Hi after a two year fight (initial blood test was 147!) I have been started on B12 injections. My ferritin was tested then for the 1st time and was low (not sure of the score) so I was given iron tablets to take one a day and was retested after almost 6 weeks (still taking them). I have an appointment tomorrow to go through the results of recent bloods and called the receptionist who has given me some numbers over the phone. Any advice before seeing the doctor would be appreciated.
FBC- ok
Ferritin 25 (previously too low)
Intrinsic factor Negative - so not pa?
Homocysteine - not back yet - previously about 17.3 over a year ago.
Folic acid/ folate 4.2 Previously been borderline
B12 - normal <1500 (in Jan before 6 boosters was 165)
Sorry I dont have the full details/ ranges - will hopefully get more info tomorrow.
Am still really tired and anxious and have some stomach problems, though the tiredness and anxiety went a way a bit after the injections.
Thanks
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Serendipity16
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So.. My visit to the doctors was interesting, the doctor just said the results were fine. I asked for the actual results and was given the numbers but the doctor didnt have the ranges. Also B12 was not requested by the doctor, apparently the labs give the docs trouble if they order too many but I didnt request it so not my problem.
Results:
B12 >1500 (only 4 weeks since boosters finished- Jan was 165)
Folic 4.2
Ferritin 25 (previous 12)
Still waiting for intrinsic factor and homocysteine. I have to call back in a month.
So apparently my folic is totally normal but I was under the impression this was low??
My ferritin has come up on one a day so I have to take them for another three months then get a blood test for ferritin 3 months later. I have not been given an explanation as to what this means other than my iron stores are low. Does it mean I am anaemic?
No explanation as to the cause of any of these results or what it means.
Any advice or explanation would be much appreciated
Last year my folate was 3.4 μg/L and I was told It was normal, I had B12 jabs and my range was >2000 consistent with B12 jabs but I became worse, not better over time. So I took some H&B folate 0.4mg for a few months as I know there is a relationship between the B12 and Folate.
My folate in Jan after complaining of irregular heart beats and dizziness was now 6.4 μg/L but I had eaten on that day eggs so it might have skewed the results. I had been told my recent folate on here was too low and needs to be at least 8 ng/ml.
Alas, I went to doctor yesterday and had a terrible time trying to convince my doctor who previously was supportive, that it had to raise in order for the B12 to become active and to have my Ferritin checked to see if I was anaemic also because of the new blood cells being formed (i have been in the past under 70 ng/ml ).
He was in the opinion it's pseudo science, and he wasn't going to listen or accept any medical evidence from links provided here or support me on trying to raise them as he believes everything is in range therefore it's dangerous. He's passed it to a haematologist instead, but I don't hold out much on that either by his comment, he will be of the same mind...great, thanks for that. It is what I need so some headway but pretty annoying that I don't have him backing me with this deficiency. You might find the same....
Thanks for your reply, I get quite anxious and over-obsessive sometimes so its nice to be reassured that the doctors should not be so dismissive and its reasonable to want to know more. I have not had the chance to read the paper yet but the higher rate advised is interesting. The only range I found online for folate was pathology.bsuh.nhs.uk/Patho... Folate 4.6 - 18.7. and for ferritin healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...
folate range 2.5 - 20 ferritin range 15-300.
I know ranges vary slightly in different labs but I dont understand how my doc can just say results are normal without knowing the lab ranges? e.g my folate is 4.2. If the lab limit is 4.1 technically I would be normal but want to monitor/ take supplements? This is how people end up self diagnosing and treatment and that worries me because we can get it wrong but without better guidance what else can we do?
I have been getting palpitations and vertigo too but didnt have time to talk about it and felt I wouldnt be taken seriously
Thanks for letting me vent! I hope you can make some progress with your doctor
You get this kind of reaction from doctors because he is not in the best interest to make you feel better. He is there to prescribe drugs for the pharma industry and B12 isn't very profitable. Give cancer patients or others that require more expensive drugs, he will be prescribing like there is no tomorrow. lol
Personally, I would ring up your doctors and ask for a print out of your bloods for your records, they can not deny you that, I haven't had to pay when I've asked for copy, but each practice is different and they may charge you for it. It's always advisable to do this from now on.
I would also say, try not to get anxious, that will only make things worse, as stress has a major impact on our bodies in all areas. As someone pointed out to me the other day, worse case scenario if medically they won't help me, is self medicating and there are many that do as a result "official guidelines" and are much better - they are in tune with their bodies.
B vits get pee'd out our system. I have started taking my H&B Folate again, 800 μg, I can't wait any longer and have started to feel a wee bit better just in a few days, even on that small dose docs usually prescribe, I believe, 5mg a day. If you want to feel better then get yourself some good quality folate and take them, note when you started, how you feel, how much and for how long. If your folate rises on your blood tests then you can say, well that's because I took them. I was advised to take them for a few months by my brother-in-law who's a X GP now Occupational health Physician to see if I would improve. I did, but then I stopped and that's when I started to get the palpitations and dizziness again. It's was like my body was going Oi! I was using those! So instead, my body has craved folate foods, some of them not so healthy such as bread etc. Our bodies are amazing, when we need something, our foods reflect it for the most part.
Anyway, hopefully see you over on FB, they will take good care of you. X
Thanks I might give that ago. My doctor in England was on the fence about b12 for over a year but listened to me and gave me copies of every test without me even asking, it makes a difference. Thanks for your help
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Understanding Blood Test Results
Full blood count results.
Blood test results...low ferritin
