Hi all, my first post from the UK. Recently I've been more fatigued/shaky/weak to the point of not making work and needing >12 hrs sleep to function. The doc said to take it easy for a while which isn't helping. After pushing the doc for further investigations, a stool sample was taken and bloods. The FBC results are:
Description Value Range Units Normalcy Notes
Hb 150 130-180. g/L
WBC. 6.6 4.0-11.0. x10^9/L
PLT. 220 150-400. x10^9/L
MCV. 89.3 80-100. fl
RBC. 5.35 4.5-6.5. x10^12/L
Hct 0.478 0.41-0.53 L/L
MCH 28.1 27-32 pg
MCHC 315 320-360 g/L Lo
Neut 3.42 2.0-7.5 x10^9/L
Lymp 1.92 1.0-4.0 x10^9/L
Mono 0.61 0.2-1.0 x10^9/L
EoS 0.58 0 - 0.4 x10^9/L Hi
Baso 0.08 0 - 0.2 x10^9/L
Ferritin 136 22-275 ug/l
I'd never say I was full of energy and over a year ago I had bloods including B12 tested and was told they were in the normal range. B12 was 237ng/l in a range of 160-800.
I see the doctor again early next week and would appreciate your thoughts on my results. Should I be pushing for my folate, B12 and vit D to be tested too?
Hi Hidden "Should I be pushing for my folate, B12 and vit D to be tested too?"
I would say yes. Although your B12 is probably classed as "Normal" it is not that high and only a small percentage of what is in the bloodstream actually gets into the cells.
It is also important that your Folate level is monitored as this is essential to process the B12.
There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.
Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:
symptoms related to anaemia
reduced sense of taste
diarrhoea
numbness and tingling in the feet and hands
muscle weakness
depression
Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body and your B12 levels are "bumping along the bottom of the range
You could also ask for an MMA test. Methylmalonic acid is a chemical used up in one of the cellular reactions mediated by B12. If there's not enough B12 in the cell then MMA levels will rise. If they're not high then it means your cellular levels of B12 are OK. High levels of plasma MMA (>0.75umol/L0 almost invariably indicate cobamalin deficiency.
I am not a medically trained person but have had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 45 years.
many GPs think that macrocytosis (larger rounder red blood cells) needs to be present if you have a B12 deficiency - however, 25% of people who are B12 deficient present without this as a symptoms - you may need to draw this to your GPs attention - source would be the BCSH guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of Cobalamin and folate deficiencies which they can access through the BNF but can also be accessed here
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