help please readings

[shal61]

hello please can anyone tell me as compleltly fogged is this low doctor says normal but feel so bad, looking cannot find same readings on line.

serumB12 vitamin180pg/ml[180.0-914.0]

plasma folate 5ng/mL[4.0 -20.0]

[fbirder]

The B12 test can be quite variable, lab to lab, which is why it's important to quote the range, and why you can't compare your results to those from another lab.

The test is also quite variable for any one lab, plus or minus 15%, or worse. That means there's a 50:50 chance that your true levels are below the 'normal range'.

What's more important is that the doctor should be treating symptoms, not numbers. If you have the symptoms of a B12 deficiency (see the pinned posts) then the doc should see if you respond positively to a course of injections.

[wedgewood in reply to fbirder]

I realise that you are a scientist , so can you please explain why the B12 serum test results vary from lab to lab? Does this mean that they all have different methods of measuring ? I can't believe that's the reason

Thanks .

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to wedgewood]

there are different assay methods and different kit that can be used. there is quite a lot of discussion on this in (at least) one of Martyn Hooper's books if I remember correctly

[shal61 in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks Gambit62

[wedgewood in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you very much Gambit2 . So strange that there are different methods of testing for B12 serum . You would think that the NHS would use one standard method to avoid confusion .

[shal61 in reply to fbirder]

Fbirder

Thanks when I told her my symptoms she said she didn't know what was wrong with me. She wasn't very helpful

[holehead]

Hi shal61

Your readings show you are bumping along the bottom, have you explained your symptoms to the gp and did they offer any support, it would be good for you to get your ferritin levels and vit D results and then come back for support there is a lot you can do yet!

Mark

[shal61]

Thanks at the moment doc on holiday will receive phone call with what it decided but on form no further action required.

[holehead]

Good but don't take any notice of the form no further action is nonsense

Mark

[shal61 in reply to holehead]

Thank you Mark