Low serum iron with normal ferritin?

Hi, I'm new to the boards, thanks in advance for any replies. I don't actually have anemia but this is the closest to an iron forum I see. I had an iron panel a few months ago to see if iron problems had caused my thyroid hormone (T3) to stop working.

5/17/2012
IRON, TOTAL 51 mcg/dL
IRON BINDING CAPACITY 285 mcg/dL 250-425
% SATURATION 18 % 20-50
FERRITIN 110 ng/mL 20-345

My doctor told me to increase food intake of iron. I eventually started taking iron supplements to see what effect they had on me. They seemed to help tremendously, and I was able to reduce my T3 dose and felt great. I took them for a few weeks but my doctor thought it would be better to get iron from my diet as opposed to pills so I tried stopping the iron. My symptoms came back even after I increased my T3 dose.

I had another panel done:

8/1/2012
IRON, TOTAL 35 mcg/dL 45-175
IRON BINDING CAPACITY 267 mcg/dL 250-425
% SATURATION 13 % 20-50
FERRITIN 121 ng/mL 20-345

So my ferritin was slightly higher but my serum iron actually decreased. I had a 24 hour saliva test, CMP, CBC, vit D, differential done but they were all normal. My doc tested inflammatory markers such as ESP and C-reactive protein but they showed no inflammation. I started taking iron again because I'm miserable when I don't but feel great when I do.

It seems that the iron that I am taking is just going into storage (ferritin) instead of being available in the bloodstream. From what I've read, this is caused when the body tries to remove it from circulation to prevent invading pathogens from using it. My iron levels match what would be seen in "anemia of chronic disease" or inflammation, but I don't have anemia and it seems I don't have inflammation. I think my iron problems got triggered in March, I tried reducing my T3 dose and started to get bad withdrawal symptoms but it didn't seem to work as well when I raised it back up. I was also dieting at the time so that might be related.

Does anyone know anything that could be causing the low serum iron? Besides thyroid problems I don't seem to have any chronic issues and I've tested negative for thyroid antibodies. I'm going to a hematologist a couple weeks and I'm trying to get a better understanding before I go. Thanks!