Update to my test results ( Low VB12 and pregnant)

[shaunab87]

Well my Dr is now doing something about it. He said I may not need VB12 injections but he is going to look back at my notes to see why I needed them in the first place.

I went to the doctors last Thursday and they said my result were all fine, however tonight the Dr said he felt he needed to repeat them because they are low. How can 2 different Doctors tell you different but both from the same practice. I told the Dr tonight that I have been in touch with pernicious-anaemia-society and he wants to speak to your practice Manager, he seemed to take things a lot more serious then.

My haemoglobin is 10.3 (range 11.5 to 16.5)

Red Blood Count is 3.41 (range 3.80-5.80)

HCT is 0.30 (range 0.37-0.47 )

MCV is 88.6 ( range 84.0 -105.0)

MCH is 30.1 (range 27.0-32.0)

MCHC is 340 (range 305-350)

RDW is 14.8 (range 11.5- 14.5)

WBC is 7.2 (range 4.0-11.0

NEUT is 5.1 (range 1.8-7.5)

LYMPH is 1.7 (range 1.0-4.0)

MONO is 0.3 (range 0.2-0.8)

EOS is 0.0 ( range 0.0-0.1)

Baso is 0.0 (range 0.0-0.1)

PLT is 307 (range 150-450)

B12 is 276 (range 211-911)

If anyone could look at these results and let me know your thoughts that would be great.

Thanks

Shauna

[Sleepybunny]

Hi Shauna,

I can't see a result for ferritin ( a stored form of iron) or folate. Folate,iron and B12 work together in the body so my understanding is that good levels of these three are needed.

Low b12 and/or low folate can lead sometimes to macrocytosis (enlarged red blood cells).

Macrocytosis due to low b12/low folate can be masked if a person has low iron levels because low iron can lead to microcytosis (small red blood cells). A person with both macrocytosis and microcytosis may have a normal MCV.

patient.info/doctor/macrocy...

patient.info/doctor/pernici...

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

I hope you are able to find out why you were originally told that you needed B12 injections for life.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Not an expert but the first two results do look as if you may be a bit anaemic - low red bloodcell and haemoglobin. Your red bloodcell width is large which could indicate macrocytosis - though the cell volume measures aren't consistent with them also being slightly rounder.

Your B12 levels are now low again.

You shouldn't have been taken off injections in the first place as you obviously have an absorption problem looking at your history. Think that you definitely need to get the PAS to talk to the surgery as you probably aren't the only patient who has been taken off injections in error.

Hope you can get this sorted out quickly.

[Foggyme Administrator]

Hi Shaunab87. I agree with everything gambit62 says. Like Sleepybunny, I also wondered about serum iron and serum ferritin levels? Iron levels are usually tested in routine ante-natal care so perhaps these are on file elsewhere?

I seem to recall that Martyn Hooper was going to contact the surgery on your behalf? Think this is a really good idea as GP's can be incredibly slow in reacting to these things and hopefully this will move things in the right direction. Especially important given the little passenger you carry 😄.

Good look with everything and please let us know how it goes.

Lots of people here to help if and when needed.

Take care both x