a build up of unconverted thyroxine (T4). This would show up in a normal thyroid panel where TSH, FT4 and FT3 are tested at the same time - FT4 would be high, FT3 would be low and that would show poor conversion and that rT3 is being made rather than FT3.

Other reasons for increased Reverse T3 levels include:

· Chronic fatigue

· Acute illness and injury

· Chronic disease

· Increased cortisol (stress)

· Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue)

· Low iron

· Lyme disease

· Chronic inflammation

Also selenium deficiency, excess physical, mental and environmental stresses. Also Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc. Physical injury is a common cause of increased RT3, also illnesses like the flu. Starvation/severe calorie restriction is known to raise RT3. Diabetes when poorly treated is known to increase RT3. Cirrhosis of the liver. Fatty liver disease. Any other liver stress Renal Failure. A fever of unknown cause. Detoxing of high heavy metals.

As for your iron panel/ferritin, if you discuss this with your GP then your iron panel results are all in range so he possibly will dismiss any concerns over them, it's just your ferritin and although it's over range it's not massively high. It might be worth discussing them, but I would check back to Humanbean's replies in your other thread to see if there is anything there that is useful. I can't offer any other suggestions, iron is so complicated.

Ilovethesea profile image
Ilovethesea in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you ..I think I will keep taking the Bcomplex and Vit C and test in 8weeks time. In the hope this inflammation will reduce a bit. Just monitor my situation for now.

And of course keep reading, got hold of the article from Humanbean Re Iron. Thanks again for all your help

Egnig profile image
Egnig

Hello, re. The overload of ferritin, has your GP suggested a . Haemachromatosis test?

Ilovethesea profile image
Ilovethesea in reply to Egnig

Hello Egnig, Thank you for your input. I have thought of taking this to my G.P. but after reading some other posts re High Ferritin, kinda thought my levels, although are over range are not at the level a G.P. would do anything about. However I am symptomatic. I am relatively new to this forum and I am so pleased to have found it, as I am learning more in the last month than I have in all the years Ive had these worsening Symptoms. I am so grateful for any help I can get.

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