Ferritin, Vitamin D & Hashimotos

[alexak1978]

Dear Dr. Lupo,
My Endo & Hematologist have both told me that my low ferritin & my low vitamin D are not related to my thyroid. I have now been scheduled for an endoscopy and a colonoscopy has already ruled out any cancer or bleeding in that area. My endo has also told me that if the endoscopy comes back normal they will have to do a bone marrow test. In your experience is vitamin D & low ferritin related to Hashimotos in any way? Also, could it be possible cancer could be the reason behind the low ferritin & vitamin d? I am a 31 year old female who was diagnosed with Hashimotos after post partum 1 year ago from panic attacks & based on high thyroglobulin levels in the 300's but all thyroid levels are normal other than this. My endo prescribed me .5 Levoxyl for 2 months but then recently took me off because of weight gain & him thinking this could be a false negative. I am now confused do I have Hashimotos or not? I have anxiety related symptoms & weight gain & neck pain. I am scared though about the ferritin being so low at a 9. I am taking Foltrin for 4 months now and only at a 16, 2 of the months I was taking it with calcium & d so they were probably cancelling each other out. I hope you can respond & let me know your thoughts. I also have a .5mm nodule but to small to biopsy so they are watching it. I wish you were my dr. but I am in CA.

Thank you!
Alex  

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

A high thyroglobulin level of 300's does not necessarily mean Hashi -- maybe this was a thyroglobulin antibody or there was a TPO antibody.  Post-partum onset of autoimmune thyroid disease is common so this may well be the right diagnosis.

The primary thing to rule-out as a connection between Hashi and iron/Vit D deficiency would be celiac sprue (gluten sensititvity) -- can be done with blood tests as well as a small bowel biopsy.  Would ask the GI doc doing the endoscopy about this possibility if it is not already being considered.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Hashi does not cause low ferritin.  In young menstruating women the most common cause is the menstrual bleeding.  I don't think IBS causes low ferritin.  More serious cases usually have low iron as well and anemia.  This is not likely cancer.

[alexak1978]

When the colonoscopy was performed I also did a blood test to rule out celiac & the dr. said my results were normal. Could irritable bowel cause this? I am not low in Iron just the ferritin & I bruise very easily.
Can Hashimotos cause the ferritin deficiency? My anxiety symptoms are pressure in head, hyperventilation syndrome, palpitations & I don't get panic attacks anymore because I learned what they were. I am sorry to ask you again about this but I am scared as to what the cause of low ferritin is. Can cancer also cause this?