Ferritin blood results different between medichecks and NHS

[jsy_girl]

Hi I wanted to make a separate post on this to find out whether anyone else has experienced this phenomena, and whether they know what might be going on.

I have had 2 blood tests from NHS and 2 from Medichecks in fairly quick succession without any ferritin supplementation and the 2 NHS ones are low, and the 2 Medichecks ones were high.

Any ideas?

28 July NHS: Serum ferritin level 18 ng/mL [15.0 - 300.0]

6 August Medichecks: ferritin level 58.8 ug/L [13-150]

11 August Medichecks: ferritin level 64.6 ug/L [13-150]

9 Sept NHS: Serum ferritin level 23 ng/mL [15.0 - 300.0]

I had blood panels done at same time as the Medichecks tests and also FBC done via NHS. Results of these can be seen in my other posts:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Hibs1]

I've had same thing. Nhs always lower than Medicheck

[jsy_girl in reply to Hibs1]

Interesting. hard to know which to trust...

[Hibs1 in reply to jsy_girl]

I trust the nhs one because Medicheck also vary with 2 private other nhs labs for thyroid and vitamin d levels

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

jsy_girl

Yes, exactly the same here.

I originally had low ferritin back in 2015, shown up by Blue Horizon test. I eventually started to eat liver and slowly improved my level.

In October 2017 I had the following result:

119 (13-150) - Medichecks

4 weeks later

39 (15-300) - GP

I believe that it was impossible for my level to fall to such an extent in 4 weeks.

I don't know why the NHS range is so different from the Blue Horizon and Medichecks range (they're both the same range and my tests have always gone to County Pathology with both companies).

Then again in July 2018:

102 (13-150) - Medichecks

and 9 weeks later

47 (15-300) - GP

andJuly 2019:

40 (15-300) - GP

9 weeks later

83.1 (13-150) - Medichecks

So I've given up trying to get to the bottom of it.

I don't have ferritin tested regularly at the GP so I keep an eye on it occasionally with Medichecks.

[jsy_girl in reply to SeasideSusie]

So strange isn’t it. I think my FBC points marginally to being anaemia so I’ll discuss with doctor and I think I might consider supplementing with a tablet every other day or something. It’s not as if my medichecks level is sky high so think there is room to get my ferritin levels up a bit.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to jsy_girl]

I've done a few full iron panels and I don't have iron deficiency, and my FBC doesn't indicate anaemia, so I raise my ferritin by eating liver, takes a while but works well for me and it doesn't raise my serum iron (can't guarantee that would be the same for everyone though).

[jsy_girl in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’ve been eating liver pate. Like a pot a week. It’s quite yummy. But it’s only gone from 18 to 23. Is this increment fast enough do you think?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to jsy_girl]

jsy_girl

I don't like pate yet I'm quite happy eating liver.

it’s only gone from 18 to 23. Is this increment fast enough do you think?

Hard to say, it's taken me 3.5 months of eating liver every 7-10 days to go from 57 to 76 - tested last week. It's not a quick fix. I have to admit to getting fed up of liver which is why my level dropped back down to 57. Lesson learnt - get it to a good level then continue eating liver but maybe once a fortnight instead of once a week.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SeasideSusie]

They are different units of measurement

Ng/ml

Ug/l

Anyone asked medichecks to explain?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SlowDragon]

ng/ml and ug/L are basically the same, if you put them in a calculator it comes out 1:1

unitslab.com/node/72

Put any number in ug/L and click CALCULATE, it shows what it is in every other unit of measurement, and for ng/ml it's the same.

[jsy_girl in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve just emailed them and pointed them back to this post too, and asked whether they would be able to look into this further. I’ll let you know if I get a reply

[jsy_girl in reply to SlowDragon]

They are looking into it internally and have requested the labs which process the nhs test.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to jsy_girl]

SeasideSusie and other administrators will want to know any outcome

So....please Keep us posted

[jsy_girl in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes will do. I’m really pleased they are looking into it as I would really like to trust their testing

[besttimes in reply to jsy_girl]

Any news jsy_girl?

[jsy_girl in reply to besttimes]

Hiya if you go to my profile you should be able to see the latest post. It was within last fortnight at a guess but there are several all linking back to the previous one so you can follow the story

[DJR1]

It looks like the units of measurement are different to me micrograms and nanograms. Therefore not comparable.

[jsy_girl in reply to DJR1]

I did a quick comparison of units and they are 1:1 so don’t think it’s that

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to jsy_girl]

You are correct

[DJR1]

Sorry I didn’t have time to check that out. The differences that other people are finding too is quite bizarre.

[DJR1]

Just a thought......have you asked Medichecks why this happens. They are usually amenable to queries if you are a customer.

[jsy_girl in reply to DJR1]

I actually just thought I’d do same thing given SeasideSusie’s experience too. I’ll repost if I get a reply from them

[jsy_girl in reply to DJR1]

They are looking into it internally and have requested the labs which process the nhs test.

[Hillwoman]

Yes, I've experienced the same thing, with no change in diet or supplements. However, I did the second set of tests with Medichecks, three months after the NHS ones, because I could see my numbers were heading in the wrong direction. I was still surprised by the difference though. 🤔