B12 Advice - Test Results

[LizzieRb12]

Hi again,

I posted a week or so ago about my struggles with getting GPs to listen to me without dismissing my symptoms as 'depression'

I have a non toxic multinodular goiter which IO have been told does not need following up.

I have attached my most recent test results..

I would be really grateful if you would all have a look and tell me what you think? I've been told everything is within the normal range but as some of you have previously suggested, being within the normal range isn't always best answer.

thanks all in advance

[fbirder]

For almost all the tests the normal range is exactly that - the range in which the vast majority of the population will be placed. The B12 test is different in that it has two problems.

Problem 1 is that it is neither precise, nor accurate. Carry the exact same test out on the exact same sample twice and you could get answers that differ by +/- 20%.

Problem 2 is that the range at which people function effectively is very large. Some people are fine with a very low serum level of B12. Some people will be deficient at a fairly high level of B12. So the test is set with a 'normal' range that will catch most people who are deficient whilst not labelling too many people as deficient.

But doctors are used to tests that give a black/white answer, hence people slightly below (or slightly above) the bottom of the range, being labelled as OK - even when the symptoms say they aren't.

Other tests aren't like that - so they all look good.

Only the ferritin looks like it needs fixing with iron supplements.

[wedgewood in reply to fbirder]

Very useful information from our tame (almost!) scientist . Thank you .

[Gambit62 Administrator]

serum creatinine seems to have come back as high a couple of times. This can indicate kidney function problems - or it could indicate that you have functional B12 deficiency. In a (functional) B12 deficiency creatinine is high because MMA is high. If there are problems with kidney function then MMA will be high and the ratio of creatinine to MMA to stays pretty constant.

However, the creatinine is only just above range so may be that MMA is only just above range - which isn't an obvious call as B12 deficiency usually results in extremely high MMA - and hence extremely high creatinine.

[deniseinmilden in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you for even further insight and information.