Hi just wondered if anyone could guide me a bit from where I’m at.
I’ve been feeling really run down for years now, but just assumed it was down to having kids. The last year has gotten a lot worse though. Agonising back pain, exhausted all the time, heart palpitations, and breathlessness. I’ve had so many blood tests and all came back okay. Doctors were puzzled what could be wrong and I could tell I was starting to irritate them.
After doing some research I Requested a vitamin D blood test and they said it came back ‘normal.’
I didn’t trust this and so booked a vitamin test privately and my results were as follows
VIT D - 10.0 ng/mL
VIT B12 - 150 pg/ml
So needless to say I’m clearly deficient in both VITD and VITB12.
My question is now as my doctors appear to neither be interested or very informed, where do I go from here?
How much do I take of each? Do I need injections? There’s a lot online and could really do with any advice.
Thank you in advance!
) I notice your ESR is raised which would indicate some infection/inflammation going on. I would feel your GP should be following this up with either re-testing or further tests/examination, unless the cause has already been established.
Hi OnePlusThree
Most of the members of the forum here will have switched their computers/devices off so, hopefully, you'll get more replies tomorrow.
In the meantime, could you post the complete results, ie your result and include the range. The ranges are different in various parts of the country, and often may depend on the machinery used, hence very important. Once the normal ranges are available, you're likely to get better advice.
Assuming you are deficient in Vit B12 and/or Vit D, you need to visit your GP and explain why you are there, ie that you have had private tests done and they indicate the likeiyhood of deficiency. Your GP SHOULD then request further blood tests on the basis of this. NHS medical staff do NOT (generally) accept private test results but it could instigate a range of NHS blood tests.
Regarding Vit D deficiency, if the NHS results show you to be deficient, your GP will probably prescribe a course of high dose tablets to correct this. After this course is finished, most people are likely to continue with taking Vit D tabs, at their own expense, but at a significantly lower dose. Annual checks thereafter are not unusual
As for Vit B12 deficiency, this is a very different ball game, unfortunately. Many doctors do not understand the importance of B12 and, at best, might offer a one-off injection or, if you're luckly, a course of 6 injections over two weeks followed, perhaps, by 3 monthly injections.
Do you have any idea as to why you might be deficienct in B12? There are many common reasons, being dietary, due to prescribed meds, autoimmune cause (Pernicious Anaemia) etc. It's useful to know why, if at all possible. Some blood tests may indicate PA but they are not reliable although GPs and specialists seem to accept a negative as not PA and positive as being PA and that PA is the only reason for needing injections.
I'ts late now so I'm switching off. I will look out for responses tomorrow, as well as seeing what the normal ranges are for your blood tests.
By the way, did you have Folate and/ or Ferritin tested? It's very important to have Folate tested too, as defiency in this can cause same/similar symptoms. Hopefully, your GP will test these too, along with a Full Blood Count.
Goodnight
Thanks for the swift reply! 🙂
My results are as follows
BIOCHEMISTRY
BILIRUBIN
7 umol/L 0 - 20
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 105 IU/ 35 - 104
ASPARTATE TRANSFERASE 33 IU/L. 0 - 31
ALANINE TRANSFERASE 34 IU/L 10 - 35
GAMMA GT 15 IU/L 6 - 42
TOTAL PROTEIN 72 g/L 63 - 83
ALBUMIN 41 g/L 34 - 50
GLOBULIN 31 g/L 19 - 35
ENDOCRINOLOGY
Syphilis IgG/IgM by EIA
Negative
HEPATITIS "A" PROFILE
Anti-Hepatitis 'A' (IgG/IgM)
Negative
Anti-Hepatitis A (IgM)
Negative
Comment
Hep B surface Ag (HBsAg)
Negative
Hep.C Ab ELISA ( 3rd Gen )
Not Detected
HIV 1 & 2 Abs / P24 Ag screen
Not Detected
HAEMATOLOGY
WBC 5.9 10^3/uL RBC 5.2 10^6/uL
HGB 15.0 g/dL
HCT 38.0 %
MCV 67.0 fL
MCH 23.0 pg
Comment: RBC MORPHOLOGY NORMAL
ESR 32.0 mm/hr
ADDITIONAL TESTS
RANDOM GLUCOSE 111 mg/dL
MAGNESIUM 2.0 mg/dl
ZINC 1.0 mcg/mL
VIT D 10.0 ng/mL
VIT B12 150 pg/mL
FERRITIN 22 ng/mL
Not sure what most of them mean
I’m assuming my Deficiency has come from lack of it in diet and from years of back to back pregnancy and nursing without the proper nutrition, or supplementation. I will be going back to get a methylmalonic acid blood test to unequivocally prove VitB12 Deficiency.
I’ve also had such a terrible back for years which seems to be getting worse and spreading to my neck, nothing has really alleviated it and I’m wondering if this is to do with vitamin d. If it is, is it likely the symptoms I’m having will be reversed upon treatment? or will I have to deal with this pain now because I let things get this bad?
Also how long does treatment for these things take, I know it’s a life long thing to maintain, but when there’s a Deficiency how long until results are expected.
The dosage RE both, where do I start? I’ve seen things in the range of 50,000 iu a day for VITD3!
I may not go to GP for VITD treatment. I don’t think the treatment they give is even VITD3 from what I’ve read, and they clearly don’t understand much if they deemed my levels to be normal. I’m also pretty sure they wouldn’t advise to take alongside magnesium and vitamin k2. Unfortunately don’t feel I’m in the best hands with them.
Thanks to all!