I am a 49 year old female and I am trying to figure out if I have hemocromatosis or not. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, adrenal insufficiency and celiac in 2006. I also had a ferritin of 21 back then. My doctor put me on iron supplements because he liked to see ferritin around 60-75. My ferritin had gotten up to 108 in 2008. I have not been on iron since then. My ferritin dropped back down to 69 in 2009, 59 in 2010 and 57 in January 2011. I have only had ferritin tested and never a complete iron panel.



So since I have always typically had low ferritin, there was a concern that it could be low again and my thyroid group suggested I get a complete iron panel done. So I did that and the results are: TIBC 163L (250-450)

     UIBC 57L (150-375)

     Iron serum 106 (35-155)

     Iron saturation 65H (15-55)

     Ferritin serum 112 (13-150)



When I saw these results I got a little concerned and had the DNA test for hemochromatosis done. It was positive for both of the genes. I took all of this to my doctor and he said that he is not concerned at all and that I should ignore it. He said that he does not see hemochromatosis in patients until there ferritin is in the thousands range.



I am happy to ignore it, but my hair is falling out like crazy and I keep having pain in my upper right chest area. Another doctor told me that it was my liver though my liver value is normal. My thyroid is also stable, so the hair falling out should not be that. I am also shocked that my ferritin jumped up from 57 to 112 in 6 months. I am Hispanic and do have a darker skin tone. However, I am tanning so much easier than I ever have.

I am not sure what to think. I just don’t want to wait until my ferritin levels get high enough and then I have even more health issues to deal with. Do my lab values indicate anything? Should I be concerned? Thank You!!