Help with blood results please

[upset]

Please could someone look and comment on my latest blood test results?

First results from 11/08/14 second from 20/02/15 , third from 20/01/16, range in brackets.

Serum Vit b 12 - 327 220 239 (115-1000)

Ferritin - 23 33 26 (15-300)

Foliate - 11.4 4.4 7.9 (<3 deficient )

I have an appointment next week to discuss my results as my total white cell count is low at 3.8 (4-11) , neutrophil count low at 1.31 (2-7.7) and blood film microscopy shows neutropenia.

Thanks in advance

BTW I am 34 y/o female on asthma medications and nothing else

[Laura5]

According to Wikipedia (!) chronic neutropenia can be caused by a B12 deficiency. Although your B12 is within the normal range, it is low and there is lots of evidence that you can have normal B12 serum levels even if you are actually deficient (there are plenty of posts where others have linked to helpful documents about this). As your ferritin is also quite low, it is likely that you have an absorption problem.

I would ask for parietal cell and intrinsic factor antibody tests at your appointment to test for pernicious anaemia and also ask for a test for coeliac disease.

[upset in reply to Laura5]

Thank you for your reply.

I know I have previously tested negative for coeliac but I know it's not entirely accurate.

I'm not sure how open the gp will be to requesting these but I will ask. Unfortunately I've had the problem many times with 'but your results are in range '.

[Laura5 in reply to upset]

Well your neutrophil count is well out of range - so if they wont do the antibody tests, ask what they think is causing the neutropenia.

On your blood film microscopy did it mention hypersegmented neutrophils?

[upset]

No it just said neutropenia, is the cause known (? Drug induced)

[upset]

I will demand to get them to find out more. I saw on the Internet that lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can cause neutropenia, my mum has rheumatoid and my sister lupus.

[Fennella02 in reply to upset]

I have lupus/UCTD which causes neutropenia and a WBC count of about 2.4. Immunosuppression has not affected it. My B12 is 110, Ferritin 58, HB 78 but antibody tests are all negative.

Keep asking questions and push for more tests if you feel you need them. I imagine you are not feeling great or you wouldn't have had the tests done in the first place.

Best wishes. Clare

[upset in reply to Fennella02]

I have been feeling symptoms for over a year now but nothing specific (the main thing being tired ...not 'I need more sleep' tired, just wiped out tired, exhausted) to the point now that this is now normal for me and I just get fobbed off with 'well you've got kids, you're working (yeah only 15 hpw) you're getting older (34) ...etc etc.

The reason for the blood test was some skin issues I was having and the gp wanted to check bloods as it'd been a year since my last and a couple of years ago I had thyroid issues (viral thyrotoxicosis)