Bummed Over New Labs - Anemia Message Board

ChristineVA · 05-13-2008, 02:36 PM

I know I should be greatful that I am no longer anemic, but I was hoping for some better progress.

Last January, I had my ferritin run and it had gone up from 25 to 29. My HGB was 14.1 (or is that HCT). Can't remember my HCT.

I finally had some new labs done and finally got results today:

HGB - 13.3
HCT - 38.8
RBC - 4.1 (flagged as low)
MCV was good at 93
MCH was slightly elevated as it has been since the anemia was corrected?

Anyway, I'm just so irritated. A made NO progress since January and, in fact, slipped a bit. Not sure what to do at this point.

On top of it all, I have been having other health issues starting in January. Out of nowhere, on January 8th, to be exact, I started having PVCs (heart palps), all day, everyday. I let it ride for 3 weeks until my upcoming endo visit (I suspected my thyroid meds were off and I was hyper). Well, the test revealed that my tsh was at 0.35 where it had been so I couldn't blame that.

I had a Holter monitor that revealed 257 PVCs in a 24 hour period but everything was "benign". I tried to ignore it until my psychiatrist (who I see for anxiety said I should pursue it with a cardiologist). When I went to see him, he felt it was benign also but wants me to do a treadmill stress test (May 19th). In the meantime, I went to have another thyroid test done because I am "hot flashing" a lot. I keep saying "Hey, maybe it's perimenopause." Come to find out, my TSH is now at 0.07 which my endo says it TOO LOW for me. So, I am hyper. I'm truly wondering if this really hasn't been the cause of the heart problem all along as I've been hot since that time. Maybe the January labs were "off."

Well, sorry to ramble but I am just so bummed over the ferritin. I just don't know how to proceed.

japlopper · 05-13-2008, 03:05 PM

Christine,
What is your ferritin now? I couldn't find it. Your hemoglobin is still pretty good - I don't think there's a major difference between 13.3 and 14.1 - although I would give anything to be at 14.1. You must've felt great at 14.1.

Let me know what your ferritin is.

Jill

ChristineVA · 05-13-2008, 03:31 PM

Sorry, I must have left it out in my "rant."

My ferritin is now at 25. I was at 29 in January. I do realize that within the range of ferritin, a 4 point reduction is just a "blip" on the scale (not nearly as dramatic as a 4 point reduction in, say, hemoglobin).

I just was hoping I would continue to slowly climb. So since about November, I've been stable.

osteoblast · 05-13-2008, 06:55 PM

Christine-Don't be too bummed out.

There are also lab margins of error to contend with. I know at the thyroid board , I think it is MKG has indicated for various tests ea. have their margin of error. So a reading may be off by some % from actual .What I am getting at is that either your earlier ferritin, your later ferritin or both may be slightly off.In any event you can work on the ferritin, right?Although, if you accept the results as given you would have had nearly a 20% decrease from Jan to May. Did you dr. have any theory about the ferritin level?
Do you know why you went a bit hyper? Did you start /stop something? Did you reduce the iron that you were previously taking? Because iron dosing really messed up my tsh levels. When I started supplementing with iron, my tsh went up and my synthroid was increased from 75 to 100. My previous endo should not have increased it soo much. I went hyper, dose then decreased, then decreased again after stopping such a high dose.But since all that, I cannot get my tsh stable again , I bounce around up to 6 down to 0.48. I hate it. Maybe it had nothing to do with the iron, and then going hyper, but the last 12 months I can't get stable.
Anyway, I am wondering about your going hyper whether you had your synthroid dose calibrated to higher iron intake and you lowered your intake and did not change you thyroid meds? Or was there another supp or med you changed recently?
The holter results sound scary but I really don't know about PVC's.What are PVC's? With the treadmill test you will learn more. I am hoping that all goes very well for you and that it was the hyper. But, if PVC's are serious, it would be frightening that going hyper could do that!
I am working on my anxiety/stress, that is why my doc thinks she cannot stabilize my hashimoto's. But my antibodies are extremely high, so alot of thyroid destruction is happening and that can cause anxiety because as tissue is destroyed t4 is released-confirmed this with MKG today. She is a wonder at the thyroid board. Anyway, I am on xanax as needed .25 mg. But with all my stuff that is going on endo wants the stress better controlled. I like the xanax because it is as needed-but I have seen alot of warnings about addition potential. I seem to remember that you took xanax as needed too. I imagine you are feeling a wee bit stressed now with all this going on . Are you still just doing the xanax as needed or on something else more regular. I am wondering if my pcp is going to continue me on xanax as needed or change meds because the endo has communicated with her.Do you have any thoughts about what I would need for anxiety if they think I need something daily?

Audrey-B · 05-14-2008, 01:27 AM

Christine - sorry to hear your ferretin figures hadn't gone higher. I think all of us get so excited and think we'll be told something positive, then when we're told our ferretin is stationary or has dropped it is most disheartening. Mine has dropped, but that is due to me not taking the iron supplement daily as i had started thyroid meds, cortisol and pancreatic enzymes as well as continuing with the vitamin D and zinc. I just never knew when to take the iron or i'd forget or i thought it was ok to take 3 times per week. Just goes to show i must take it daily.

Have you continued to take a daily iron supplement or had you reduced the dosage? If you have been on same daily dosage, without skipping doses, it's most unusual that you haven't climbed. There must be a reason for it and it's likely an obscure one.

You've gotta love all of this, just when you think hooray!! i've been diagnosed, i have med's, i'm on the right track.........there is always a spanner in the works somewhere and nothing is straight forward, there is always something to monitor, always more tests and you never know what will happen and when. I thought finally being diagnosed with Hashi's was the end, you get meds and then you feel normal, end of story, but not so and so it appears with the iron. You think taking supplements will simply make up for what your body is unable to do on it's own, your ferretin levels will climb, end of story and again not so.

All the best with your May 19 appt.