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low rbc/high iron levels/high cortisol/

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Hello,
My RBC is 3.22/iron 214 MCV 106.1/MCH 36.3/HEMATOCRIT 34.1/.THIS WAS TESTED AFTER I TOOK A TEST OVERNIGHT PILL FOR HIGH CORTISOL LEVEL.  THE CORTISOL CAME BACK OK AFTER PILL TEST BUT HAS BEEN HIGH WITHOUT PILL TEST.  CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME SOME DIRECTION IF THIS IS ANYTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OR SHOULD I JUST WAIT AND HAVE RETESTED?  IRON LEVEL AND RBC LEVEL WERE HIGH FOR 2 TESTS.
THANKS!
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4173379 tn?1355356551
Hi there, yes the iron level is high due to hemochromatosis...the gene that regulates iron storage in the body is mutated, passed on from parent or parents, and runs in families. Some can be healthy carriers of the gene(s), some have one copy of the mutation and some have two, which makes them store iron more significantly.

With hemochromatosis the body cannot rid body of excess iron, so it builds to toxic levels, and as a protection from free radicals, your body stores it in joints, tissues and organs, and yes, it is serious. By the time it is usually discovered it is already too late to reverse damage to organs and joints...

You can look it up by googling the word hemochromatosis...my husband's dad and his grandfather both had colon cancer, and his dad died from congestive heart failure as well, but at the time no one knew about hemochromatosis...now it appears because my husband has it and he has the genetic confirmation he got it from his parents...and his dad's symptoms his whole life point to him having it, but of course cannot be tested.

We are undergoing genetic and iron testing for entire family now.

The iron tests you need to ask for are ferritin, transferrin saturation%, serum iron, and TIBC or UIBC depending on which one the lab does.

I am also iron loading but found out early on, and mt rbc and hemoglobin and hematocrit are normal, platelets high.

You can get copies of all your blood tests results and then you can see what ones you have had done, then go from there with dr. Not many dr know or are aware and tuned in to early warning signs so you have to be prepared to inform yourself and also research this.
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Forgot to mention that if you have the info on the iron tests you had talked about earlier I would be very interested in seeing it. Thanks again.
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Hi,
Thanks for your response. Do you know why your iron level is high. is Hemochromatosis serious? Is it something that needs medication or how is it dealt with? How old is your husband? My grandmother had colon cancer ,
Wondering if I should go to a hematologist or ask my regular doc if he would test for hemochromatosis.
Thanks again!
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4173379 tn?1355356551
HI, it is called hemochromatosis, and he as well has had polyps on colon, his dad who dies of congestive heart failure and likely had hemochromatosis now we know what it is, and it is genetic so he got it from one or both or his parents, his dad had all the signs and symptoms, but no one knew, and he was Irish...he also had colon cancer and HIS dad died of colon cancer. Colon cancer and others high in people with iron overload.

The high iron and the RBC does not really need to be connected, my rbc is normal, but iron levels are high.

A person can be anemic, low in hemoglobin and hematocrit and RBC, and still iron load at the same time. His happens to be high on all counts, including his iron.

Take care, and you have found a good site to come for questions. PS, women usually are diagnosed later than men, usually in their 60`s.
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Avatar universal
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Good morning,
Thanks so much for the valuable info you provided me. This site is amazing and it really makes me feel great to know people care enough about their fellow human being to respond to issues.  Take care, and I hope all is well with you.
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Good morning,
Thanks for your info, I appreciate it.  Sounds like your husbands RBC was high and mine was low.  Not sure what that accounts for . My age is 60 and
I am a female. It was routine blood work and has come back with high iron the time before and low RBC. Thanks for the info on the web site, and any info you have would be appreciated. Dr. wants me to have a colonoscopy because I had 2 polyps 3 l/12 yrs ago. Not really sure if then retest in few months as far as cortisol,high iron, and low rbi.  I hope things are going well with your husband. What exactly is the name of what he was diagnosed with?
May God Bless,
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1756321 tn?1547095325
The common causes of macrocytic anaemia (increased MCV):

Folate deficiency anaemia
Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia
Liver disease
Haemolytic anaemias
Hypothyroidism
Excessive alcohol intake
Aplastic anaemia
Myelodysplastic syndrome

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4173379 tn?1355356551
Hi there, your question regarding iron caught my eye, and if you have any concerns regarding high iron, make sure that your tests include ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum iron and TIBC or UIBC...these tests will show the true iron picture, not just the iron found in hemoglobin. I am not sure about your tests above...we have recently been told my husband is storing iron due to genetic mutation, so all I know is that the iron tests the docs do do not include the tests I mentioned, although the routine blood tests can come up with red flags. Dr.s usually as we have been finding out, don't like to be asked to run different tests if your routine tests come in "normal"...so you have to be quite insistent, depending on the dr. The tests I mentioned are an indication of how your body is storing iron, and my husband's RBC and hemoglobin and hematocrit are also high along with the ferritin, transferrin saturation. I have the info on those tests that you need to be looking for if that is something you are interested in. Depending on how your iron shows on future tests or have other iron questions, irondisorders.org is an excellent source. They study iron in all types of scenarios, from deficiencies to iron overload and the effects of each. Nothing to ignore when it comes to iron. Too much or too little, it wreaks havoc on body systems and immunity, tissues, organs, joints.

Age? Gender? Any symptoms? Was this routine testing or did you go in because of concerns?

Cheers...
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