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Low ferritin, high transferrin sat?

2 replies

Ohwtfnow · 05/01/2025 13:55

I have been struggling with chronic illness for a few years now and have a lot of symptoms. This is just a quick question that hopefully someone will have an easy answer to, I don’t really need to go into my symptoms here.

i had a private blood test a few years ago and while my ferritin was borderline low (around 12 - I know that this just about squeaks into the ok range for the NHs but is actually a lot lower than it should be) my transferrin saturation was too high. I can’t recall the exact number but it definitely wasn’t just over the limit - it was a fair bit over. The notes from the private doctor said to ask my GP to repeat both tests as the high transferrin could indicate haemochromatosis. My GP entirely ignored this request and told me it was fine.

Is it though? Nobody has tested my transferrin saturation since then and my ferritin remains between 11-16. Advice from my GP was high dose iron supplements but after 4 months on these I feel even worse and don’t know if I’m doing more harm than good. What do the two contrasting results indicate? I’ve googled but I don’t really understand it.

OP posts:
Sadbeaver · 05/01/2025 14:13

Maybe contact the Haemochromatosis Charity they will be able to help you and advise on the best thing to do going forward. Was your high transferrin Sats above 50%?

Hope you get it sorted.

Ohwtfnow · 05/01/2025 18:25

Sadbeaver · 05/01/2025 14:13

Maybe contact the Haemochromatosis Charity they will be able to help you and advise on the best thing to do going forward. Was your high transferrin Sats above 50%?

Hope you get it sorted.

Thank you. I will contact them. Pretty sure it was around 70%

OP posts:
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