Re: Abnormal test results.

[Guest guest]

hi julie2

> From my quick yomp around google, it looks as if I will need to have at least

a half a pint of blood drawn every few weeks to get the transferrin down, but

what will that do to my iron levels which are already low?

it is your ferritin (stored iron) that is too high...the other results are quite

low really and i believe i've read that transferrin saturation is better around

35%.

high ferritin can often be due to inflammation in the body somewhere.

getting a crp test would give further information on inflammation.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/crp/tab/test

i came across some information yesterday that says if you have high crp then it

will be difficult to lose weight (may not be applicable to you though, just

thought i would add the info.).

what does your doc say about the high ferritin?

> Here goes.

>

> Serum Iron 13 (11 - 29)

>

> Serum TIBC 50 (49 - 70)

>

> Serum Ferritin 256 (14 - 180)

>

> Transferrin Saturation 26%

>

> TSH 1.92 (0.25 - 5.0)

>

>

[Guest guest]

From my quick yomp around google, it looks as if I will need to have at least a half a pint of blood drawn every few weeks to get the transferrin down, but what will that do to my iron levels which are already low?

Trish is right, 2, your ferritin (stored iron) looks high, but your overall iron status is too low.... so the high ferritin level is a `red herring'. You need to supplement iron, not do blood letting ;o)

A high ferritin in your case most likely indicates chronic inflammation somewhere in the body. This inflammation could be just about anywhere, but I wonder.... is Candida albicans a possibility? I am saying that because my ferritin used to be as high as yours. After dealing with my Candida it is now down to 140.. still a bit too high, but half of what it used to be.

Candida is just one possibility – it could be anything... arthritis, IBS, inflamed heart muscle, the possibilities are endless....there is no way of telling without further investigation.

As for your `perfectly healthy thyroid function'.... there is no way on earth to rule out thyroid dysfunction on the basis of only a TSH – you'd need a full TFT, including TSH, FT3, FT4, TgAB and TPO.... your results say `no antibodies detected', but I bet they have only checked for TPO and not for TgAB. Your GP won't order this now that the lab has said all is honky-dory, so if you wanted a second opinion, you'd have to do a TFT privately with someone like Genova.

Oh, and another thing... since your iron status is very low, it is likely that your Vit B12 is also low and might need supplementing. Try those

http://www.solgar.co.uk/product/vitamin-b-12-1000ug-nuggets-100-E3229.html

1 tablet under the tongue every day.

Remember to take at least 1000 mg of Vit C with your iron tablets to avoid constipation. It sounds like you are not on any thyroid medication, so the timing for iron is not important, but if you do take thyroid meds then avoid iron for at least 4 hours either side of the thyroid meds.

With best wishes,

[Guest guest]

The way the blood letting works is that it forces the body to release the stored

iron into the blood stream where it should bump UP the serum iron.

FT3 is 5.1 (2.1 - 6.8)

FT4 is 18.1 (12 - 22)

TSH 1.65 (0.25 -5)

The Tgab AND TPO were tested and the results are negative.

My B12 is low but I am on injections for it already and have been supplementing

with sub lingual B complex. Also supplementing iron and VIT C for 3 months.

ALL of my symptoms point towards Hemochromatosis (now I know about it), rather

than full blown Thyroid problems, THOUGH if left untreated it can cause thyroid

problems, liver damage, heart problems etc.

Hemochromatosis is a very common disease, its just overlooked by most doctors,

especially in women because they can just label us as overweight, tired, low

libido and depressed (much easier). In its carrier mode it is in 1 in 9 of the

white Caucasian population, higher if you happen to be of Celtic decent (so

Welsh, Irish, ish), the full blown disease is in 1 in 200 of the white

Caucasian population.

I will be following this up because it is a genetic condition and if I do have

it, I have to get my kids tested and warn my sister and parents. I won't be

brushing it under the carpet as a 'red herring'.

2

>

>

> From my quick yomp around google, it looks as if I will need to have at

> least a half a pint of blood drawn every few weeks to get the

> transferrin down, but what will that do to my iron levels which are

> already low?

>

>

[Guest guest]

your iron results don' seem to tie in with the following explanation regarding

hemochromatosis vis a vis your low in the range serum iron and low in the range

transferrin saturation.

http://www.medicinenet.com/iron_overload/page3.htm

" Serum iron, TIBC, and transferrin saturation are often performed together.

