blood test help please before gp appt tomorrow

[PoshPenny]

have been having problems for a while, I think my thyroid is the problem, but tests show it as normal. TSH 1.04, FT4 10.2. GP got me tested for coeliac at beginning of October which also came back negative after I requested he review bloods after I got copy of my July tests and saw low ferritin. My Full blood count results were well within the range, so not anaemic as such.

Plasma ferritin 16 (was 12 in July)
Plasma folate 7.9
serum b12 276
vit D not taken either time

the only other vaguely interesting test result was the bone profile test
Plasma calcium 2.23 mmol
Plasma corrected calcium level 2.32 mmol (range 2.2-2.6)
Plasma albumin level 33g/l (range 35-50)
Plasma alkaline phosphatase level 78 U/L(30-130)

what I have done in the last 2 weeks is go gluten free, which has resulted in a definite improvement in my symptoms. hair has stopped falling out, aching bones joints muscles has gone, irritable bowel issues completely gone. energy levels much better, but still liable to crash and burn. Brain fog and forgetfulness also seem better. However, still getting the pins and needles in my arm/hand and my hearing has deteriorated. I am 49 and take no medication of any kind.

I was thinking that maybe gluten intolerance is what has been causing me to feel so ill and awful, rather than the thyroid, and was just looking for some knowledgeable opinions from elsewhere really.

I also wanted to ask the doctor about me starting some heavy duty iron supplementation, and having regular blood tests to see if it was working and building up my ferritin levels.

What do you think? should I be asking for other stuff/investigations as well? After 4 years of this, I am now keen to get a diagnosis and stop being fobbed off. sorry for the length, but keen to give full picture.

I wouldn't think taking iron would be that helpful if you aren't anaemic, plus it may upset your digestive system further. It sounds like cutting gluten is really helping so I would continue with that if I were you.

That ferritin level is normal reference range here. There is some evidence that tiredness caused by low ferritin and not anaemic improves with iron.

I started the menopause at 48 which is about average age for it to begin.
Foggy brain was one of my symptoms and aches and pains.

Have you been investigated for immune mediated disease so ESR, ANA, and rheumatoid factor. There are a mass of immune mediated diseases that can cause some of these symptoms.

I had been suffering with much the same, dog tired and tummy troubles, brain fog all sorts. I was tested for lots of things including coeliac disease and hypothyroidism which was negative. After getting some advice on here I got print outs of all my results and my ferritin levels were 22. Although this was 'in range' it's suggested that your levels should be 90 or higher. If you google you should find a whole heap of stuff.

I started taking 2 sachets of spatone (liquid iron) with orange juice. I did this for a good month or so and then went down to one sachet. I cannot believe the difference! It did take a long time, can't remember now but at least a couple of months. I went from crashing out when I got home, with kids running around me to being able to keep going and getting house work done and not stopping til 8pm. I really would like to know what my ferritin levels are but don't like to ask for a blood test when I feel well!

I also changed my diet and cut out bread (after the iron bit) as I was still getting tummy troubles. That had a huge impact too, bloating gone, no cramps, much much less diarrhoea etc. I've gone back on to bread but only eat whole meal and that seems to be relatively ok but symptoms creeping back.

I'm happy as GP has agreed to what I wanted to try. so I have their blessing to take ferrous sulphate to try and increase my ferritin levels and go back for blood test in 3 months to see if it has made any improvement to the numbers and indeed, if I feel better.

Regarding my results being within the range, according to the website patient.co.uk there are scholarly articles and evidence to suggest that low ferritin stores (below 22 which of course I am) could be used to define clinically relevant iron storage depletion (this includes the pre-anaemic stages of iron deficiency). I have a pretty physical life, in that when I am not doing the normal average stuff that most people of my age do do like work, raise a family, care for elderly parents, housekeeping etc, I look after a fairly large number of horses every day which is hard physical graft in all weathers plus ride some of them too. I think you could reasonably draw some parallels with endurance athletes who can run into difficulties if their serum ferritin level falls below 50...

yes I accept I am probably peri menopausal, but really that is not causing me great difficulty apart from heavy bleeding now diagnosed as most likely caused by a polyp which I am waiting to have removed. I don't accept that the general awful way I have felt for the past few years is all down to the menopause, and that seems borne out by the improvements in my aches and pains, irritable bowel problems, brain fog, tiredness, weakness, hair loss etc etc since I removed gluten from my diet, although it is early days yet.
the irony is that there was nothing obviously wrong with me at all until I gave up smoking in February 2010...

Oh and the best thing about today so far was getting on the scales this morning and for the first time in 3 1/2 years weighing in at (ok, just) under 14 stone. all I've done is remove the gluten products, nothing else has changed.