New Lab Resutls and Questions???

Hi everyone reading this post!

I have new lab results and a couple of questions that I would appreciate opinions on. Great News!

I had my labs done last week, my Ferritin went from 35 to 43 In less than 2months, and I started at 2. It is on the upward trend with 1X Poly Iron daily 150 mgs. My Hgb is now optimal at a 14.1 and I am so happy for that! It has almost doubled since DX'd. My B-12 dropped 85 points in 6 months, I have no idea why other than I was taking prenatals back then. But it is at 901 with a Folate greater than }20.0. They both came back flagged High but I am happy with that.


Now, my first question is I was told by the Hematologist to stay on iron until menopause and I just turned 46 so that could be a while. If my Hgb is 14.1 and after the Ferritin is filled (at what number I have no idea) why should I stay on iron ~additional years~ while having very light periods? Is he trying to give me Iron overload or what? This is a real concern for me and my PCP isn't that great. My GYN told me that I should discuss this with him LOL. I also asked her about Ferritin and she said, she had no idea that it could cause symptoms! OMG!! She did state that 35 was low. I have yet to have a doc give me an optimal number as a goal. All I know is what I read on this board and my friends experiences.

Second, In the beginning when I was really ill my (ALT) was 18 and (AST) 17. As I got well it went to (ALT) 41 high end of range 35 and (AST) 31 high end of range 31. Is this bad? My PCP marked through the H Flag and said, you know the answer already, ~within range~ but this is above range 6 points. My thoughts are that my liver wasn't functioning correctly because of the lack of iron. Now that the stores are higher it is working more efficiently. Does that make any kind of sense? OR could it be thyroid related as I have read that too can cause your ALT to go up? I have not had a glass of wine or anything in over a year so it's not that, but I am ready to celebrate now! I am waiting for my GI doc to give his opinion since he is the pro at this stuff.

I also went to the doc by myself with the aid of Xanax, first time in over a year. I'm making success finally. Before I would slither down the walls and they offered me wheelchairs. The doctor said as she listened to my heart that it is beating much slower than when I had palps with the anemia and that my BP was great and my color is good. I said, yes, it is the Xanax LOL. The man at the lab wanted to know where my DH was. I am just telling you all this because I have never needed help before, it was all the ANEMIA.

Any ideas and answers would be great! TIA FLFLOWERGIRL

FLFLOWERGIRL,

Congrats on the great numbers.

My only thought on the higher liver enzymes is that it could be your Poly Iron 150. I do not think that you are in iron overload by any means, but your iron stores are getting to a healthy number. The iron you are taking, at this point, may be more than you need.

I know that when my ferritin reached 25, my GP thought I should just stick with 18 mg of iron per day. Even though 25 ferritin is still too low, when you do start rising they want to be careful with iron overload. Since your ferritin is getting good, you could be stressing your organs with that much iron. Now, this just my opinion. But for an "experiement", I might try switching to an iron dose of either 18 or 27 mg per day for about 2 months, and then go back and have your liver enzymes checked (along with your ferritin).

By the way, my internal medicine doctor (who is pretty good and not the same doc as my GP) likes to see everyone at 50. He said most people at 50 feel good.

I think the iron supplements can cause some odd things in lab values. I noticed that once my HGB and HCT got into ideal values, my MCHC is flagged as high. No one can tell me why but MCHC is the mearement of iron in the red blood cell. I think mine is flagging high because my HGB and HCT or now normal (and a "good" normal) and I am still taking supplements.

