Newbie come from thyroid forum

[Jax667]

Hello I am a 33 year old female. Please advise.

Ferritin 16 (15 - 150)

Folate 2.0 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 347 (190 - 900)

MCV 80.3 (83 - 98)

MCHC 377 (310 - 350)

Iron 6.2 (6 - 26)

Transferrin saturation 12 (12 - 45)

RBC count 4.41 (3.80 - 5.80)

WBC count 4.30 (4 - 11)

Haemoglobin estimation 116 (115 - 150)

MCH 28.1 (28 - 32)

I take 5mg folic acid once a week, B12 injections every 3 months, last one done February 2018 and I have had 2 injections done. I have symptoms of numbness in toes, constipation, joint pain, tiredness.

GP says iron panel and complete blood count inconclusive.

Thankyou

[Gambit62 Administrator]

What is the timing of these results in relation to your B12 injections?

Serum B12 can't be used to manage treatment post loading shots unless it is coming back low - and as a general rule of thumb the results are coming back low but how low would depend on how they relate to 3 months. Suggest that you keep a diary of B12 symptoms - include everything - regardless of if it could be caused by thyroid or has been around for years - and monitor how they change in relation to B12

pernicious-anaemia-society....

Your folate is low - is this the point at which supplements started - if not then you need to rethink the supplementation - and look at a lower dose daily rather than a massive dose weekly.

On the whole I'd be inclined to say that full blood count and iron panel are pointing to an iron deficiency. Low iron tends to microcytosis.

Your red blood cells are small (MCV below range and MCH towards bottom of range) - MCHC is just a ratio of these two and a high level is another indication that your red blood cells are small and you have microcytosis. Iron and ferritin may be in the normal range but they are low - and it is a range which means its an average of where a lot of people are when they are healthy - being in range doesn't necessarily mean that the individual in front of you is okay. Personally I think that there is enough evidence there to conclude that you are iron deficient.