Full blood count results.

[sophiethecat2003]

Hi lovely people,

I posted with my B12 results previously. I now have a full blood count result. Do I need to post the whole result or could someone let me know what I should be looking for that might indicate PA?

I have an appointment with an endo in a couple of weeks, but the cost is really high as I don't have insurance.

My B12 is low so I think l need to start supplementation now that my blood test is done.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Big hugs

Sophie ☺ x

[Polaris]

A similar post today:

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

I'm not an expert on blood tests by any means (and, in any case, they should be looked at in conjunction with symptoms) but, basically I would say look for any of the following: high homocysteine, high MCV and MCH, high RDW, as well as abnormal neutrophils.

[sophiethecat2003 in reply to Polaris]

Hi polaris

Thanks for your reply.

I have listed the thing's you mentioned apart from the homocysteine. Any help would be great.

MCV - 83 FL

MCV - 337 g/L

Neutrophil count - (42j..) 4.2 10*9/L

my last B12 tests are as follows:

NHS - 288 ng/ L

Blue horizon - 227

Ferritin:

NHS - 193 ug/L

Blue horizon - 217

Both sets of results were taken over a couple of days.

Do any of the above suggest PA.

Thanks so much.

Sophie ☺ x

[Polaris in reply to sophiethecat2003]

Have you got the ranges?

[sophiethecat2003 in reply to Polaris]

Yep....I think so.

NHS tests.

MCV - 83 FL (84 - 102.0)

MCH - 337 g/L (300.0 - 350.0)

Neutrophil count - (42j..) 4.2 10*9/L (2.0 -7.5)

my last B12 tests are as follows:

NHS - 288 ng/ L (190.0 - 800.0)

Blue horizon - 227 (140 - 250)

Ferritin:

NHS - 193 ug / L ( 12.0 - 300.0 )

Blue horizon - 217.2 (20 -150 )

Also...my skin is very pale and I have quite bad dark circles around my eyes.

Thanks so much.

Sophie ☺ x

[Laura5 in reply to sophiethecat2003]

What about your haemoglobin and RDW?

[sophiethecat2003 in reply to Laura5]

Hi Laura

Thanks for your reply.

I seem to have 3 haemoglobin results.

Haemoglobin concentration 140 g/L ( 115.0 - 165.0)

Mean cell haemoglobin level 27.9 p (28.0 - 33.0)

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 337 g/L ( 300.0 - 350.0)

I don't know what RD is.

This is all Chinese to me, I am only just starting to try to understand it.

I have an appointment with an endo on Thursday.

Thanks

Sophie ☺ x

[Laura5 in reply to sophiethecat2003]

RDW is the red cell distribution width.

I don't think these results really point to PA. You do have low B12 but I think this could be due to something else going on.

The good thing is that you have a decent haemoglobin level. The thing that needs investigating - I think - is your ferritin level in association with the low MCV. There are lots of reasons for having an increased ferritin level - the main one being chronic inflammation.

Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease? Have you been tested for coeliac disease?

[sophiethecat2003 in reply to Laura5]

I am hypothyroid and have Hashimotos.

I haven't been tested for coeliac disease.

Do I need a blood test to diagnose that?

My doctor is not being at all helpful, so I have paid to see an endo privately.

I have sent him all my bloods, including tests done years ago when I consulted with Dr Skinner and Dr Peatfield. One thing that Dr Peatfield said was that I had adrenal fatigue.

I just feel really awful and hope the endo can help me.

Thanks

Sophie ☺ x

[Laura5 in reply to sophiethecat2003]

Yes - you can be tested for coeliac disease with a blood test. If you have hashimotos then you have an increased risk for other autoimmune diseases and there is research showing a link specifically between autoimmune thyroid disease and coelic disease:

thyroid.about.com/cs/latest...

I don't know what your symptoms are but it is possible to have coeliac disease without any gastrointestinal symptoms so it is worth getting the test even if you do not have typical symptoms.

Hopefully the endo will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on.

[LadyNZ]

I would also look for low RBC count. All of my B12 related tests are normal, but I have B12 deficiency symptoms. I do, however, have a low RBC count but doctor still says it's within the normal range.

[Polaris in reply to LadyNZ]

I am no expert Sophie and, in any case, the latest research takes more account of symptoms and general history as the only indication of the blood tests I can see is the low MCV:

"Indicates RBCs are smaller than normal (microcytic); caused by iron deficiency anemia or thalassemias, for example".

So, getting back to your low B12 results and symptoms, in case you have't seen this information:

Many researchers believe leaky gut and intestinal disease is the ground zero of autoimmune disease and thyroid/PA/B12 def. are often linked both ways with symptoms overlapping. What many GPs consider normal B12 results are not, as "deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebral spinal fluid below 550 pg/ml." - 'Could it be B12?', by Sally Pacholok and Dr J.J. Stuart.

Severe fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, tinnitus, headache, etc are neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency, and together with Hashimoto's, puts you in a high risk group, so I hope this extract from the BCSH guidelines will help persuade your GP to begin injections as soon as possible:

"The BNF advises that patients presenting with neurological symptoms should receive 1000 ug i.m. on alternate days until there is no further improvement".

ukneqas-haematinics.org... :

“In the event of any discordance between clinical findings of B12 deficiency and a normal B12 laboratory result, then treatment should not be delayed. Clinical findings might include possible pernicious anaemia or neuropathy including subacute combined degeneration of the cord."

Here are other links and an excellent film below, which explain more:

b12deficiency.info/films

b12deficiency.info/signs-an... (and templates for writing to your GP)

cmim.org/pdf2014/funcion.ph...

The above BMJ research document is supported by many research papers and has a useful summary if GP won't read the whole document. It also tells GP that, once b12 treatment is started, the test results don't mean anything and blood levels are not reflective of how effective the treatment is - it is the clinical condition of the patient that matters....

Hope all goes well with your GP Sophie but, if not, many people on this site self inject successfully.

[Polaris]

Sorry Sophie.

The site didn't put in the paragraphs in the above post for some reason and won't let me edit it either !