Blood test advise (again) please

[SusieR68]

Could anyone give any info/advise on my blood test results please. Diagnosed 2 months ago with hypothyroidism. Have extreme tiredness,irritability, joint muscle pain, hair thinning, brain fog, pins and needles. First blood test showed b12 to be low(166), is it likely I will still need treatment?

Waiting to speak to nurse practitioner tomorrow.

Thanks very much in advance.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi SusieR68

The comment on Folate suggests you may be deficient and your Ferritin is "out of range".

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.

I think it has been said before that thyroid problems may put you at risk of developing a B12 deficiency.

Were you tested for Intrinsic Factor Antibodies (IFA)?

I'm not a medically trained person but I've had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for over 45 years and I wish you well

[SusieR68 in reply to clivealive]

Hi there, no there was no IFA test.

Thanks

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Did you supplement between the test that showed levels at 166

What were the units and ranges as there are two different units used to measure levels so unless you know it is the same units its difficult to really compare the result.

The symptoms you mention could be down to hypothyroidism - is your thyoroid currently under control?

Your ferritin looks low and could be indicative of an iron deficiency - which would also have the same symptoms.

Your folate is also borderline.

Two mineral/vitamin deficiencies may be indicative of an absorption problem which could mean that your B12 absorption may also be affected - though it tends to take longer for levels to drop and deficiency to show up in serum B12 tests.

An absorption problem is also likely to affect the dose of levo that you need.

[SusieR68 in reply to Gambit62]

Hi,

Thanks for responding again.

No I never supplemented between test, and both tests were the same units and ranges.

As for the thyroid, I was only diagnosed 2 months ago, the starting dose of 25mg levothyroxine was double 2 weeks ago after the first check blood test.

Unfortunately I can't see the nurse practitioner until Wednesday, just tired of being tired and of struggling to find even the simplest of words sometimes. And not being me, so frustrating!!

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to SusieR68]

every sympathy - struggling with recent hashis diagnosis myself and in my case treatment has left me totally washed out and GP just doesn't seem to care.

Really hope that you get to the right dose of levo etc soon.