Transferrin and Iron levels

[Fishing_fred]

Hello,

Serum Iron 17.9 (9-30 range)

Transferrin ! 2.11 (2.5-3.8 range )

TIBC 52 (45-72 range)

Ferritin 163 ( 10-291 range )

CRP 8.8 (0-10 range )

TSH 2.5 ( range <5 )

T4 13 ( can't remember the range on this one )

68yo, female.

Any comments ?

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

welcome to the forum

Please can you give more info

Are you diagnosed as having thyroid issues

On replacement thyroid hormones?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to test for autoimmune thyroid disease

Dairy intolerance and/or gluten intolerance common with autoimmune thyroid disease

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)

NHS only tests TG antibodies if TPO are high

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Lower vitamin levels more common as we get older

For good conversion of Ft4 (levothyroxine) to Ft3 (active hormone) we must maintain GOOD vitamin levels

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Also VERY important to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together

ALWAYS test early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In days before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12 if last test result serum B12 was below 500 or active B12 (private test) under 70

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Impossible to say wether these are “good”

Evaluating TSH depends on knowing

What time of day tested

Wether on replacement thyroid hormones

Ft4 - impossible to evaluate without range or knowing if on replacement thyroid hormones and exactly what hormones

[Fishing_fred in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the posts, both of you. The blood results quoted in my post are that of my wife. I will report further on her health condition at some point. She is not taking thyroid medication. Some interesting points made by both of you.

Thanks

Rob