Low iron, normal ferritine, transferrine

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Mick - 13 Sep 2005 10:06 GMT

I have very low iron at 35 (range 60-160), ferritine near the max, and
transferrine normal. What can that be? All my life the iron has been a
bit too low but now it is worse.

I have anxious gastritis, can that be it? I don't think it is ulcer, and
stool appears normal.

My complete blood count is normal but this does not convince me: I often
(say 3-4 times a year) have strong asthenias with very mild fever or
maybe they are flu-like illnesses and I stay in bed 5 days.

Thanks in advance

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Robert - 13 Sep 2005 22:04 GMT

> I have very low iron at 35 (range 60-160), ferritine near the max, and
> transferrine normal. What can that be? All my life the iron has been a
> bit too low but now it is worse.

You need a CRP to evaluate inflammation. Ferritin is elevated with the
presence of inflammation so it can not be used to diagnose deficiency in
it's presence.
% saturation is also important as the lower the saturation the higher the
chance of iron deficiency especially in the under 5% range. Anemia of
chronic disease of iron lockout anemia is possible.

> I have anxious gastritis, can that be it? I don't think it is ulcer, and
> stool appears normal.

Gastritis may or can cause iron absorption problems.

> My complete blood count is normal but this does not convince me: I often
> (say 3-4 times a year) have strong asthenias with very mild fever or
> maybe they are flu-like illnesses and I stay in bed 5 days.
>
> Thanks in advance

Not consistent with iron deficiency.

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Mick - 14 Sep 2005 11:06 GMT

Thanks Robert,

> "Mick" <Mick@nospam.com> wrote in message
> CRP
> % saturation

Will do these!

>>My complete blood count is normal but this does not convince me: I often
>>(say 3-4 times a year) have strong asthenias with very mild fever or
>>maybe they are flu-like illnesses and I stay in bed 5 days.
>
> Not consistent with iron deficiency.

Which of the two is "not consistent", the complete blood count or the
asthenias/flus (probably the right term is malaise) ?

And what does this "no consistency" mean, can it mean that I am simply
inflamed and I don't actually have an iron deficiency?

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Robert - 14 Sep 2005 19:24 GMT

> Thanks Robert,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Which of the two is "not consistent", the complete blood count or the
> asthenias/flus (probably the right term is malaise) ?

The anemia or decrease blood count is a late finding in iron deficiency. It
occurs after sustained iron deficiency as can be detected by iron studies.
You do not have anemia and thus no constitutional symptoms attributed to it.

> And what does this "no consistency" mean, can it mean that I am simply
> inflamed and I don't actually have an iron deficiency?

Low iron levels can be seen in a variety of conditions not simply related to
iron deficiency. Chronic conditions can lead to low iron blood levels as a
physiological response to these conditions.
Inflammation would be one of those conditions.

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