An update regarding my situation...

[Guest guest]

Hello guys,

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing valuable insights regarding the effects of

high ferritin levels and possible hemachromotosis.

 

I think it is very concerning that the public doctors are so misinformed about

such an important subject. It`s not exactly brain surgery. The concept is so

simple that even I can understand it with no medical background.

 

Anyway...

 

The day after I spoke to my doctor and wrote a reply here, I was so tired and

lacking of energy, that I did not have energy to even bother writing back to you

guys.

 

I don`t want to be perceived as a hypochondriac or a crybaby, so I did not plan

on contacting my doctor just yet, even though I did not want to wait for 6

months as he suggested.

 

However, I was so lacking of energy, despite good sleep and healthy foods, that

I had decided to give my doctor a call and insist on having the tests ASAP.

 

The day after that however, I suddenly felt full of life and energy and it has

pretty much been like that for the last week or so.

 

I have had more energy and also lifted heavier weights at the gym.

 

M libido is now at least on an acceptable level, even though I personally think

it could be a LOT better for a 25 year old.

 

This sudden change in well-being have made me postpone the call to the doctor

since I`m actually feeling much better.

 

Do you guys think I should still call him and get the tests done right away?

 

Is it possible that I can experience these up-periods and still have high iron

levels, or would it indicate something else?

 

Nothing in my life has changed that I know of that could explain why I`m

suddenly feeling better.

 

I have however experienced this earlier as well, but not for such a long period

as this time in the last months. It is a good chance that it is not permanent.

 

I should also add that those days where I was really tired/energyless, I still

felt positive and upbeat. I was not depressed at all. I simply just had no

energy. I needed to force myself to be able to sit upright and read (I`m a

student) and occasionally lie down at bed.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Elijah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: esplinbj <no_reply >

Subject: Re: I talked with my doctor yesterday regarding my

ferritin levels...

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2009, 5:28 AM

I don't want to sound alarmist, but I think your doctor is crazy. I have found

that iron overload like hormones is something most doctors don't know much

about. I said I think it's unlikely you have organ damage at your ferritin

level, but I think at 500 is is very likely you could have organ damage. Iron

levels go up as men age, but you aren't that old so I think you must have

something going on. Do a google search on Hemochromatosis and you can read all

about it for yourself. You should ask your doctor, or a new one, to do a

complete iron panal which would include blood iron level, % saturation, total

iron binding capacity, unbound iron binding capacity, and ferritin level. When

your blood iron gets too high your body starts to store it in the organs and

tissues. The ferritin level is a measure of stored iron. Usually if your

ferritin level is high it would be an indication that you have too much iron in

your blood and your body is storing the excess.

As I have said before the only way you can get rid iron is through tissue

leaving the body such as hair, nails, dead skin and blood. Your body has no way

of getting rid of it otherwise. If your body absorbs too much iron it just

builds up and gets stored.

My blood iron level and % saturation was high, but my ferritin level topped out

at 169, which really isn't that high, but a liver biopsy showed elevated iron

levels in the liver. Now I keep it between 10 and 20.

I really think you need to find a doctor who will take this seriously and run

more tests. Like I said before the treatment is simple.

>

> Hey guys,

>

> I talked to my doctor yesterday regarding my ferritin levels.

>

> As mentioned earlier, my ferritin value is 337, with the normal range being

between 20-250.

>

> The doc called me on the phone and I was perhaps a little unprepared and could

have been more assertive in my case.

>

> I basically expressed my concerns about these levels and asked if he had not

seen that it was out of range earlier and what his opinion was?

>

> He simply told me that they did not take any action unless the levels were

close to 500 and that everything was completely normal. Nothing to worry about.

>

> I asked him why the reference range did not extend to 500 then, but he

basically just shrugged it off and told me not to worry about it.

>

> He told me that I should take a new test in 6 months and see if everything was

okay then.

>

> What do you guys think?

>

> I am afraid of being perceived as a crybaby and a hypochondriac, but I have to

say I am still a little concerned.

>

> I will not wait 6 months that is certain though. Perhaps I will wait a few

weeks and then call to arrange a test.

>

> On a sidenote, I`ve generally been feeling better lately and I think my libido

has increased. I started listening to some positive self-help tapes on Sunday

and I`ve been great the whole week.

>

> However, today has been one of those days where I have been super-tired with

no seemingly good reason. I have remained positive though, but have felt very

tired, taxed and even slightly anxious. It seems to have gone away now.

>

> Thanks for reading.

>

> Best regards,

>

> Elijah

>