Slightly low folate?

[Lee198888]

Hi all, don't know if I'm in the right place but I had bloods done yesterday and today received a phone call from the doctors to be told I have slightly low folate levels and to collect my prescription which is folic acid 5mg and I asked the lady on the phone what could be the cause of this and all I got was to look online? Now I've looked online and there are lots of things that can cause this, I suffer from anxiety so this hasn't done me any good, my only symptoms are pins and needles in my left leg mainly and I've had some in my arms, face/mouth, it tends to be more left sides than right but it does happen in both, I'm a 30 year old male, I've tried to get in to see my GP but no appointments available for 2 weeks just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what could be the cause? Thanks

[pvanderaa]

Get your B12 tested as well. Drs will call all the way to the lower limit as “normal “ when 10% of the population exhibit neurological symptoms when B12 results are under 400 pg/ml (ng/L).

Anxiety is a psychological symptom that in the case of B12D can be caused by neurological damage in the brain.

Start a logbook of all your symptoms and give a printed list to your Dr to include in your file. Try to make your own assessment each day. Assess your anxiety as well as it is just another symptom.

Stress consumes B12 and keeping a logbook helps you understand how you react to meds, food etc which gives you some control back as you see your specific pattern of symptoms emerge in the logbook and know what to anticipate from your body and brain.

[Lee198888 in reply to pvanderaa]

Hi thanks for the reply, I was tested for b12 and had FBC , diabetes test done the only thing that came back low was my folate and I was told it was slightly low not seen the Dr yet so I'm not sure how low it was, I was tested 2 weeks ago but nothing showed up on that test out of the ordinary, can your folate drop say for a day so on the day I was tested it just showed a lower amount.

I've suffered from anxiety since I was 14 so I don't think that is related to this problem.

I have arthritis in my lower spine and my left hip also something to do with a facet joint around the left side of my spine and my pins and needles have predominantly been in my left leg for the most part.

I'm hoping it's more to do with that than the folate stuff as it all seems kind of scary just wish I didn't have that long to wait to see the Dr as my anxiety will run wild in the mean time which can also result in pins and needles.

[pvanderaa in reply to Lee198888]

My neurological damage, besides the short term memory loss, was in my right hip. I can only describe it as being ‘loose ‘ and it caused an unsteady gait when I walked and the leg seemed to do its own thing.

11 years on B12 injections and the symptoms are pretty much gone. I still bump into the wall occasionally while walking down a corridor.

[Lee198888 in reply to pvanderaa]

Oh I see, I have had hip and back problems for the last 6 years that's why I'm kind of doubting (hoping) it's not related to anything else

[pvanderaa in reply to Lee198888]

Not to scare you, but neurological damage is relentless. You can think one moment that it is getting sorted and then something upsets the treatment regime and it’s like you’re back at square one.

If you haven’t already, start a logbook and assess your symptoms including some that seem unrelated and monitor all of them over several months. You have to stick with it but you will eventually be able to look back and realize a symptom is gone.

Some new symptoms like pain show up within a day or two after each injection. These counterintuitive symptoms are actually good indications that nerves are being healed and the brain is receiving stronger signals. The worse the pain, the lower your B12 was before the injection. To me, this was a prime indication that I needed more frequent injections.

The logbook will help identify the repeating pattern of these symptoms as they show up at the same time each cycle. Reset the timer / counter on the logbook each injection and call it day zero each cycle so that it is easier to compare the same day each cycle.

You will find symptoms that you thought were not connected are all part of the same B12D issue. It’s all interwoven.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Lee198888 do you eat enough green vegetables as these are the main natural sources of Folate?

Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:

symptoms related to anaemia

reduced sense of taste

diarrhoea

numbness and tingling in the feet and hands

muscle weakness

depression

If your B12 test level was "Normal" (I hate that word) it wouldn't harm you to either increase your meat, fish, seafood, eggs, poultry and dairy produce intake as Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body.

I am not a medically trained person. I wish you well.

[Lee198888 in reply to clivealive]

Thanks for the reply no I don't really eat leafy green vegetables that much although I tend to have broccoli at least once a week, I eat chicken almost everyday.

I don't have any other symptoms apart from the pins and needles and they tend to be more in my calf and hamstring of late and more on the left side.

Thanks

[Ryaan]

Take the Folate, it’s ok to take. The cause is most likely your diet so you need to eat high Folate foods.

The pins and needles seem to be low B12 symptoms, those were my very first symptoms of low B12.

Make the appointment for 2 weeks time and see the doc and ask for your levels and the range for B12, same for Folate.

Even if your B12 levels are within range you can still have the symptoms especially if your levels are towards the mid range or low range.

Get it sorted now, you’re lucky you have a doctor who looks at your blood results.

Your Folate is more likely close to low range but within range.

If your pins and needles carry on for another few weeks go back to your GP.....but nothing to worry about.

Low B12 undetected over long term has horrible symptoms and can affect your health a great deal.

[Lee198888 in reply to Ryaan]

Been back to see the doctor today they said my b12 is in the higher range.

Just my folate is slightly low starting to think the pins and needles may be due to my hip/back problems and the folate is a red herring possibly.

Got to keep taking the folate as advised by my doctor but I might see if they can send me somewhere to check my back and hip incase they are causing me nerve problems.

[Ryaan in reply to Lee198888]

Yes take the Folate as it’s low.

I would definitely get the back and hip checked, could be the cause.

Have you heard of cupping ?

It cures a lot of pains even if you’ve had them for long.

It has to be Wet Cupping where the old blood is sucked out and body replaces with new blood.

You can google Wet Cupping.

It really helps a lot.

It can be a pinched nerve if you have a back problem, so they need to do a scan on you.

Hope you get well soon.