Blood test results - Very High Ferritin and cortisol

[Rachel1958]

Does anyone have any ideas? I'll be speaking to my GP about ferritin and cortisol. but would love to have group input as well.

Test results:

Biochemistry

hs-CRP 1.12 <5.0 mg/L

Ferritin 146.0 13 - 150 ug/L

Magnesium 0.91 0.66 - 0.99 mmol/L

Hormones

Cortisol (Random) 598.0 6am - 10am 113 - 456 nmol/L 4pm - 8pm 58 - 278 Midnight <64

Thyroid Function

TSH 0.85 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L

T4 Total L 11.1 66 - 181 nmol/L

Free T4 L 1.0 12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L

Free T3 4.20 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Immunology

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs <9.0 <34 kIU/L

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs <10 <115 kIU/L

Vitamins

Vitamin D (25 OH) 98 50 - 175 nmol/L

Vitamin B12 331 145 - 569 pmol/L

Serum Folate 14.20 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

So, what stands out is very high ferritin (i usually struggle with low ferritin) , I haven't been taking iron supplements.

Very high morning blood cortisol. I tested saliva cortisol last year and knew things were a bit high, but not THIS high!

Serum folate is lowish - but i haven't been supplementing, so this is the real me, so as to speak!

Similarly, B12

Also, free T3 needs to be higher - i know we can't totally go by blood tests, but last time it was tested, which was before i started any thyroid treatment, it was higher! (5.31)

T3 dosage:

9am: 18.75mcg

1pm: 18.75mcg

4pm 3.125mcg

Signs and symptoms - main one is that I've stopped sleeping deeply. The main effect T3 has on me is wonderful sleep!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Presumably you are on T3 only

Have you ever tried taking levothyroxine as well?

Perhaps consider adding 25mcg levothyroxine?

Ft3 results suggest under medicated

Might be better to spread dose times so 3 doses are each 8 hours apart

Folate and B12 on low side

Are you currently taking any B vitamins

[Rachel1958 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello!Yes, I'm on T3 only. I have the DIO1 gene mutation so i struggle to convert T4 to T3.

I'm concerned about the high ferritin (it's usually VERY low unless I'm supplementing and i haven't been), and the high cortisol.

As i say in my post, I'm aware of low folate and B12, but i haven't taken supplements for a year or so, so am actually pleased that I'm dong pretty well au naturel, so as to speak! Having said that, i know they need to be optimal, so I'll start supplementing again.

I have played around with what time to take T3 and find this suits me best. I wake at 9, which is why i don't take it earlier and if i take later than 4pm, it affects my sleep.

I'm beginning to think that high cortisol and high ferritin are actually red herrings and that i should increase my T3 dose slightly. I was just alarmed that they are so high!

Thank for replying xx

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Rachel1958]

Dio2 gene variation doesn’t mean we can convert, it means that the brain (in particular) requires a small constant supply of T3

This usually means we need SMALL dose T3 alongside levothyroxine

Perhaps consider adding 25mcg levothyroxine

Ferritin isn’t very high.

What age are you, post menopause?

Common for ferritin to improve as gut improves

High cortisol is perhaps due to only being on T3, and too long a gap between last dose and first dose of the following day (and perhaps because of too low a dose)

Suggest you try changing dose times to equal spacing through day - 7am, 3pm and 11pm

5mcg T3 at bedtime can give wonderful deep sleep

[Rachel1958 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks.

As i said, if i take it later than 4pm it affects my sleep (not in a good way). Many people dose T3 in a similar way to me - I'm on a few T3 sites. Plus i wake up at 9, which is why i take it at 9!

I'm 62, so post menopause, yes.

Anyway I'm starting to think the high (for me!) ferritin and high cortisol don't matter, having spoken to the doctor from the testing company and to Paul Robinson, so I've stopped panicking.