Confused blood results

[Padeficiant12]

Hello,

I have just had my b12 checked again, im on no supplements or injections, for last 12 months my b12 have been dropping rapidly after injections were stopped. Sept 217 and ive just had one and they have jumped up to 350! Anyone know why they would raise as ive been deficent for last 2 years. I feel awful flu like symptoms, memory problems, bad mood! Stress anxiety and panic attacks. I have absolutely no chance of getting injections now.

[Padeficiant12]

They havent gone to 350, my level was 322 this month

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Padeficiant, the image is very difficult to read.

One thing to look at is double checking that the units being used are the same on each test - there are two different units and they have different normal ranges - one is lower than the other.

The other thing to be aware of is that the serum B12 is only accurate to about 20% - that means that the results will vary around 20% if you repeat the same test on the same sample.

What exactly were the previous test results? and how much variation was there.

Have you been supplementing at all - or taking in more B12 in your diet - there are a number of drinks that have quite high levels of B12 in them.

Unfortunately the symptoms you quote could be any one of a number of things but there doesn't seem to be anything obvious as a pointer as to what to investigate if a GP was looking through them

[Padeficiant12 in reply to Gambit62]

Hello Gambit

My levels were 1750 2 months after my last injection, 4 months later they dropped to 350, then 5 months after that they were 217, ive just had new blood test 2 months later and they have gone to 322, i haven’t been doing anything different, no drinks or supplements, i thought they would have dropped more as ive been feeling terrible, seems strange how its all the sudden jumped up.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Padeficiant12]

sorry - know this is probably repeating information that you have already given but why were you on B12 injections and why were they stopped?

[Padeficiant12 in reply to Gambit62]

I was given injections as my original levels were 112, they was stopped because the nurse ordered blood test and levels were 1750 but obviously that high because of the injections.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Padeficiant12]

do you have the units - there are two different units that are used so you need to be sure that you really are comparing the same thing.

[Padeficiant12 in reply to Gambit62]

It just say ng/L. 120-900

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Padeficiant12]

assuming that is the same for all of the tests - and previous tests weren't pmol/L then it could just be an outlying result, or it could mean that there is something else going on.

were you vegetarian/vegan or eating very little by way of meat,dairy etc when you were first diagnosed as having low B12? ie could it have been a dietary deficiency?

[Padeficiant12]

Yes thats what i thought, but ive not changed my diet at all, for last 4 years ive been eating the same, as i have pre diabetes.