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Are Elevated Blood Iron Levels A Matter Of Concern?
My iron level in my blood is at a 60. I found this out when I donated blood the other day. And it s always been high for years but I never thought anything of it. The phlebotomist mentioned I should consult with my family Dr. Should a iron level that high for an extended period of time be cause for concern? I do get headaches and joint pain from time to time
Fri, 14 Sep 2018
Hello,
You haven't mentioned the units of measurement. If it's in micrograms/L then it's perfectly fine. If it's in micromol/L then it's too high. I suppose it's the latter.
In cases like this, you need to measure serum transferring and ferritin as well. If the iron saturation is high (60% or more) and ferritin is very high (more than 500ng/ml usually) then hemochromatosis is likely.
If your values are lower then monitoring is recommended. Otherwise you should consult either a hematologist or a gastroenterologist (to consider the option of performing a liver biopsy) for further assessment.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis, Internal Medicine Specialist
You haven't mentioned the units of measurement. If it's in micrograms/L then it's perfectly fine. If it's in micromol/L then it's too high. I suppose it's the latter.
In cases like this, you need to measure serum transferring and ferritin as well. If the iron saturation is high (60% or more) and ferritin is very high (more than 500ng/ml usually) then hemochromatosis is likely.
If your values are lower then monitoring is recommended. Otherwise you should consult either a hematologist or a gastroenterologist (to consider the option of performing a liver biopsy) for further assessment.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis, Internal Medicine Specialist
I find this answer helpful
Hi,
The high iron level has many causes, if you are symptomatic than you should consult your doctor for further exams and treatment.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Esmeralda Sera, Oncologist
The high iron level has many causes, if you are symptomatic than you should consult your doctor for further exams and treatment.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Esmeralda Sera, Oncologist
I find this answer helpful
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