Is my b12 low? I am new here & looking for answers! Please help if you can 😀

[Marathon69]

I am feeling very tired, pretty exhausted- & have 71/2 hours uninterrupted sleep every night, have brain fog & mood swings. My gp thinks I am depressed but I have no 'bad thoughts', my self esteem is fine & good self belief. I am irritated with this stopping me doing all the things I want to do, as if I didn't feel like this I would be out there doing it!! I have considered peri menopause but the gp has discounted this also as he thinks I am a little young. I am 48. My serum vitamin b12 is 194 ng/l, serum folate is 9.6 ug/lserum ferritin is 40 mu/l. A couple of years ago my b12 was slightly low & I was advised to eat liver etc. Then it rose into the "normal" range. I gave up drinking in January. I didn't drink everyday, but did drink about 30-40 units per week. I am wondering that even though my b12 is within the normal range it is at the lower end and is causing these symptoms?

[Marathon69]

I have had a full blood count

Total white cell count 6.5

Rbc 4.1

Haemoglobin est 127

Haematocrit .378

Mvc 92.1

Mch 31

Mchc 337

Platelet 307

Neutrophil 4.5

Lymphocyte 1.6

Monocyte 0.3

Eosinophil 0.1

Basophils 0

Uncleared reds diff 0

But doesn't say macrocyclic anemia?

[Marathon69]

Ok thanks

[greenbexy in reply to Marathon69]

The fact that you don't have macrocytic anaemia does not mean that you're not suffering from B12 deficiency. Many people don't have large red blood cells and still suffer from symptoms of low B12.

The MMA test isn't available in all NHS trusts, some GP'S are not even familiar with the test. Mine definitely wasn't!

Maybe, if you have a good GP you could ask for a trial of B12 injections? Might be a long shot, but you don't know unless you ask.

If you read some of the other poster's replies, there maybe some that you can print off (sorry no good with links) that are relevant to help your situation, that you can gather in support to have a trial of B12 injections from the GP.

[Marz]

Have you considered other conditions that could be producing these symptoms ? Have you had your Thyroid fully tested ? - TSH - FT4 - FT3 and the anti-bodies TPO & Tg. Low Thyroid and Low nutrients often come together - a chicken and egg situation.

Sadly the testing for the Thyroid is very poor as the only test is the TSH - which tells you very little about the thyroid as it is a Pituitary hormone ! Often people have *in range* results - but it is where you are in the range that is the key to wellbeing.

thyroiduk.org

You can check out Signs and Symptoms in the above link and the link below for B12 Deficiency.

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

[Marymary7]

My menopause was at 48, that's not unusual. Drinking alcohol uses up your b12. I think that's a low level even if it was in range. People are kept above 500 in Japan and lots of folk only feel well on a much higher level.