ChristineVA--That was my first question 3 months ago when these numbers went up was iron. The GI doc (that would know), said No, then I asked could it have been the Xanax and he said no to that too. This week they should call me and let me know their opinion. But I tend to agree with you that it must be the iron, I was on 2 daily for a year. That's a good idea that you had about going to a standard supplement dose for a while and recheck. This is a recheck after 3 months already and they have stayed the same. I think my liver is in shock! Thanks for the information. Just something else to worry about. FLFLOWERGIRL

Originally Posted by FLFLOWERGIRL

ChristineVA--That was my first question 3 months ago when these numbers went up was iron. The GI doc (that would know), said No, then I asked could it have been the Xanax and he said no to that too. This week they should call me and let me know their opinion. But I tend to agree with you that it must be the iron, I was on 2 daily for a year. That's a good idea that you had about going to a standard supplement dose for a while and recheck. This is a recheck after 3 months already and they have stayed the same. I think my liver is in shock! Thanks for the information. Just something else to worry about. FLFLOWERGIRL

I know that they say "no" and they probably say that because there is no literature out there to support this. I really think that they just "don't know" and they certainly don't know what can happen to each person as an individual. To me, since the only thing you've changed was the iron, then it would be prudent to back off the iron a bit to see if it effects those liver numbers. If it does, you have you answer. If it doesn't, it is probably time for more testing in that area. But I'd certainly rather test that out the easy way versus starting down a whole other course of tests and questions.

I also got my ALT, AST & ALP elevated after the iron infusion. Not straight away. I think it was after 6 months because my upper right abdomen pain. My platelets is keep falling while other are climbing up. Now my Liver Function Test is normal again. My fatty liver has gone completely too.

Now is nearly a year. GI doc said she can offer me another iron infusion because my iron is running low again. She can't find where my iron has gone. Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy are all very normal. I am in perimenopause.

Are yours LFT back to normal range yet? The iron level still very steady? Nice to see someone rides in the same boat with me.

Hey Flowergirl, I am really happy for you about your new results. Congratz, that's great.

That is great news FLOWERGIRL

Sorry i can't answer all your questions or shed much light in that area. As you know my ferretin went up quite a bit, yet my specialist still has me on the 100mg per day dosage. I still go through tired phases and don't feel that terrific energy boost i got after i had the iron injections, but do feel better than i did back then and i'm more motivated and get more things done nowadays.

I think the irregular tiredness i still feel and at times that 'tired but wired' feeling is linked to my thyroid. I can't wait till i get definite answers back and can start taking something for it.

As for how high you should go with your ferretin, my specialist states that over 70 and stay there and even better if you can go between 100 - 125 for optimum results. He also says the better your ferretin level the better it is for your thyroid not to mention other areas.

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I know that they say "no" and they probably say that because there is no literature out there to support this. I really think that they just "don't know" and they certainly don't know what can happen to each person as an individual. To me, since the only thing you've changed was the iron, then it would be prudent to back off the iron a bit to see if it effects those liver numbers. If it does, you have you answer. If it doesn't, it is probably time for more testing in that area. But I'd certainly rather test that out the easy way versus starting down a whole other course of tests and questions.

Christine--Thank so much for your opinion. I have been thinking about this all weekend and can't get it out of my mind. If it is iron, I am not too happy with my doctors but I never was anyway. I am the one that found the enzymes rising they didn't even notice a difference in the labs. I have three labs showing beginning, middle and end and they continue to go up. I definitely don't need anymore problems!! FLFLOWERGIRL

PIKA--Thanks for the info on your AST and ALT, I find it very interesting. Does this happen now when you receive iron infusions? FLFLOWERGIRL

CD111--Thank you!

Audrey--How much iron have you been on for the last two years? I think that 150 daily might still be way too much, I will see what the GI doc has to say about it. I thought it was iron from the beginning but when he said no, I believed him! I see him in a week so I will stay on it until then. After that I'm thinking of going back on the prenatal vitamins. I have no idea what I'm going to do right now? Maybe I worry too much. I cannot imagine a Ferritin of 100, I really wish I knew what my base line was. I'm sure it would be interesting. FLFLOWERGIRL

Tomorrow I go for a follow up to my lab report on my enzyme answer. I'm asking again about iron being the possibility,we shall see what his answer is this time! Christine I will ask about going off the iron and then a 3 month follow up on labs. Wish me luck! FLFLOWERGIRL

Flowergirl- Some days i take my iron formula twice per day which comes out to a total of 160mg , other days i only take it once per day which ends up being 80mg. I think my doctor wants me higher so that i'm at a good high level when i begin taking my thyroid meds.

