Seemingly a sudden drop in ferritin but is it really?

[Noelnoel]

15/08/22

Ferritin 236ug/L (13 - 150)

Quite a bit over range, so I’m puzzled that a mere 12 weeks later - 16/11/22 - according to the new reference range it has suffered a significant drop to 39% through

Yes, I immediately stopped iron supplementation but I continued with acerola to aid with food ingested iron and I also continued an iron rich diet which includes liver and pate

I have doubts that these numbers are an accurate reflection and if I’m right, what on earth is Medichecks playing at. I don’t have periods, my gums don’t bleed, no faecal blood loss (and I’ve just completed an negative NHS stool test for the over 60s).

Any thoughts please?

[Noelnoel]

Just to say, in the original post before sending the photo was at the bottom of the page with the date blood was drawn. After posting the format is completely changed and the photo is placed at the top of the page and the date removed. Does anyone know why that happens?

[greygoose in reply to Noelnoel]

The photo is always at the top of the post. Don't know about the format, though.

Has your CRP level also dropped?

[Noelnoel in reply to greygoose]

Thank you GG

This is August’s and at that time CRP was 0.48. This time it’s 0.7 so no, it’s risen slightly

Colour

[SlowDragon Administrator]

other posts discussing range on Medichecks results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Your own result. The actual numbers have reduced since stopping iron supplements. Keep an eye on this

[Noelnoel in reply to SlowDragon]

That’s my point SD. It’s dropped significantly

[Noelnoel in reply to SlowDragon]

Apologies SD, that reply sounds rude. Wasn’t meant to be

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Noelnoel]

Don’t worry….I didn’t take it that way 😁

[radd]

Noelnoel,

Excluding genetic mutations the main cause of elevated ferritin is obesity and chronic alcohol usage through the accompanying inflammation. CRP doesn’t have to raise alongside ferritin as they are two entirely different markers. In fact iron deficiency is associated with raised CRP.

Ferritin can be enormously variable even on a day to day basis. Ferritin must be considered alongside a full iron panel to get more insight of true iron levels.

[Noelnoel in reply to radd]

radd, you’ll see my iron panel above of 12 weeks ago and in that instance over range ferritin was due to an excellent liquid iron I believe. Prior to this I’d been taking all sorts of iron supps which hadn’t done a particularly good job

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

NoelNoel

In the opening post of a thread the image is always at the top of the page. In a "Reply" the image is at the bottom.

Am I right in thinking that it wasn't the same lab that processed both tests? I expect the one with the range 13-150 was processed by Eurofins County Pathology. But which lab did the test where the range is 30-400? I know they're sometimes using the new lab INUVI and their ferritin range goes up to 650 but I always use Medichecks for my iron panel and it's always been Eurofins County Pathology and once it was The Doctor's Laboratory and the range for both is 13-150.

I think if you stop iron supplements then your level would reduce fairly quickly.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

In the opening post of a thread the image is always at the top of the page. In a "Reply" the image is at the bottom.

Thank you. Hadn’t worked that out

How do I find which labs medichecks used please?

Yes, I expected ferritin to lower but by so much in a such a short time. Very disappointing. Will re-introduce iron on alternate days

Thank you for your comments

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Noelnoel]

If you go to your Medichecks account there is a link to download a printable version of your results. In the top right hand side of that document it gives the name of the lab which processed the test. If you can't find it I'll come back later and do a screenshot of mine to show you, I can't get to my PC at the moment and can't do it from my tablet.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok, got it, thank you

Both are eurofins

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Noelnoel]

OK, so I would ask Medichecks why, if both ferritin tests were done with Eurofins, has the reference range changed. My last test with them was 28th September and the range was 13-150, and my tests with them going back to 2016 has always had that range. The 30-400 range is the male range. If they say they've changed the range I'd ask them why if it's the same testing company, same unit of measurement and 30-400 is normally the male range, why has that range been used for you this time.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

OMG SS! Thank you so much for shedding light on this conundrum! I’m an idiot and here’s why

My husband had an outstanding kit which he didn’t use. It was getting close to its expiry date so I used it instead but didn’t bother changing the details to my name etc

Apologies everyone for wasting precious Sunday time. What a numpty

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Noelnoel]

Not to worry, easy to forget.

Now I wonder if the result of 174 (30-400) is what it would be if the female range was used - I don't know how this works, presumably the same machine does the test when the ranges are different or does it?

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Just asked you the same question! Our messages have crossed

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

But I do have one more question: the measurement is still ug/L so can I just insert my reading into the female range of 13 - 150?

If so, it means I’m still over range but at least it has lowered from 236 to 174, which is not so shocking a drop

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Noelnoel]

the measurement is still ug/L so can I just insert my reading into the female range of 13 - 150?

I think that might be a question for Medichecks, I definitely don't know the answer I'm afraid.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Nonetheless thank you for your time

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

But I’m inclined to think it would be applicable as the new level feels like more of a good fit considering it was so much over and since stopping iron supps it’s lowered to more of what might be expected but let’s see what they say

[Hidden]

I’ve had raised ferritin all my life and am very slim (aside from recently when I followed Paul Robinson’s advice and went T3 Only) and I don’t drink. I think ferritin can be simply inflammation, which can be affected by multiple factors including optimising thyroid medication.

[Noelnoel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Relentless

According to labs I don’t have inflammation and the rest of my nutrients are high in range, including D3. TFTs are usually very good but this latest one shows suboptimal FT4 with FT3 75% through

[Noelnoel in reply to Hidden]

Are you saying that your ferrritin level fell or that you gained weight after following Paul Robinson’s advice?

[Hidden in reply to Noelnoel]

my ferritin rose and I gained 2 stone in weight following Paul’s advice, I also suffered the single worst mental health crisis I have ever had following his advice not to taper t3 only when I decided to stop taking it, he never even acknowledged what he did to me. I strongly dislike him as a “thyroid mentor” and as a person. Tread very carefully with him.

[Noelnoel in reply to Hidden]

Funny that, how people grab the credit when things go well but disappear when the opposite happens

I’m very sorry that happened to you and sincerely hope you’ve recovered