Folate and B12

[Colagirl86]

What do I do about results please

Folate 3.5 (4.6 - 18.7)

Vitamin B12 163 (180 - 900)

Thanks in advance

[Foggyme Administrator]

Hi colagirl86. Hello and welcome.

Your results show that you have folate deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency - so you will need to see your GP and ask him to treat you for both.

In the UK, the treatment for B12 deficiency without neurological symptoms is 6 x loading doses of hydroxocobalamin injections (given every other day) and then and injection every three months.

For those with neurological symptoms, the treatment regime is much more intense. After the six loading doses, the treatment regime is injections every other day until no further improvement - sometimes for many months.

For the folate deficiency, it is usual to prescribe 5mg of folic acid for three to four months, then re-test folate levels and adjust the dose accordingly. Some need a maintenance dose of 400mcg daily once the deficiency has been addressed, but some don't need to supplement at all (GP can check periodically to ensure that your levels are being maintained.

Folic acid supplements should be started twenty-four hours after the first B12 injection (there have been very rare cases where neurological damage has occurred when folate is given prior to vitamin B12).

Did you have your ferritin and Vitamin D levels checked? The most likely cause of B12 deficiency is an absorption problem, and if this is the case, these can get low or deficient too, and make you feel very ill.

Your GP should want to try and determine the cause of your deficiency. Pernicious anaemia is one cause - ask for an IF antibody test (but keep mind that about half of those with PA test negative for IF antibodies, so a negative result dose not rule out PA.

I also see that you've posted on the thyroid forum and that your thyroid result show that you're being under medicated. There are many cross-over symptoms between hypothyroidism and B12 deficiency so it might be difficult to work out what symptoms are due to which condition. However, your results show that you have a proven B12 deficiency so you should be treated for both conditions simultaneously...your GP should not delay treating you with B12 injections (surprisingly, worryingly, some do).

There are some PAS pinned posts to the right of this page when you log on (or at the bottom if using a phone) that it would be well worth reading before you see your GP. They contain information about the potential causes of B12 deficiency, diagnostic processes and treatment details...together with useful information that your GP may not be aware of...and which you may need to know in order to get your GP to help you (unfortunately, some GP's are not well informed about B12 deficiency, or it's treatment, so it's useful to go with some facts so that you can ask the right questions and try and get the right treatment.

The PAS pinned posts also contain a B12 deficiency symptom list - useful for identifying neurological symptoms - and to take along with ticks, so your GP is aware of your particular symptoms (we all seem to get different ones and you may be surprised to see that you have symptoms that you didn't know were symptoms).

Finally, it's important that you don't take any B12 supplements before all testing has been completed as this can skew test results and it will be very difficult for you to get a diagnosis, and hence the correct treatment. This especially important if you had your tests done privately- for some odd reason, many GP's will not accept these and insist on doing them again (even though they are often done by the same labs).

Best of luck with your GP. B12 deficiency can be quite complex so post again if you have any more questions or need any help, especially if you have trouble getting treatment from your GP. Let us know how you get on.

👍

[KimberinUS]

Hey there,

I read your post on the thyroid forum.

In addition to b12 and folate needing treatment, i cannot stress enough, you are going to need a full iron panel since have previously been so iron deficient you received an iron infusion!!!

B12, folate and iron ALL work together.

My question would be, Why am i low iron and low b12?

I was positive for h pylori with no stomach pain. It was causing me to be low b12 and low iron due to malabsorbtion because h pylori reduces stomach acid!!!

You may think you have high stomach acid if you have heartburn but heartburn is usually from low stomach acid!!!

Hugs and best of luck with your GP