Blood results back. Ferritin low but haemoglobi... - Thyroid UK

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Blood results back. Ferritin low but haemoglobin normal. TSH slightly raised.

Redcar1993 profile image
7 Replies

Hi, thank you for all your previous help when I first posted about how tired I was constantly.

I was advised to repost when I got my blood results back from the doc. They didn’t test all my vitamins but these are, I think, the most relevant ones from my results.

TSH 2.43 (0.3-4.50) I have an endo letter which states I should be under 1 so am going to go back to the doctor with that and ask for an increase. Said they were going to test T4 but didn’t. Was taken at 9.15am before taking my levo as per the instructions from slow dragon.

Serum Ferritin 27 (15 - 150)

Haemoglobin 133 (115 - 165)

Haematocrit 0.387 (0.37 - 0.48) is this too low?

Vitamin D 74.9 (50 - 175) I was taking 1000mg of vit d for a while but stopped (cos I kept forgetting!) about a couple of weeks before the blood test.

Didn’t test B12 but that was well within range at a previous Medichecks test. They didn’t test folate.

The report says iron deficiency possible but because my haemoglobin level is ok, then no action is needed. Does this sound right? Because I’ve been so tired and low in energy, I am wondering if iron would help or not?

I’m happy to get private bloods done if necessary.

Thanks in advance.

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Redcar1993

NICE guidelines say ta a Ferritin level of less than 30 mcg /L confirms iron deficiency :

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia. I don't have any saved articles so I suggest that you Google "iron deficiency without anaemia". Here are a couple of articles to start you off :

rcpjournals.org/content/cli...

patient.info/doctor/non-ana...

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply toSeasideSusie

A couple of other links for you :

Title : Characteristics of anemia in subclinical and overt hypothyroid patients

Link : jstage.jst.go.jp/article/en...

.

Title : Iron deficiency without anemia – a clinical challenge

Link : ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/a...

'

Title : Effect of iron supplementation on fatigue in nonanemic menstruating women with low ferritin: a randomized controlled trial

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

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Previous post - been left on 50mcg

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

See/contact GP and request/insist on 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine to 75mcg daily

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

As you have been left very under medicated for years, you may need to increase dose slowly

May need to Cut 25mcg tablet in half to add 12.5mcg to 50mcg every day for 6-8 weeks,

before increasing to 75mcg every day

Vitamin D….remember to take everyday ….at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Iron and ferritin

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

GP should do full iron panel test for anaemia

Likely to need iron supplements

SeasideSusie or humanbean may pop along and comment

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Redcar1993 profile image
Redcar1993

Thank you all so much again for your help and all the signposted information. I’ve got a bit of reading to do. I’m definitely going to insist on my levo being increased and it has been noted about the advice of splitting the 25mcg tablet. Thankfully I have my endo letter stating my tsh should be under 1.

I’m going to speak to the doc about the full iron panel too so will see if I get anywhere with that one.

Thank you all again

KellyInTexas profile image
KellyInTexas

theironclinic.com/iron-defi...

Consultant vascular surgeon Professor Toby Richards runs The Iron Clinic in London.

Have a look through this site.

A few of us with thyroiditis, or even a just a low / lazy thyroid have Antiphospholipid syndrome ( an autoimmune blood clotting syndrome) that often includes a mix of thyroid dysfunction, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome.

Low ferritin without associated anemia is often a complication of Antiphospholipid syndrome , so we often need our ferritin levels topped up. Have a look at this site and see if your GP for specialist endocrinologist could order in an infusion for you. It lasts about 2-3 years normally . No GI upset this way- got my low number of 16 right up to 256 if I remember correctly. It lasted 3 years- and just had it done again last week. ( I live in Texas.)

theironclinic.com/iron-defi...

Redcar1993 profile image
Redcar1993 in reply toKellyInTexas

Thanks KellyInTexas. Appreciate your help and will definitely check this out

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