High Ferritin

[tinacarroll27]

High all!! I just got the result of a blood test back and it came back with High Ferritin. At first I thought maybe inflammation but the C Reactive protein was normal and I know my ESR is also normal Is it still inflammation? Any way might have to mention it to my GP. Not sure what high Ferritin means other than too high Iron. Did see my GP in 2010 for slightly low iron on a test but I think it is normal now as of last blood test. Here is the results of test including my thyroid which shows low T4 and T3 but normal TSH (not sure what that means?) I did the test with Blue Horizon UK


Biochemistry
hs-CRP 2.21 <5.0 mg/L
Ferritin 240.0 13 - 150 ug/L

Thyroid Function
TSH 3.00 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L
T4 Total 69.4 66 - 181 nmol/L
Free T4 11.30 12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L
Free T3 3.03 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Immunology
Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs <9.0 <34 kIU/L
Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs <10 <115 kU/L

Vitamins
Vitamin B12 366 Deficient <145 pmol/L Insufficient 145 - 250 Consider reducing dose >569
Serum Folate 27.60 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

 

[Learner1]

Serum ferritin is an "acute phase reactant" which means that it can be a reaction to something (a bacterial or viral infection??). To figure out if it is indeed high iron, you would need to do a full iron panel, which has values for TIBC, UIBC, iron saturation and serum iron.

But, your hs-CRP is elevated, too. Shoukd be less than 1. It is produced in your liver and is also an acute phase reactant, saying that you have inflammation somewhere.

The question is, what is driving your inflammation?

As you mentioned, your TSH is high and T3 and T4 are low. This indicates you might benefit from thyroid hormone supplementation, particularly if you have low thyroid symptoms. Your doctor will probably try Synthroid (T4), but if that doesn't work, there are other options like T3 and NDT.

Your B12 is far too low, should be over 600. Methylmalalonic acid and RBC folate are better tests for next time.

 

[tinacarroll27]

Serum ferritin is an "acute phase reactant" which means that it can be a reaction to something (a bacterial or viral infection??). To figure out if it is indeed high iron, you would need to do a full iron panel, which has values for TIBC, UIBC, iron saturation and serum iron.

But, your hs-CRP is elevated, too. Shoukd be less than 1. It is produced in your liver and is also an acute phase reactant, saying that you have inflammation somewhere.

The question is, what is driving your inflammation?

As you mentioned, your TSH is high and T3 and T4 are low. This indicates you might benefit from thyroid hormone supplementation, particularly if you have low thyroid symptoms. Your doctor will probably try Synthroid (T4), but if that doesn't work, there are other options like T3 and NDT.

Your B12 is far too low, should be over 600. Methylmalalonic acid and RBC folate are better tests for next time.

Thanks for the help understanding this. This makes more sense to me now.

 

[drob31]

High all!! I just got the result of a blood test back and it came back with High Ferritin. At first I thought maybe inflammation but the C Reactive protein was normal and I know my ESR is also normal Is it still inflammation? Any way might have to mention it to my GP. Not sure what high Ferritin means other than too high Iron. Did see my GP in 2010 for slightly low iron on a test but I think it is normal now as of last blood test. Here is the results of test including my thyroid which shows low T4 and T3 but normal TSH (not sure what that means?) I did the test with Blue Horizon UK


Biochemistry
hs-CRP 2.21 <5.0 mg/L
Ferritin 240.0 13 - 150 ug/L

Thyroid Function
TSH 3.00 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L
T4 Total 69.4 66 - 181 nmol/L
Free T4 11.30 12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L
Free T3 3.03 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Immunology
Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs <9.0 <34 kIU/L
Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs <10 <115 kU/L

Vitamins
Vitamin B12 366 Deficient <145 pmol/L Insufficient 145 - 250 Consider reducing dose >569
Serum Folate 27.60 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

I would say thyroid is the main problem here. Maybe not the "root cause" but I suspect treating it properly (not just going straight to t3 therapy), would see the biggest symptom improvements. Along with following the methylation protocol.

 

[dannybex]

As Learner said, ferritin can be high due to infection. Here are a couple of studies:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/725531

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093720/

 

[mariovitali]

it can also mean that you may have Liver Disease (according to my Hypothesis that Liver issues are related to ME/CFS) :


From mayo Clinic :

a ferritin test shows higher than normal levels, it could indicate that you have a condition that causes your body to store too much iron. It could also point to liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory conditions or hyperthyroidism. Some types of cancer also may cause your blood ferritin level to be high.

 

[pamojja]

To figure out if it is indeed high iron, you would need to do a full iron panel, which has values for TIBC, UIBC, iron saturation and serum iron.

Does anyone know what low UIBC and TIBC, and high transferrin saturation - in the context of normal ferritin and serum iron - could mean?

2006 abnormal values are explained by a myopericarditis. The fluctuations of 2015-16 by introducing betain-hcl, reduced since again.

 

[iwillwin1day]

Does anyone know what low UIBC and TIBC, and high transferrin saturation - in the context of normal ferritin and serum iron - could mean?

View attachment 28097


2006 abnormal values are explained by a myopericarditis. The fluctuations of 2015-16 by introducing betain-hcl, reduced since again.

Do you have done any blood donation OR too much blood taken for blood test OR bleeding somewhere.
This are the reasons for high transferrin saturation.

 

[pamojja]

Do you have done any blood donation OR too much blood taken for blood test OR bleeding somewhere.
This are the reasons for high transferrin saturation.

Thanks for the response. No blood donation or bleeding. More than usual blood taken (twice a week, with up to 9 vials) actually last year (2017) were transferrin saturation came back low normal. Hmm..

 

[iwillwin1day]

Thanks for the response. No blood donation or bleeding. More than usual blood taken (twice a week, with up to 9 vials) actually last year (2017) were transferrin saturation came back low normal. Hmm..

Blood taken in 2017 should not effect you know. If it is recently taken then only transferrin saturation will be high. I will recommend you to wait for some time and retest. Do you have any symptoms due to high transferrin saturation?

 

[pamojja]

Do you have any symptoms due to high transferrin saturation?

I do have symptoms, but am completely unaware which could be from this combination of high transferrin saturation, low UIBC and TIBC, while having normal iron and ferritin?

Main is not being able to work more than 5 hours (mental), and needing at least 10 hours of sleep daily (still unrefreshing), or PEM till I get at least a full day rest. But these main symptoms have already been present since many years. And since most of the time my transferrin saturation was actually low normal, probably doesn't has anything directly to do with it.

 

[iwillwin1day]

I do have symptoms, but am completely unaware which could be from this combination of high transferrin saturation, low UIBC and TIBC, while having normal iron and ferritin?

Main is not being able to work more than 5 hours (mental), and needing at least 10 hours of sleep daily (still unrefreshing), or PEM till I get at least a full day rest. But these main symptoms have already been present since many years. And since most of the time my transferrin saturation was actually low normal, probably doesn't has anything directly to do with it.

I see all your symptoms are actually ME/CFS one. So it has nothing to do with high transferrin saturation. As you already said you have all those symptoms before high transferrin saturation. Also I will recommend you to retest after some time. Because only one time reading not in the range can be temporary. Thanks