Low B-12 without anemia?

[JaiXCV]

Hi, I am a newbie here.

I've been (unknowingly) having symptoms of low B-12 for over two years now. I've experienced rapid involuntary eye movements, neuropathy in my hands and feet, fasciculations all over my body, headaches, joint pain, memory loss, and facial twitching. I had a CBC in January but it was normal, so can one have low B-12 without anemia or should I be looking into other ailments?

[holehead]

Hi

And welcome to the forum,you mention you have had a complete blood count,could you post your results on the forum so others can support you in identifying your symptoms and condition.

Mark

[Gambit62 Administrator]

25-30% of people who are B12 deficient present without anaemia.

The anaemia associated with B12 deficiency is macrocytic - larger rounder red blood cells than normal.

There is a huge overlap between the symptoms of B12 deficiency and a number of other conditions including thyroid, diabetes, lupus etc etc.

Have you had serum b12 and folate measured at all - and if so do you know what the results were?

[JaiXCV in reply to Gambit62]

Hi, I posted my CBC below, do you think you could help me understand the results? I've never had my B-12 or folate levels measured btw.

[JaiXCV]

I've never been to neurologist but my PCP told me the neuropathy and twitching were both due to a pinched nerve.

[JaiXCV]

Here are my CBC results. I never bothered to look at them until now since the doctor told me everything was normal. I am low in Red blood cells, hemoglobin, and Hematocrit. Are those levels low enough to be anemic?

RED BLOOD CELL3.95 MILL/MM3

HEMOGLOBIN11.3 G/DL

MEAN CELL VOLUME84.6 FL

MEAN CELL HGB CONCENTRATION33.8 G/DL

MEAN CELL HGB28.6 PG

RED CELL DISTRIBUTION WIDTH14 %

PLATELET COUNT371 K/uL

MEAN PLATELET VOLUME9.9 FL

NUCLEATED RED BLOOD CELL0 /100WBC

NEUTROPHIL %58.4 %

LYMPHOCYTE %33.8 %

MONOCYTE %5.4 %

EOSINOPHIL %1.5 %

BASOPHIL %0.6 %

NEUTROPHIL #4530 /UL

WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT7.8 K/MM3 HEMATOCRIT33.4 %

IMMATURE GRANULOCYTE %0.3 %

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Difficult to really read the tests without the normal ranges (which would be in brackets normally) but the main ones I'd be looking at in relation to B12 deviciency are

MCV (high in macrocytic anaemia and low in iron based anaemia and think yours is towards the bottom)

Red blood cell distrubituion width - which seems towards the high end but think is probably still in range (just)

Don't have problems with iron so not really that up on reading the iron and certainly don't remember rangest that well but think you haemaglobin looks a bit on the low side but still in range.

so, really looks petty inconclusive. Suggest that you discuss further with GP - ask about serum B12, folate and ferritin (which is another marker for iron problems) and please discuss iron supplementation with your GP - or pharmacist if you can't get sense out of GP - before supplemetning for yourself.

[Hippocampus435]

According to Medline plus, "This test measures the amount of methylmalonic acid (MMA) in your blood or urine. MMA is a substance made in small amounts during metabolism. Metabolism is the process of how your body changes food into energy. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in metabolism. If your body doesn't have enough vitamin B12, it will make extra amounts of MMA. High MMA levels can be a sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious health problems including anemia, a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells.

Other names: MMA" A CBC does not necessarily rule out a B12 deficiency. One can have neurological symptoms from a B12 deficiency without anemia. Low normal levels of B12 do not necessarily protect from neurological symptoms. Deficiency in vitamin D may also contribute to neuropathy and other conditions as well. So B12, MMA, vitamin D, perhaps thyroid profile should all be checked.