confused by numbers: when first tested... - Pernicious Anaemi...

Pernicious Anaemia Society

32,623 members23,984 posts

confused by numbers

jillc39 profile image
5 Replies

when first tested the reading was serum vit 12 70 ng/l

now after many many b12 injections plus b12 spray the reading is 1000 ng/l. is this good/good enough?. I am seeing my very difficult gp next week and need to be sure of my facts. grateful for advice as always.

Written by
jillc39 profile image
jillc39
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
5 Replies
Marz profile image
Marz

Your blood level of B12 of course looks good as you have been injecting. However B12 is needed in the cells not in the blood. I have read here that the Guidelines on Folate and B12 Deficiency published by the British Haematological Society mention that testing B12 whilst supplementing is not useful. It is not the full picture.

Please read the two Pinned Posts to the right of this post - so much useful information for you. Possibly difficult if you are on a phone :-(

Others - more experienced than me will be along soon to assist you with good advice.

Hope all goes well with your difficult GP. Just be assertive and polite ......

PAS-admin profile image
PAS-adminPartner

What Marz said, check out the Pinned Posts.

The 1000 does not say anything about the efficiency of the treatment. Might even be that the lab doen't test higher, but it does not matter. There is, or should be, only one way of telling if you have enough B12 and that is if the symptoms stay away (or are at least stable, depending on situation)

fbirder profile image
fbirder

Those levels should be high enough. If you're not suffering from symptoms of B12 deficiency (look in the pinned posts) then the important thing is to keep them up there. Don't let your difficult GP tell you that you don't need any more injections because your levels are OK. (Would they stop a diabetic's insulin because their blood glucose if 'OK' this morning?)

If your initial low levels were due to a temporary cause (veganism, some drugs such as PPIs or metformin) then you'll need injections for life.

My summary document - frankhollis.com/temp/Summar... - contains links to useful documents and extracts of the more important bits.

jillc39 profile image
jillc39

many thanks

Polaris profile image
Polaris

See bottom of page 4 of latest BMJ research document:

"How is response to treatment assessed?

"Homocysteine or methylmalonic acid should normalise during the first week of treatment. Failure to do so suggests an incorrect diagnosis, unless renal failure or other causes of increases in the metabolites coexist. Cobalamin and holotranscobalamin levels are not helpful because they increase with vitamin B12 influx regardless of the effectiveness of treatment,24 and retesting is not required."

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

....................

stichtingb12tekort.nl/weten...

Under 'Misconceptions about B12 Treatment - 5 and 6

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Doctors in the morning!

These are my blood results, I've been given some good advice to ask. Do you think I have a good...
Otes73 profile image

Soooo confused!

Hi everyone Hoping someone can clear this up for me. I suffer from various illnesses,...
Carlie4987 profile image

Stopping oral supplements before blood tests

I can see that you should stop having B12 injections before you have a B12 test because otherwise...

Confused newbie

I'm so glad I've found this forum, I've feel like I've learned a lot already from all of the...
woo79 profile image

Confused .com.

I really am, confused. Bloods from June last year they didn't really explain but Plasma magnesium...
Polo22 profile image

Moderation team

See all
Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62Administrator
Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator
taka profile image
takaAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.