ask doctor for further blood work?

[moni4moni]

As of one year ago, my B12 normal serum levels were at 836 and my folate was indicated as high- over 20. However, I have all of the symptoms of low B12 and/or folate. I've been taking a multi and B Complex in pill form for 2-3 yrs now. I respond pretty well to sublingual b-complex and if I go without it for more than a day my immune system/energy/nails takes an immediate hit. I've told my GP that the liquid really helps and she said "probably not but take it if you'd like"... I wanted to ask my doctor to order a test of active b12 (the MMA test and the Holo-T test) but I'm afraid that my doc will think I'm nuts and brush it off. Is it weird to ask your doc for this blood work since is it somewhat left field?

[JMN2017]

Hi moni4moni

Do you have, or can you get, a print out of all your blood tests for, perhaps, the past year. You are entitled to a printout. You can ask for it at reception or, if you have online access to your results, you can print them off. That would be a good start.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency, Folate deficiency, Vit D deficiency and under-active thyroid can give, to a large extent, the same/similar symptoms. There could be other conditions that need excluding too, perhaps, but your GP should do all this.

So, as you are obviously experiencing symptoms, it sounds sensible to me that you should explain how you are feeling, with all your symptoms, to your GP and one would hope she would do various investigations, in particular, checking your Iron levels, full blood count, liver function tests, urea and electrolytes, Vit D, thyroid profile, B12, Folate, Ferretin plus any others she feels relevant.

Once you have those results, and a print out, see what your ~GP suggests. If she's at lost as to the cause of how you are feeling, I would want a referal to the hospital for further investigations.

Posting an image of your blood results on here could be helpful too.

Good luck and let us now how you get on

[moni4moni in reply to JMN2017]

yes. I did extensive blood tests in 2016 and did some more this past September. I got an ultrasound of my thyroid. I got an MRI of my pituitary gland. every single blood test and scan was normal. she did not check active b12, though, and I wonder a lot about that.

[JMN2017 in reply to moni4moni]

Have you got a print out of those results, though? What the doctors often call 'normal' can mean anything, to be honest, and it is important to see where your level is within the range. For example, are you scraping along the bottom or top or a range etc. The doctor won't tell you that. Also, another result could also, in combination, depending on where along the range, indicate an issue, even though 'all results are normal'.

There can be an issue with the cells actually getting the B12, even though the blood has plenty circulating. I think it's known as 'Functional B12 deficiency' and that's another good reason for checking MMA and Homocysteine. Unfortunately, these tests are expensive - so don't tell your doctor that

[moni4moni in reply to JMN2017]

Yes... struggling hard on this app and website to post them though lol as it is multiple images

[JMN2017 in reply to moni4moni]

... and you can only post one imagine per post!!!

Can you photo them all together, and post as one? Hopefully, we'd still be able to read them

[BlueBoyMico]

Is it a simple case of right clicking and pasting on the comments field to post an image then?