Help - bit bewildered over these results!

[rosyposy39]

Here are my test results back from my Dr today (I am in the UK)

Haemoglobin 11.3 (normal for non pregnant female 12-15)

Red blood cell 3.84 (normal female 4.2-5.4)

Total white cell count 12.2 (normal approx 4-10)

Serum folate 23.2 (normally 5-16)

Serum vitamin B12 260 (normal 200-900)

Serum iron level 1 umol/L (normal 9-30.4 umol/L)

Haematocrit 0.336 (normal 0.36-0.46)

Neutrophil count 9.65 (normal 1.8-7.8)

Monocyte count 1.01 (normal 0-9)

Eosinophil count 0 (normal 0-5)

MCV 87.3 (normal 80-100)

Lymphocyte count 19.3 (normal 18-48)

Serum TSH 3.26 (0.5-4.8)

Platelet count 159 (normal 150-450)

Creatinine 55 (normal 45-90 mmol/L)

Potassium 3.8 (normal 3.8-4.4 mmol/L)

I've been put on ferrous sulphate and told I'm slightly anaemic and to go for a blood test again in 4 weeks but this will just be for HB. I'm also a Coeliac and follow a GF diet and have had bleeding gums for a long time. I also have a hospital appt in 4 weeks at an ear, nose & throat clinic because every morning I have blood in my mouth which could be unrelated to the bleeding gums. I've started taking Timed Release Vitamin B-12 (1000ug).

[Hidden]

Hi rosyposy39:

Is your serum iron result 1 or 10? Also, did your GP request "ferritin" (a protein in the iron)levels? Your hemoglobin and RBCs are below the minimum, and those results must be

read and interpreted in conjunction with the iron/ferritin results. It appears your anemia

would be better managed through expertise of a hematologist.

May I suggest you search the site of the American Laboratories Society for detailed explanation of results of blood tests.

Also, because B12 and iron supplies are stored in the liver and are cousins so to speak, suggest you have your B12 levels checked as well. B12 helps to create new red blood cells and you might want to start on some type of sublingual spray right away. I understand from other PA members that it is available at either Jarrows or Amazon.uk.

As far as iron supplements, none of the iron tablets (sulfate, etc.) worked for me. They all cause constipation, and little is absorbed. All of the iron supplements I used for this deficiency caused unwanted caused side effects, for they are ionic and break down in the stomach.

I have iron deficiency anemia, and tested negative on May 15 for coeliac disease for the hematologist I saw for the first time requested it to rule out lack of iron absorption. Despite

the good news I remain since August 2012 on a no-gluten, no-grain diet, for suspect IBS.

Use of FeraMAX150 since November 2012 brought my ”ferritin” level in the serum from a low of 7 on November 22, 2012 to 18 on January 10, 2013. It was 22 on May 15. I hope continues to rise. The reference range used by Canadian laboratories is 11-145 UG/L. In addition, the iron level in my blood serum went up to 19, it was at 4 in July 2009 (the range is 10-26). Must confess that in desperation I turned into a carnivore, eating tenderloin stakes or liver with onions for the heme-iron, reduced now to a blended combination of meat/fish/lots of cruciferous vegetables.

This Feramax supplement is a polysaccharide-iron complex, in a non-ionic formulation that coats the iron and allows it to be delivered to the bloodstream without coming in contact with the stomach. It contains 150mg of elemental iron, the highest available in one dosage, therefore requires less frequent dosing. And it contains 50% more elemental iron than other ferrous fumarate products. The cost of FeraMAX 150 is higher than other iron supplements for it is non-ionic, and I will require ongoing supplementation to increase my “ferritin” level. Trying to avoid iron transfusions due to serious ide effects.

For more information please go to their website at feramax.com. If not available in Europe suggest you e-mail them asking for help to get it to the UK.

Hope the above helps, look after yourself, and good luck with your testing.

[Hidden]

Hi,

A good website for helping you understand your lab tests is labtestsonline.org.uk

I am not a doctor, but to be told you're "slightly anaemic" when your serum iron level is 1!!!! This is definitely best monitored by your doctor, as too much iron is also bad for you, but I'd say you're a long way from that.

