High iron, high % saturation, low ish ferritin. Feel shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing. Is it the iron overload?

[tengounapregunta]

please see labs below. I feel fatigued and honestly kinda shitty. I’m a Defy patient and waiting to get scheduled with them.

Is high iron likely to cause these symptoms? I was feeling well before this with high energy, banging libido, and productive energy. Over the last month, I’ve been feeling tired, less productive, and shortness of breath episodes along with difficulty swallowing. I think difficulty swallowing may be GERD it’s kinda freaky. I know anxiety is making this worse, and it’s possible that this is all anxiety, but frankly my exhaustion points to something other than anxiety.

I’m going to get a sleep study done in case or apnea. I’ve caught myself gasping at night for air. And I don’t wake up fresh. Plus dreams of drowning.

My cardiologist said EKG was fine and I have a stress test in two months.

I’m on 120 mg T. Cyp divided into three doses per week. I think I’m gonna back down to 100 until this gets sorted.

Any advice?

 

[Systemlord]

I’ve been feeling tired, less productive, and shortness of breath episodes along with difficulty swallowing. I think difficulty swallowing may be GERD it’s kinda freaky.

I had the same experience when iron deficient, especially on TRT, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing and GERD like symptoms. I was treated for GERD for 2 years, unsuccessfully, got three sinus surgeries when the cause was iron deficiency. Inflammation, swelling of the esophagus, sinus cavities from lack of oxygen in the blood and eating can trigger a cough that burns, feels like GERD.

I don't care what your iron, and saturation are, ferritin is the gold standard for iron status, end of story!

If you think all the iron is free floating iron in the blood affecting tissue, think again!

 

[sammmy]

Your lymphocytes are elevated, platelets are reduced.

Feeling tired, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing.

Looks like an infection to me. Some viral infections may affect the nerves that control swallowing, or it could be a direct infection around the glottis.

Do you have headaches, any fevers, chills?

 

[tengounapregunta]

I had the same experience when iron deficient, especially on TRT, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing and GERD like symptoms. I was treated for GERD for 2 years, unsuccessfully, got three sinus surgeries when the cause was iron deficiency. Inflammation, swelling of the esophagus, sinus cavities from lack of oxygen in the blood and eating can trigger a cough that burns, feels like GERD.

I don't care what your iron, and saturation are, ferritin is the gold standard for iron status, end of story!

If you think all the iron is free floating iron in the blood affecting tissue, think again!

Hi @Systemlord !

Thanks for your kind reply. I find it soothing to know someone else has gone through the same thing despite opposite levels of iron.

I’m going to ensure with my provider that I can supplement iron despite high iron levels before I begin. But perhaps my low ferritin is the cause for everything!

What is ideal ferritin levels? Mine is 40 and before TRT it was 78. Should I have it closer to 200? Is there a goal your provider put you on?

 

[tengounapregunta]

Your lymphocytes are elevated, platelets are reduced.

Feeling tired, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing.

Looks like an infection to me. Some viral infections may affect the nerves that control swallowing, or it could be a direct infection around the glottis.

Do you have headaches, any fevers, chills?

Hi @sammmy ,

I don’t have either of those symptoms. Occasionally headache. It doesn’t really feel like a virus. Feels like… just garbage feeling lol.

 

[jayt]

I suffered the same symptoms and had my blood analyzed to find that my hemoglobin was around 17, it should be below 15. taking testosterone is the cause. I was doing 2 ml a week and cut it to 1 ml a week. I also now donate blood every 4 weeks and believe me giving blood really makes a difference. every man 40+ should donate blood monthly its very good for the body, the arteries , the blood. Your energy level spikes and you feel real good afterwards. check with your doctor or go on line and search, if you are taking T supplements you need to donate blood..

 

[Systemlord]

What is ideal ferritin levels?

This is going to be different for everyone, that's why we have such a board normal range, whether it be hormones or ferritin. Some doctors would say a ferritin of 78 is borderline low.

Thyroid function, conversion of T4->fT3 can be affected below a ferritin of <70.

Mine is 40 and before TRT it was 78.

TRT is the cause of your reduced ferritin, because you're using more iron to create more hematocrit and hemoglobin. TRT did the same to me, pre-TRT ferritin was 128, within 2 months of starting TRT ferritin ->24.

Is there a goal your provider put you on?

My provider was no help, ferritin at 24 and doctors wanted another test 2 weeks later to confirm and considering I was in the ER everyday, going into convulsions, racing heart rate, fu** that!

Funny thing, when my potassium was deficient, alongside low ferritin, they didn't wait two weeks to confirm, they wanted me to take a potassium pill right away.

Iron saturation 2.5 years earlier was 14% (range 20-50%) which they completely missed.

Unnecessary surgeries, misdiagnosis at every turn. My provider struggles with providing quality care.

I figured it out all on my own, I supplement 140 mg iron daily and ferritin is 100-130.

 

[tengounapregunta]

I suffered the same symptoms and had my blood analyzed to find that my hemoglobin was around 17, it should be below 15. taking testosterone is the cause. I was doing 2 ml a week and cut it to 1 ml a week. I also now donate blood every 4 weeks and believe me giving blood really makes a difference. every man 40+ should donate blood monthly its very good for the body, the arteries , the blood. Your energy level spikes and you feel real good afterwards. check with your doctor or go on line and search, if you are taking T supplements you need to donate blood..

