Advice on B12 levels

[Duffy26]

Hi

Im new here and the Thyroid UK suggested I post with regard to my last B12/folate level. I went back to the doctors at the weekend to discuss latest results and also to discuss going on BP medication and statins. I have for a few years had many symptoms of low thyroid but in 2016 I had new symptoms i.e excessive tiredness, having to nap when I could in the afternoon!, headaches, migraines, tinnitus getting worse, unbalanced when walking, brain fog, loss of concentration and forgetting things all the time, lots of pains in my elbows, ankles and knees, painful muscles. IBS getting worse. A feeling of floating at times or lightheaded, and lastly now getting blurry vison due to dry eye.Tingling fingers and toes/feet.also get out of breath easily and cannot do my gentle jogs with ease now.

Doctor said it cant be vitamin problem as I'm in range i.e normal. She also suggested that Medichecks must be wrong as my B12 and folate were also normal in November taken by doctors lab. She dismissed Thyroid is a problem either as its in range (albeit high and low end of scale)! She dismissed the Vitamin D and said everyone would test at that level at this time of year but if could buy supplements if I so wished!

I have listed the tests relevant to this group and just asking if my new symptoms could indeed by vitamin related. (Ive had other blood tests listed on my first post)

Nov 2016

Ferritin - 54ug (23-300

B12 444ng (130-1100)

Serum folate - 4.5ug (2.7-15.0)

CRP 6mg (0-10)

WBC - 7.2 (4.0-10)

RBC - 4.80 (3.80-4.80)

January 2017

WBC 7.0 ( 4.0-10)

RBC - 4.80 (3.80-4.80)

ESR 14mm (0.0-12)

March 2017 - Private Medichecks

B12 188pmol (140-724)

Folate - *2.49 ug (3.89-26.80)

25OH Vit D - *33nmol (50-200)

CRP 1.6mg (0.00-5.00)

Ferritin 82.4ug (13.00-150.00)

Many thanks in advance of any help/suggestions and sorry for a long post. Almost feel like giving up ever trying to find out what's making me feel so dreadful these last few months.

ATB

Fiona

[Hidden]

You are low on Vit D, Vit Folate and Vit B12. If you are able to absorb pills then you need 10,000 IU Vit D3 and Vit K2 (super K from LEF netherlands). You could also take B12 methylcobalamin 1000 ug followed by Folate/folic acid. all are per day. Test after 6 to 8 weeks and reduce D3 to 4000-6000 IU daily. There are plenty warnings on the net about doctors inadequacy in vitamin and prescribing wrong medicines...

[Duffy26 in reply to Hidden]

hi Dulaigh

thank you for the advice. From the symptoms I described would you say that some of them could be due to a low B12 despite doctor saying not? personally I think it may be a mix of B12, Vit D and thyroid hormones being low making me feel so tired and slow! thanks fi371.

[Hidden]

It could be BUT D and B12 and Folate must be at a reasonable level for the system to work properly.The doctor was wrong when he did not accept the medichecks; (they may be wrong but so could be the NHS). The doctor was wrong when he did not understand the basics about vitamins. The doctor was wrong when he prescribed statins to do the work of vitamins. You will need to monitor and adjust all of your treatments accordingly.

[Duffy26]

Ok...many thanks again. I will supplement after next blood test then in two weeks. Doc said he would do one final test of a autoimmune screen and TTG along with further b12/folate as he wasnt convinced private test accurate etc...have to try and sort things one way or another if i end up doing it myself! . Thank you. F

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Fiona, have you looked through the pinned posts? - there are some materials there that you might be able to use to draw your GPs attention to limits of B12 serum test.

Go with plan not to supplement until after the tests but make sure you get a copy of the results and post them if they don't come back as deficient.

Even allowing for the different units there is quite a significant drop

[Duffy26]

Hi Gambit62. I will look through those posts to see what i can take back to the doc...thank you. This is all new to me but im suprised (and frustrated) that so many people have to carry on with debilitating symptoms because docs only go by blood tests rather than looking at symptoms and thinking outside the box. Anyway...fingers crossed something stands out after the next set of blood tests...thanks Fi371