High serum ferritin levels - please help ( health anxiety)

[littlestpogo]

Hello

I’m wondering if there is anyone around who can help me. I have bad health anxiety and I am freaking out a bit.

I had some blood tests done last February as had had a sting of illnesses. I was told I had some slightly raised inflammatory markers and to have repeat bloods on a couple of months.

Because of covid the repeat bloods didn’t happen until august. I had them and was never contacted by the surgery so assumed all was Ok.

I’ve just logged onto to my online patient file for the first time and found the blood results. They show an abnormal serum ferritin of 162 from august ( can’t see the Feb ones but assume the same).

I’ve googled and I’m really freaking out that this is an indication of something very bad. I’m wondering why the doctors didn’t even call to discuss with me - no follow up at all ( part of me hopes because it isn’t that bad but when I read it seems like something that should be followed up).

Id there is anyone who could explain to me I’d be very grateful. I have bad health anxiety and this has triggered it .

Dont go crazy googling because anything and I mean ANYTHING u type in there will come up with the worst thing and ul think u have a really bad illness. Ring ur G.P or hospital? Get some insight. If it is something serious or urgent they would have contacted u though. Do u feel ok generally? If u do I wouldnt go bonkers.

I don’t think it’s urgent now as obviously it’s been going on since august ( prob Feb 2019).

I know is housing have googled but I’m worried about what I’ve read but more as to why they didn’t call me about the results ( as what I’ve read seems to indicate they should have followed up). Also freaking out as I can’t really do anything until Monday.

I know it’s probably irrational but I have really bad health anxiety ( and have had some bad/unusual things happen to me so it’s like now my brain knows the worst can happen if that makes sense).

But thank you for replying . I do appreciate the reply

I know how you feel as iv had a similar experience to u. They said the levels can fluctuate and there often glitches and errors in test results. If they repeated ur test and yr levels dropped they mustv thought theres no point in contacting u. If u dont mind me asking why was this test taken in the first place?

I had had a recurrent tonsillitis that I couldn’t shake and had felt fatigued in the February. I had a phone call after the February test to say my inflammatory marker were slightly raised but the doctor felt insignificant but to make sure to get more bloods done on 3 months. These bloods then got delayed to August ( the massive fatigue had gone by then).

Sorry I just read you had an inflammotory illness. Maybe that affected the levels and they would drop after u got better?

I feel OK generally now ( but tired but I’m a single mum to two DC). I have had bad back ache but I’ve had a bad back for over 20 years and I’m assuming it’s worse atm because of home working etc

Sorry the inflammatory was what showed in the Feb bloods. I was fine when I had the august bloods taken

Sorry I know I must seem completely nuts to be posting about this

Another thing is that different labs use different reference ranges so that could be misleading

Afaik serum ferritin is normal up to 150 (my gp has 11-150 as their normal range,
although 11-50 is officially low) so it's slightly raised, but this could have been due to an infection? Would that fit? Mine are normally very low (6!) but shot up to 65 with a gum infection

After looking it up for u. I wouldnt b too alarmed. But still contact ur gp on monday to follow them up.

Had similar results 2 yrs ago ..140
Due to covid only tested last month down to 12..now on iron supplements
Not sure of how it happened was very tired..fine now since taking d3 iron

Thanks for replying everyone.

Sorry health anxiety is just such a pain and because I’m on my own I find it much harder to control.

I really do appreciate the replies and it’s made me feel a lot better. I’ve also managed to find the earlier tests and it was higher then so had dropped between Feb and August ( i definitely still had an infection in February).

I will still ring and ask for another test to see where it is now!

Thank you again - you’ve genuinely helped me ( which I know also sounds a bit silly as it’s strangers on the internet)