Blood results question: low iron

Spacey · May 6, 2014

I've been having stomach trouble—mostly abdominal pain and nausea—for the past two weeks, so I went to see the doctor and he ran some blood tests. A few things came back out of the normal range, and I have an follow-up appointment with the doctor on Wednesday. I'm just wondering if you guys think any of these things could be related to my HRT (test @ 200mg/wk). In, particular, I am curious about the low iron saturation because I thought testosterone raised iron levels.

Iron, % saturation..............19 L (20–50%)
AST...................................67 H (10–40)
ALT....................................74 H (9–46)
White blood cell count..........11.1 H (3.8–18.8)
Hemoglobin........................17.4 H (13.2–17.1)
Hematocrit..........................52.6 H (38.5–50.0)

My total iron and iron binding capacity are also at the very low end of the normal range.

All of these tests were in normal range 3 months ago.

Bleed · May 6, 2014

Hemo and crit are high but iron is low?

I will be watching this thread.

chinaboy · May 6, 2014

There could be many reasons for low iron from poor digestion of iron to bleeding in the intestines. Don't worry about what is the cause but do follow up with your doctor and hematologist.

Stewie · May 6, 2014

How many phelbotomies have you had over the last several months? You are some what correct about testosterone increasing iron levels. Directly no. Indirectly, yes.

Hepcidin in which is a regulatory iron hormone in our liver regulates the uptake of iron. Exogenous testosterone has a suppressive action on the transcription of hepcidin. Thus increasing iron uptake. It's believed age plays a role in this action.

Briefly, when Iron, UIBC, TIBC and transferrin saturation is low. This can be an indication there's an infection/inflammation going on. It's not point specific, yet an indication something is going on. By chance is there a ferritin level on your labs?

Is this a set of labs you pulled privately, or by your physician?

Spacey · May 6, 2014

How many phelbotomies have you had over the last several months? ZERO.

This can be an indication there's an infection/inflammation going on. THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. I WENT TO THE DR FOR STOMACH PAIN, WHICH COULD BE A VIRAL INFECTION. MIGHT ALSO EXPLAIN THE HIGH WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT (TOP OF RANGE IS 11.8, NOT 18.8). HOWEVER, MOST STOMACH VIRUSES CLEAR UP IN UNDER A WEEK, AND I'VE HAD THIS ONE FOR TWO WEEKS ALREADY.

It's not point specific, yet an indication something is going on. By chance is there a ferritin level on your labs? UNFORTUNATELY, NO.

Is this a set of labs you pulled privately, or by your physician? DR RX'ED.

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