Please help with Thyroid Results. Lab said normal, doctor questioning?

[worriedmommy1987]

I have been unwell since birth. I was born with malrotation of the intestines, operated on at 10 days old, have had IBS ever since.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 14, treated with radiotherapy.
Anti-depressants since 16 (12 years and still on them)
I am morbidly obese- BMI 55.5 and have sleep apnea, classed as the normal sleep apnea, not the higher one.

Anyway, I've been unwell for a while, paid to have thyroid tests done privately as my GP said my thyroid results taken a few years ago were normal. These are the results-

Free T4- 14.73
Free T3- 4.18
TSH- 1.96
T4 Total insufficient.

The blood sample was a prick sample and the blood kept clotting.
My ferritin reading for this is 199.1 ( I'm usually anaemic, so ferritin is a surprise)
My CRP level is 13.10 (has been increased for a few years)

2 weeks ago today I was diagnosed as having had a mild heart attack at some point (but not on that day) so I'm wondering if the ferritin level is increased because of that?


Thanks in advance for any help.

[Barb135]

What are the reference ranges for the Free T3,  Free T4, Ferritin and CRP?  Reference ranges vary lab to lab, so have to come from your own report.  

If you think you may be anemic, you should have an iron panel performed.  Ferritin levels can be high, even if iron levels are low, because ferritin can also indicate inflammation in the body.  CRP is also a measure of inflammation and yours seems to be quite high.

There's also question as to whether or not the finger stick tests are as accurate as a regular blood draw.  

What is your doctor questioning about the tests/results?  

[Red_Star]

Excerpt from Australian Family Physician - Elevated serum ferritin...

Serum Ferritin...

"While low SF is a sensitive and specific indicator of low total body iron stores, elevated SF is sensitive but very nonspecific for iron overload. While a normal SF rules out iron overload, only 10% of cases of elevated SF are due to iron overload (Figure 1). Chronic alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, malignancy, infection and inflammatory conditions explain 90% of causes of elevated SF.6,16"

***

Excerpt from Hypothyroid Mom - Top 5 Reasons Doctors Fail To Diagnose Hypothyroidism...

"Mary Shomon, author of the book that changed my life Living Well With Hypothyroidism, shared this important list of recommended lab tests.

Thyroid Tests "Normal" But You Don't Feel Well?

If you're undiagnosed, or a thyroid patient taking thyroid hormone replacement medications, being in the "normal" range does not mean you feel well, or that your treatment is optimized. What levels are considered "optimal*" by many integrative physicians?

~ TSH - Typically less than 2.0
~ Free T4 - Top half of the reference range
~ Free T3 - Top half - top 25th percentile of reference range
~ Reverse T3 - Lower end of normal range
~ Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO) - Within reference range
~ Vitamin D - Above 50
~ Ferritin - Above 60 (Above 80 if experiencing hair loss)

* we are all different, one size doesn't fit all, so these are guidelines. Your optimal levels may vary."

Reading the latest studies on vitamin D, recommended currently (and may change as more research comes to light) - optimal is 40 - 60 ng/mL (100 - 150 nmol/L).