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[Andypandy30]

Due to N going health problems and being v unwell and not being strong enough to sort blood tests I need help in choosing the best test for me to cover b12 and to find out if iv pernicious anaemia thyroid iv hashimotos and vit d and adrenals is there a test to cover all of these as I'm finding it hard to get the right one for me privately . Please advise in simple terms my concentration is v poor x

[GavinUK]

There isn't going to be one 'test' for all of them, though many if not all can probably be done from one lot of blood.

Are you in the UK? I'm not sure about the thyroid, but there are people here who should know more - and be able to advise.

There is quite a good page here: b12deficiency.info/b12-test... with information on the various B12 tests.

The basic serum B12 test is what GPs use - but a lot of people feel unwell even with 'normal' results on this.

The active B12 tests give a better idea if your body is getting enough B12.

The test for "Intinsic Factor Antibodies" is what confirms Pernicious Anaemia, but it's not very accurate, so getting a negative result doesn't prove you don't have it. The treatment is the same either way in any case.

A 'Full Blood Count' helps to check the size of your cells, which can show if you have anaemia (it doesn't always show up, but in majority there will be large blood cells)

If money is an issue, then the basic B12 test and a full blood count may be enough to give a good idea.

It is also recommended to test Folate and Iron at the same time as they can cause the same symptoms.

I should imagine from one lot of blood you should be able to test : B12, Folate, Iron, Vit D, and a "full blood count". Then decide if you want to pay to add the active B12, MMA and Homocysteine to get a more thorough picture.

Can't help much on the thyroid but others hopefully will.

Sorry to hear you're unwell. I hope that you will be able to find a way to improve your symptoms.

Gavin

[Andypandy30 in reply to GavinUK]

Thank you so much Gavin . Yes it is hard to understand the vast number of tests and if I'm going to spend money I want it to be thorough . I would like to find out if I have pernicious anaemia and that this is causing my low b12 as its the first thing people ask . And they don't seem to understand that I cannot get it from my food . I am having issues with weakness brain fog and pain and numbness and tingling in legs and feet . Def need vit d and maybe calcium . I will leave thyroid aside for the time being as this is def different and when I got the injections I felt the best I had in years . But gp will only follow guidelines in uk so now down to 3 monthly but I am suffering x

[GavinUK in reply to Andypandy30]

Bear in mind that some of the tests can be affected by injection, so they would be best taken just before a 3 monthly dose and without other supplements being taken, to give the most accurate figures.

Did you have an original blood test of B12, folate and iron and was only B12 deficient? If you are suffering have you considered trying supplementing yourself, with high dose oral B12 at first. If the injections have helped your symptoms then you may well be one of the people who needs it more often.

As you probably know, the guidelines in the UK when you have tingling is every 2 months (though even that is not apparently enough for some people) and many GPs don't read the guidelines. Have you had a referral to a haematologist or neurologist?

Good Luck

Gavin

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Andypandy - PA isn't the only absorption problem that will lead to a B12 deficiency and the test recommended in the UK - IFA gives false positives 40-60% of the time so is a negative is a long way from proving that you don't have PA.

Unfortunately there isn't a gold standard test for either B12 deficiency or PA as its cause.