I'm new here - Test Results help please

[Jrouseuk]

Hi All,

I have Hashi's hypothyroidism, and I've just got results as part of a wider test for that. My results were as follows:

Vitamin B12 - 199 (140-724)

Folate 3.44 (2.91 - 50)

Vitamin D 57.4 (50-200)

Ferratin 67.1 (13-150)

I'm seeing my doctor this week. Do I have this condition and if so what should I do? Ask for injections? Sorry total newbie to all of this stuff and would greatly appreciate any input you can provide.

Thanks so much for your help.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

You need to be prepared for a GP who takes in range as meaning no problem.

It would be useful to put together a list of symptoms and go armed with some facts about the serum B12 test and using it to diagnose B12 deficiency from the BCSH guidelines for treatment of cobalamin and folate deficiencies which your GP can access via the BNF

a) serum B12 isn't a gold standard test and will miss 25% of people who are B12 deficient if taken as a single measure (and also pick up 5% who aren't deficient)

b) guidelines are to follow symptoms rather than the test result if there is a discordance

c) guidelines are NOT to delay treatment if there are neurological symptoms because of the risk of permanent nerve damage

d) macrocytosis isn't a defining characteristic of B12 deficiency and isn't present in 25% of people presenting with B12 deficiency

addtionally you need to be realistic about the fact that evaluating symptoms is really difficult when there are other conditions that have overlapping symptoms, but if your thyroid is under control then that would point to the involvement of some other condition and given that your B12 is low in range and you are presumably highly symptomatic B12 would be a prime candidate.

Guidelines can also be accessed here

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...