Got my b12 results...

[Themost1ted]

Hi

last year my b12 was so low but no anemia and i hot 4 hydroxo injections 5ml each once a week for 4 weeks, after a month i started to feel weak again so i did the tests and had a high b12 of 13700 normal range was 200-900 so they checked my b9 and found to be deficient in taht too taking it again helped me again, one year later i still have tinnitus in one ear, and my main bad symptom is lightheadedness, everyday i wake up feeling good but then at about 11am i start to feel lightheaded like if i was going to pass out ... I have sweaty hands, vision troubles and sometimes shortness of breath, again at night i feel good. !

Can someone please tell me if he or she got the same symptoms related to b12 deficiency?

Today these were my b12 b9 results i have no anemia

B12 : 389 pg/ml ( 180 - 914 ) Or 288 pmol/l ( 133 - 676 )

B9 : 10,22 ng/ml

or 22,79 nmol/l. Shoudbe >6.59 ng/ml

Thank you.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Themost1ted your level of B12 is 288 pmol/l ( 133 - 676 )

"Between 151 and 300pmol/L. This covers a range that might be described as the Total B12 “grey-zone” where the true status of the patient is uncertain".

Are you still supplementing with B12 and Folate (B9)? If not perhaps you should re-start as the symptoms you describe may well be attributed to a deficiency.

I am not a medically trained person but I've had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 45 years.

I wish you well

[mango20 in reply to clivealive]

Hi,

I was wondering where I could find that quote on the "grey-zone" that you gave? My son's B12 level was 232 and I am trying to persuade him that he shouldn't ignore it, especially given his symptoms.

Thanks

[Themost1ted in reply to mango20]

Hello,

what are his symptoms? thank you.

[mango20 in reply to Themost1ted]

He suffers from fatigue, pins and needles in his arms and hands, restless legs at night to name a few symptoms. I'd be interested in finding the source of that quote so that I can show it to him.

Thanks.

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to mango20]

On page 11 in the book "Could it be B12? – an epidemic of misdiagnoses” by Sally M. Pacholok R.N., B.S.N. & Jeffrey J. Stuart, D.O. under the heading "Types of tests for B12 Deficiency" talking about the Serum Vitamin B12 Test it says:-

"However, it appears that these markers demonstrate B12 deficiency primarily in patients whose serum B12 is in the "gray zone" (a serum B12 result between 200 pg/ml and 450 pg/ml). We believe that the "normal" B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) below 550 pg/ml

At this time, we believe normal serum B12 levels should be greater than 550 pg/ml. For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1,000 pg/ml".

The book is well worth while the purchase as is Martyn Hooper's "What you need to know about Pernicious Anaemia & Vitamin B12 Deficiency" both available via Amazon - and no, I'm not on commission

There are two separate ways of measuring the amount of B12 in your blood - they have different units and will have different ranges - so in order to really understand what is going on you need to know exactly which test was done and what the ranges and units for the result and the normal range were.

For test results within 4 - 6 weeks after a B12 injection the normal range doesn't really apply anymore so can't really be used to assess your B12 status but most medics aren't aware of this

Here is a typical set of ranges and you can see there is a difference between the pmol/L and pg/ml

Below 150pmol/L (200pg/ml). This level is most commonly used to signify vitamin B12 deficiency.

Between 151 and 300pmol/L. This covers a range that might be described as the Total B12 “grey-zone” where the true status of the patient is uncertain.

Above 301 pmol/L. At this level it would not be expected to find (much) true vitamin B12 deficiency.

You say your "son's B12 level was 232".

232pmol/L = 314.36pg/ml whereas

232pg/ml = 171.22pmol/L

You will need to find out whether your son's test result was 232 pmol/L or 232pg/ml but either way he is well in the "gray zone" of below 450 pg/ml suggested by Sally Pacholock and within 151pmol/L to 300pmol/L. "grey zone" referred to above.

Here is a link to a conversion chart

google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j...

Hope this helps and that my maths is correct at this time of night.

[mango20 in reply to clivealive]

Thank you so much for all this information. I'll dig out his results (it was a couple of years ago so may take a while!) and have a look. And will look out the book too.

Thanks again.

[Themost1ted]

Does he feel the lightheadedness, like if he is going to faint? Does the symptoms calm down at night?

[mango20 in reply to Themost1ted]

I don't think he ever feels faint actually. And I think I remember him saying that the pins and needles/dead arms are sometimes worse at night.