Can Low Ferritin Be The Only Thing In Bloodwork And Still Be Celiac?

[nosy parker]

I am waiting until the 27th to see my GI for follow-up of endo, but in the meantime I saw my GP who ordered a sries of blood tests.  She said everything was good and all my numbers are great.  Perfectly healthy, my good cholesterol is high and my bad cholesterol is very low, vitamins and minerals are all good.  EXCEPT my ferritin is still low.  This was the only thing that came back low last July when my GI tested me.  It's actually the reason he wanted to do the colonoscopy and endo. 

 

So aside from my various other symptoms (digestive, headaches, etc) can it be possible that ONLY low ferritin could exist if you are celiac?  I thought you would have to be deficient in more vitamins and minerals.  It seems my body is absorbing everything well except maybe iron.  Which my GP says can be explained by heavy periods.

 

I am starting to doubt everything, as usual, even though I haven't seen my GI yet.

 

Thanks for your help!

[cyclinglady]

I am waiting until the 27th to see my GI for follow-up of endo, but in the meantime I saw my GP who ordered a sries of blood tests.  She said everything was good and all my numbers are great.  Perfectly healthy, my good cholesterol is high and my bad cholesterol is very low, vitamins and minerals are all good.  EXCEPT my ferritin is still low.  This was the only thing that came back low last July when my GI tested me.  It's actually the reason he wanted to do the colonoscopy and endo. 

 

So aside from my various other symptoms (digestive, headaches, etc) can it be possible that ONLY low ferritin could exist if you are celiac?  I thought you would have to be deficient in more vitamins and minerals.  It seems my body is absorbing everything well except maybe iron.  Which my GP says can be explained by heavy periods.

 

I am starting to doubt everything, as usual, even though I haven't seen my GI yet.

 

Thanks for your help!

Besides having Hashimoto's Thryoiditis, I only had low Ferritin.  I've been anemic on and off  for years since I have Thalassemia (which is a genetic anemia -- tiny red blood cells that can cause low hemoglobin).  The low Ferritin is what tipped off the Gastenterologist for Celiac when I went in for a routine colonoscopy.  

 

But within a few days of my endo, the doc called me at home to tell me to stop eating gluten after receiving the pathology report.   This was three weeks before my scheduled follow-up.  Why must you wait until the 27th?  Can they mail the report to you?

 

During my follow-up visit (confirmed moderate to severe damage), I asked about taking iron to build up the Ferritin stores.  He said just take it for a month.  A he had blood drawn that day.  Taking too much iron is not going to improve my hemoglobin levels because of the Thalassemia.   

 

By the way, my cholesterol levels were always extremely low (and I used to be very smug about it), but it appears it was from malabsorption (another sign of celiac disease).   

[powerofpositivethinking]

hi cyclinglady,

 

if you don't mind me asking, what were your cholesterol levels?  thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, my cholesterol levels were always extremely low (and I used to be very smug about it), but it appears it was from malabsorption (another sign of celiac disease).   

[cyclinglady]

 

hi cyclinglady,

 

if you don't mind me asking, what were your cholesterol levels?  thanks!

 

 

It's been since September 2012, but my total cholesterol was 119.  HDL was 41, LDL was 62, Triglycerides were 81.  It's been lower, hmmm....maybe 112 for total cholesterol.  It will be interesting to see if my levels go up and I'm not sure if my current levels could be extreme, but everyone always made a comment about it!