Hi @jayt ,

Wouldn’t donating decrease my ferritin even more, though?

 

[tengounapregunta]

This is going to be different for everyone, that's why we have such a board normal range, whether it be hormones or ferritin. Some doctors would say a ferritin of 78 is borderline low.

Thyroid function, conversion of T4->fT3 can be affected below a ferritin of <70.

TRT is the cause of your reduced ferritin, because you're using more iron to create more hematocrit and hemoglobin. TRT did the same to me, pre-TRT ferritin was 128, within 2 months of starting TRT ferritin ->24.

My provider was no help, ferritin at 24 and doctors wanted another test 2 weeks later to confirm and considering I was in the ER everyday, going into convulsions, racing heart rate, fu** that!

Funny thing, when my potassium was deficient, alongside low ferritin, they didn't wait two weeks to confirm, they wanted me to take a potassium pill right away.

Iron saturation 2.5 years earlier was 14% (range 20-50%) which they completely missed.

Unnecessary surgeries, misdiagnosis at every turn. My provider struggles with providing quality care.

I figured it out all on my own, I supplement 140 mg iron daily and ferritin is 100-130.

Thanks @Systemlord ,


So even though my iron is high af, you’d recommend I supplement iron?


I don’t eat much red meat tbh. Maybe 3 times per month at most. I eat a lot of chicken. Don’t take many supps.

 

[Systemlord]

Wouldn’t donating decrease my ferritin even more, though?

Yep, you lose some iron when you bleed out hemoglobin.

So even though my iron is high af, you’d recommend I supplement iron?

I recommend talking with your doctor first, and if you're not satisfied with your doctors plan of action, get another opinion until you're satisfied with the action plan.

 

[glob]

please see labs below. I feel fatigued and honestly kinda shitty. I’m a Defy patient and waiting to get scheduled with them.

Is high iron likely to cause these symptoms? I was feeling well before this with high energy, banging libido, and productive energy. Over the last month, I’ve been feeling tired, less productive, and shortness of breath episodes along with difficulty swallowing. I think difficulty swallowing may be GERD it’s kinda freaky. I know anxiety is making this worse, and it’s possible that this is all anxiety, but frankly my exhaustion points to something other than anxiety.

I’m going to get a sleep study done in case or apnea. I’ve caught myself gasping at night for air. And I don’t wake up fresh. Plus dreams of drowning.

My cardiologist said EKG was fine and I have a stress test in two months.

I’m on 120 mg T. Cyp divided into three doses per week. I think I’m gonna back down to 100 until this gets sorted.

Any advice?

Have you check your thyroid? When my tsh was high I had difficult breathing, especially at night, like difficult swallowing. Hard to explain

 

[tengounapregunta]

Have you check your thyroid? When my tsh was high I had difficult breathing, especially at night, like difficult swallowing. Hard to explain

What’s up @glob ,

I’m going to get it looked at! I’ve had TSH around 2.58 before. Kinda high.

 

[Deleted member 16042]

every man 40+ should donate blood monthly its very good for the body, the arteries , the blood. Your energy level spikes and you feel real good afterwards.

NOT SO!

This is VERY BAD ADVICE for MANY men on testosterone! Some men benefit from phlebotomy. Many DO NOT because of ferritin depletion through loss of blood!

Read this forum. New members show up here ALL THE TIME reporting they crashed their ferritin and ask what to do about it. It is one of the most common problems that happens to men taking testosterone.

Phlebotomy is a useful tool for bringing down HCT/HGB, but is very easily overdone.

Check your ferritin

 

[Systemlord]

every man 40+ should donate blood monthly its very good for the body, the arteries , the blood.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one!

I used to get phlebotomies monthly for over a year and I complained to my doctor that my diabetes, glucose would skyrocket the day after the phlebotomy that would take weeks to build back up, and right after recovering my ferritin, I crashed it again.

It's hard to lose weight, improve your diabetes when your ferritin is on a roller-coaster ride.

 

[glob]

What’s up @glob ,

I’m going to get it looked at! I’ve had TSH around 2.58 before. Kinda high.

Yeah, it’s better a TSH around 1

 

[42daddyoopsy]

Wow I am glad I am not the only one. A couple of things to think about is that iron is required for thyroid hormones. Hypothyroid and low iron can feel the same and do run hand in hand. For me I am paying attention to total iron binding capacity. It's of the charts at 436. That tells me I have a lot of busses but no passengers. My Iron was 85 and the saturation was 19. So, a bunch of seats are open. For me as I correct this, I expect the capacity to go to somewhere in the middle and everything else come up.

I honestly have felt like shit for years and have been treated for hypothyroid for over 30 years. never thought the pills did shit but I might know why now. Don't know why a iron panel and a ferritin panel aren't standard for hypothyroid. Oh, and iodine serum level.

Nobody has ever ordered a ferritin until yesterday.

 

[42daddyoopsy]

Yeah, it’s better a TSH around 1

or less for weight loss