Hi all! Long time user of the Thyroid UK HealthUnlocked forum, first time poster over here.
I am diagnosed hypothyroid (I think it's hashimotos due to antibody flares) and over the years have had low vit D and low B12. I'm aware that with hypothyroid it's important to have good vitamin levels to help absorption. Not currently supplementing, a) because I'm terrible at keeping this routine and b) because I'm trying to sort through some tests.
Over the past few months I've been feeling lethargic, low mood, poorly powered in my body, breathless at exercise that used to be easy, dizzy, and weird body things. I did a medichecks thyroid ultravit in middle of July, and whilst my thyroid came back okay except for an antibody flair, my active B12 was almost out of the lower end of the range:
VITAMIN B12 - ACTIVE
16 Jul 2019
49.6
pmol/L 37.5 - 188 R
Given the amount of PA symptoms I had, and that we have a family history of PA, I went to the doctor to ask for investigation into this. He did a full raft of blood tests which happened today, but the B12 (total) came back as follows:
Serum vitamin B12 level 502 ng/L [211.0 - 911.0]
I have been feeling a lot better since Friday (less dizzy and with more energy), but still have a lot of symptoms of low B12. I'm absolutely happy to start supplementing myself (I've got a pack ready and waiting!) but I'm aware that taking them would disrupt any intrinsic factor testing.
The doc agreed that if this NHS test come back low then he'd order the IF test, but I don't think he's going to view that as low (just under halfway through range). I'm really keen to just rule out with PA is a cause, so I wondered if any of you could provide me with any evidence or anything that would help me argue my case with the doctor?
Thank you in advance!