I think the higher your ferretin climbs, the easier it will be to climb even higher. The interesting thing is once iron supplements aren't happening any longer, will the ferretin stay put or drop drastically. That's what scares me most.

I have been a bit bad and haven't given up all gluten type foods. It gets a bit difficult to eat salads every day or to cook something specific and gluten free for lunch the next day. It used to be so easy taking a bit of this and that to work and making a sandwich. I have a sneaking suspicion that my very low iron could be related to my new found gluten dilema.

All i need now is to find out i shouldn't be having dairy products!! I happened to cross paths with one poor lady who has graves, is gluten and dairy intollerant. What is left to eat? especially as soy products apprently aren't the best for the thyroid, even worse if you are prone to having a goitre.

Audrey--I was taking 300mgs for over a year. Now I am down to 150 closer to what your on. I think this is the problem. How long were you on the higher dose?

When I was first put on Synthroid I had a great experience. I don't know exactly how it works as to when you CAN feel effects of the drug (I had heard this can take weeks), but right away, I will never forget, I felt an incredible difference. It felt like a FOG had been lifted much better feeling than the effects of iron supplements. I could think clearly and felt a general overall well being. Now when they up the dose it doesn't feel any different, not even a little. But in the morning when I get up I'm really groggy and feel like I can't function until the Synthroid hits my system. Then It's like having caffeine or something, it wakes me up from zombieland. I have always been one to "rise and shine" never slow in the morning I get right on it.

Like you said in another post about about meditation, LOL that's me I can't slow down to concentrate, forget it. My mind doesn't slow down, I think and work out things in my sleep. I guess I do have anxiety that I never realized. FLFLOWERGIRL

Flowergirl - i've been on a higher dosage since january 2008. My dr's chemist who puts together the iron powdered supplement keeps coming up with new formulas. The one he used to make had a bit less iron in it and didn't have all the extra ingredients eg: lysine and some of the B group vitamins etc you used to have to take everything seperately. Now it contains more iron and has everything within the one container.

I believe i have noticed that since i began taking the newer formula that it has caused a few tiny pimples which i have never had before. I think once i finish with this current container i will request something different as perhaps there are too many ingredients or too much of something which is causing the pimples. It's not like i have gotten a major break out, just a couple here an there and in areas i have never had them, not even as a teenager eg:chin area. So who knows whats going on there.

I have to agree with you, this 'feeling' the thyroid gives off is very much like a fog. It stays more or less with me all day. I don't feel the tiredness i felt when my iron was extremely low. This is a different form of tiredness. To think in years gone by that i thought this was simply all normal.

The weird thing is that i might be fine for a couple of days, then swing back to amazing tiredness. I also find i get stressed and anxious a lot easier and bit of a shorter fuse and not as patient, sort of like it's all too much and i just can't handle certain things as i used to. At times i feel like running away from everybody and everything and going somewhere nobody can find me. Then i'll swing back to feeling better or at times i'll be tired but like i'm hypo and on some sort of adrenalin.

Wonder if Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde simply had a thyroid problem........LOL

My liver enzymes all back to normal. Unfortunately, my iron, ferritin plus platelets are falling out of range again. Dr said needs another infusion.... She don't know where and how I lost those beautiful iron......

Pika--What was the reason for the liver enzymes to be up? Was it because you had IV iron and were overloaded? I am watching mine every 3 months the are just borderline high normal. Doc said nothing to worry about but I'm making them check agaain in 3 months time to be safe.

So, they have never found a reason for your iron loss? How long had this been going on for you? I remember you being on this board when I first came over a year ago. Glad your enzymes are normal, that's good. Hope you have the IV soon and feel better. FLFLOWERGIRL