Serum iron is the measure of the amount of iron in serum (the liquid portion of

the blood). TIBC is a measure of the total amount of iron that can be carried in

serum by transferrin, a protein that carries iron in serum from one part of the

body to another. Transferrin saturation is a number calculated by dividing serum

iron by TIBC†" it is a number that reflects what percentage of the transferrin

that is being used to transport iron.

In healthy individuals the transferrin saturation is between 20 and 50 percent.

In patients with iron deficiency anemia, the serum iron and transferrin

saturation are abnormally low; and in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis

the serum iron and transferrin saturation are abnormally high.

Since serum iron can be elevated by eating and can fluctuate during the day,

serum iron measurements should be done fasting, usually in the morning before

breakfast. "

what are your symptoms?

being tired, overweight, low libido, and depressed may well be symptoms of your

low b12 and low iron.

(second time of asking) what does your gp say about your high ferritin?

> I will be following this up because it is a genetic condition and if I do have

it, I have to get my kids tested and warn my sister and parents. I won't be

brushing it under the carpet as a 'red herring'.

apparently there is a primary and secondary version of iron overload ...have you

arranged to have the genetic testing done? you are right not to brush it under

any carpet!

trish

>

> The way the blood letting works is that it forces the body to release the

stored iron into the blood stream where it should bump UP the serum iron.

>

> FT3 is 5.1 (2.1 - 6.8)

> FT4 is 18.1 (12 - 22)

>

> TSH 1.65 (0.25 -5)

>

> The Tgab AND TPO were tested and the results are negative.

>

> My B12 is low but I am on injections for it already and have been

supplementing with sub lingual B complex. Also supplementing iron and VIT C for

3 months.

>

> ALL of my symptoms point towards Hemochromatosis (now I know about it), rather

than full blown Thyroid problems, THOUGH if left untreated it can cause thyroid

problems, liver damage, heart problems etc.

>

> Hemochromatosis is a very common disease, its just overlooked by most doctors,

especially in women because they can just label us as overweight, tired, low

libido and depressed (much easier). In its carrier mode it is in 1 in 9 of the

white Caucasian population, higher if you happen to be of Celtic decent (so

Welsh, Irish, ish), the full blown disease is in 1 in 200 of the white

Caucasian population.

>

> I will be following this up because it is a genetic condition and if I do have

it, I have to get my kids tested and warn my sister and parents. I won't be

brushing it under the carpet as a 'red herring'.

[Guest guest]

>

> Since serum iron can be elevated by eating and can fluctuate during the day,

serum iron measurements should be done fasting, usually in the morning before

breakfast. "

>

> what are your symptoms?

Testing done fasting.

Extreme tiredness (the classic flick a switch, fall asleep mid afternoon kind)

that also means if I do a days housework, it takes me 3 days to recover.

Aches/pain in hands, elbows shoulders, knees (but I can't pinpoint if they are

joint or muscle). Liver area pain (told it was gall stones but none showed up on

the scan), kidney pains that go away before I can get a doctors appointment

(that Dr.Myhill has mentioned as being a problem area once she saw my blood

results), absolutely FLAT libido (really upsetting, having no desire for any

man, never mind my hubby who I adore).

The weakness is weird (I used to think weakness and tiredness were one and the

same). I used to be strong for a woman, I would tackle really heavy duty

gardening jobs (such as digging out and moving 14 tons of soil with a shovel and

wheelbarrow) now I can barely lift the wheelbarrow and have to ask for help from

my son.

My sister also has all of these problems (diagnosed with CFS) plus the bronzing

(she looks as if she had been on a 3 month sunshine holiday, permanently). She

had a full hysterectomy at the age of 26 and would be showing symptoms before

me.

One thing to remember about this condition, (if I have it) is that it is not

normally tested for and diagnosed until it is extreme, until it had actually

caused liver damage or heart problems. Catching it this soon is a godsend.

I have an appointment with the doc on Tuesday and I'm taking my hubby with me as

he can talk to them without getting emotional. I have copies of all my tests

done for the last year as well and will be referring to them.

If it isn't heamachromoisis then its one more thing to scrub off the list as I

try to find out why I am the way I am.

2