With iron anaemia the MCV would normally fall below the bottom of the range (because your red blood cells are too small). If you had B12 and/or folate anaemia, your MCV would fall at the top end or above the range (because your red blood cells are too large).

If you have both types of anaemia, your MCV ends up within the range because they kind of cancel each other out. I would say this is what's happening in your case because your B12 looks way too low (the range for B12 is set way too low).

Your potassium is right at the bottom of the range, you need to be mid range for this. Include loads of potassium rich foods in your diet and be aware when you start taking B12 potassium levels can drop.

Your serum TSH is quite high in relation to current thinking on the range. Here is an article you might want to read:

hypothyroidmom.com/is-your-...

I'm pretty sure bleeding gums is a hypothyroid symptom, but don't quote me on it! You already have one autoimmune condition (Coeliac disease), on the basis of the blood tests above and your history I personally would want to be screened for:

Pernicious Anaemia (B12 deficiency): test for antibodies against intrinsic factor and parietal cells

Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's): full thyroid function tests (TSH/free T4/free T3) and thyroid antibody tests.

You should also try and get ferritin and vitamin D tested.

How are you actually feeling? Awful, would be my guess...

By the way the B12 supplement you are taking is not ideal, look up the user "nostoneunturned" for a self supplement programme (hope you don't mind me quoting you).

[poing]

Well, slightly anaemic is right... it just means your haemaglobin is a bit low, but it's not the real problem.

If your serum iron really is as low as 1, then you must feel absolutely terrible. Serum iron reflects the amount of iron that is available to the cells to use...and well, there isn't any.

This could even be the reason why your TSH is raised. Low serum iron inhibits conversion of thyroid hormones. (I believe this may have happened to me).

Your white cell counts are quite high, which points to inflammation or infection.

Ask your doctor to check your iron stores (ferritin)... You have a lot of immune activity going on, and that will affect both serum iron and storage iron (ferritin). It moves iron from serum into storage, so serum iron goes down and ferritin goes up - if it can (when you run out of iron then it will remain low).

I think it would be useful to check ferritin to find out if you really have run out of iron, or whether the low serum iron is mainly due to inflammation. Adding iron will help if you've actually run out, but will have limited effect if the problem is inflammation.

To my way of thinking, the big question is WHY do you have a high white cell count? If you're suffering from a cold or something like that, that might explain things, but if that's not the case, then your doctor should look a little harder for some causes.

[nostoneunturned]

The link for reading my posts on raising B12 levels is:

pasoc.healthunlocked.com/bl...

Your high folate level is a marker for low B12 as folate and B12 need each other. Mine was out of range too.

[rosyposy39]

Hi all - thanks for your replies My serum iron is 1 umol/L which converts to 5.59 ug/dL :/ I am starting to feel unwell again (I've been on ferrous sulphate 600mg a day for about 3 weeks now) and did a home test for ferritin a couple of days ago which told me my levels were still low so I don't think I'll be told I'm no longer anaemic in a few weeks. I have ordered a home test for B12 to recheck but as in the UK the NHS says 200 is the "normal" lower limit I don't know if I will get any help. I am going to start now on Methylcobalamin 5000 MCG a day sublingual lozenges to see if they fare me any better. Also when I asked my surgery if they had tested my ferritin as well as my serum iron and haemoglobin, I was told no!

[rosyposy39]

I have done a Myrios test this week and the results were back today. it looks like the B12 I have been taking has made a difference as my levels have gone from 260 to 695 in a few weeks! And my folate has come down from 23.2 to 12.7. What on earth has been going on here? Is this the methyl trapping thing I've heard of?Why has it changed so radically?

[Hidden in reply to rosyposy39]

Because you're actually able to use the folate now that you have enough B12 in your system, I think. Do you feel better?

[rosyposy39]

Yes I do feel better (a fair bit) but I still feel very tired. Possibly the iron.