Tiredness is horrid

[dee2382]

Over the last 6mth iv had several bloods done and the following are results. Some antibodies measure a value and only 1 says not detected.

GAD- POSITIVE

INSULIN AB- *<0.4 (NORMAL HI <0.4)

Thyroglobulin Ab- <21 IU/ml (high norm <40)

Thyr Microsomal Ab - 11 IU/ml (high notm <35)

TSH Receptor Ab- *<1.0 U/L

Intrinsic factor Ab- 2U/mL

Gastric Parietal Cell Ab- not detected

TSH - 0.59 (down feom 1.30)

ACTH- 9.8pmol/L (high norm <10)

Cortisol- 115nmol/L (down from 178)

Vit D 30- deficent

B12- deficient and f olate part was 1800 so had B12 injections need new bloods.

About to have a stim test for cortisol stuff

I have LADA (adult onset type 1) as of June this year.

Now- is INTRINSIC FACTOR positive (other gastric par cell says not detected). I assume all positive with only GPC not detected.

Am i looking at Pernitious anemia? Have a lowish HBa1C of 5.3% and if PA then its false low. I had some steroids earlier in june - felt amazing. But now back to being tired. Tempted to get MTHFR gene tested. Not sure wjll help but....

thanks for any advice you can offer.

Dee x

[Galixie]

Does your lab test paperwork list the reference ranges? Every lab is different and you need those values to be able to interpret your results. If the copies you have don't include the reference ranges, it would be best to ask for them. You're kind of in the dark without them.

[dee2382 in reply to Galixie]

Cortisol 115 (82-960)

(A retest when emerg hospital admit was 199 4wk ago)

B12 mine was 115 - (135-650)

Folate 1800nmol/L - (776-1784)

Vit d 30 (51-84)

AB ref ranges are inc above or arent avail.

[dee2382 in reply to dee2382]

TSH 0.59 (0.5- 3.50)

[Galixie in reply to dee2382]

Usually there is a range for antibodies where they can be present in the body but not be considered high enough to be a positive result. Without knowing what the lab's range is for that test, it is difficult to say whether that intrinsic factor antibody test was a positive result or not.

You definitely have a too low B12 level and it looks like your vitamin D level is also low. I know nothing about thyroid but I suspect that your result might be verging on too low there also.

Were you supplementing folate at the time of the test? Was a complete blood count also done?

Both the B12 and D levels should be treated. They are clearly low.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable about thyroid can advise on that one.

I might be mistaken but I think it's fairly uncommon for people without pernicious anemia to produce any intrinsic factor antibodies, so it may very well be a positive result. Unfortunately, you'd really need to check with the doctor or lab for confirmation.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Your B12 definitely low.

the IFA result does indicate that you are producing antibodies which would mean PA as I understand it - an autoimmune response that destroys the mechanism by which your body absorbs B12 - though there are are some medical definitions that only describe it as PA when the mechanism is actually starting to cause damage but I'm not clear on what they are.

In any case you have an absorption problem so need to be treated.

The folate is abnormal and could imply that you have a methylation problem (MTHFR). If you decide to take supplements then approach methylated forms with care - there are different genetic variations involved in MTHFR and although the general assumption is that you need methylated forms of folate and B12 if you have an MTHFR genetic variant things aren't actually that clear cut and some variants actually respond very badly to the methylated forms.

You might also want to look at coeliac's - and consider a gluten free diet - think this might help as well with blood sugar levels from what I have been reading about glycaemic index recently.

[Laura5]

One reference range for normal values for IF antibodies I've seen is 0 - 5.9 u/ml - which would make your result normal on that range.