Iron levels

[Milley2]

Should I take iron supplement ?

My level was 49 if so what dose daily weekly ?

Unsure

My b12 went to 124 had injections

5 weeks worth plus folic acid

[Nackapan]

Did your blood result say what measurements used?

Also it usually gives a range.

I would discuss iron results with the doctor.

I was told my ferritin levels low but 'in range ' so was prescribed iron.

One taking it it needs to be monitored . Usually 3 months after initially with a blood test.

Also maintenance b12 injections needed

[Milley2 in reply to Nackapan]

B12 was 124 originally 5werks injections

Now told to daily supplement on 500 to 1000 ug daily b12

Low folate at that time 3.3

Low folate at that time was told to take 5mg folic acid did so

Now 24.5

Upper range

Ferritin 49 he said level was good

Last b12 jab was on Monday this week now taking the daily tablet 500 ug to 1000 ug daily

I’m not taking folic acid as heamatologist ssid stop

I must admit I took a 400 one last night and became nauseous and then I was actually sick

This morning I’ve took my tablet b12

I’ve woken with flu like symtoms again

Yet when I had the b12 injection on Monday

I slept it off my Nero symtoms worsened soon after

I’m so confused as what to take do ?

Felt generally low

And haven’t really seen or felt a difference

So confused like have I took much of this or to much of that ? Etc

Blood test showed folate level was high range

But I just felt so awFull

[fbirder]

You should take iron supplements if advised to do so by your doctor. Too much can be harmful.

[Milley2 in reply to fbirder]

Haven’t been advised to so haven’t

[Nackapan in reply to Milley2]

So really everything g in range now.

So if anything at all only a supermarket mutivit.

So just waiting to see if b12 tablets do anything. I got worse before any improvements. I tried sub lingualsand tablets waiting for first maintenance injection they did nothing. I did have to push to stay on Injections though. Have you been told your b12 deficiency is dietary. ? The tablets will only work I'd that is the case. I ve been told dietary. It's not

List your symptoms . If no improvements push more more injections. Go by your symptoms.

I got flu like symptoms and lots of neurological ones. Its early days for your body to make repairs.

I hope you get some improvements soon.

[Milley2 in reply to Nackapan]

I wasn’t told if it’s diet ? Or not how can they tell ?

He says probetbly diet as my intrinsic factor was good

[Nackapan in reply to Milley2]

Thars the problem. Some doctors if you tes4 negative for the intrinsic factor assume that its dietary Actually you could still have PA with a negative result. It picks up 50% I think of this with PA.

I eat meat Fish diary everything really but still told its dietary but then contradicting that have been kept on injections after loading ones .

If you are vegan theres a high chance of b12 deficiency as it's hard to consume enough. If you a vegetarian again sometimes hard to keep uo amounts needed and as you get older need a supplement as we all absorb less as less stomach acidity with age. If you eat everything its probably taken a few years to deplete your b12 stores I now in hindsight know it took about 3 years . Gradually getting g more tired achey ect . I wrongly put it down to age and the menopause. Its sneaky.

So go by your symptoms and if you do not think its dietary and the tablets are not helping gi back to your Gp. Put it all in writing g first. Say you worried about damage if not treated with enough b12.

Hope that helps a little

.

[Milley2 in reply to Nackapan]

He said it was b12 working as levels are high and just to daily supplement

It’s confusing this pa

If I had or have pa

Then I’ve had 5 weeks now of b12 jabs at alternate days ?

[Milley2 in reply to Nackapan]

Yes I have neuro mild now symtoms and flu like but the folic avid could have worsened my b12

So just trying to level it all out

I’m 200% worse soon after injection

So I’m now on dsily 500 to 1000 ug

Took one this morn and I’ll take another tonight

Folate level is good so I’ll nit take that again

I’ve increased potassium in my diet to

And have magnesium flake baths

[fbirder in reply to Nackapan]

The only way they can say your deficiency is dietary is if you tell them you don't eat enough meat/fish.

Anybody eating a sensible , varied, diet will be getting plenty of B12 in their food. It's really only vegans and vegetarians that will have a dietary deficiency.

If you do eat enough B12 (keep a food diary and log how much B12 you eat to prove it) then, assuming you're not taking metformin or PPIs and you've not had gut surgery, then your deficiency is almost certainly caused by PA.

[Milley2 in reply to fbirder]

I dint eat to much meat I’d say my diet was quite poor had lots of stress etc

[Nackapan in reply to Milley2]

I missed the answer you got from fbirder si have repeated stuff I'm a slow typer!

So if you havent been eating enough or the right things toh coukd turn it round with a swift change in diet and tablets . Liver red meat swiss cheeses marmite fortified cereals lots of veg a d druit

[Milley2 in reply to fbirder]

How do they treat P.A. then

[fbirder in reply to Milley2]

How they treat PA depends on where you live. As you're in the UK the treatment should be three injections of 1000 mcg hydroxocobalamin a week, for two weeks, followed by one injection every two to three months.

[Milley2 in reply to fbirder]

I’m in uk

I’ve had 5 weeks of 3 b12 a week ?

Then onto monthly

Not feeling to different worse if anything

He has told me to take dsily b12 500 to 1000 ug tablet form ?

[fbirder in reply to Milley2]

You've had 15 injections over 5 weeks! You have an understanding doc.

[Milley2 in reply to fbirder]

He has stopped them now as no improvement not sure what illl do

He told me to take tablet form 500 to 1000 ug

[Nackapan in reply to Milley2]

Keep going with the tablets and eat better and it may work. but if no improvements or worse ask for more injections. Just kept going back/teleph8ne consult with Gp if you ill. It took me quite while for it to turn from worse to some improvements. Twice they tried to stop mine as I seemed worse. I think it was the repair and shock to my system suddenly being flooded with b12 after being starved of it.

Give yourself a little time to see how you are feeling.

Your Gp was good to keep the injections going. He /she obviously thought that was the treatment for you. So if you get worse I cant see the same doctor refusing more if they are needed.

[Nackapan in reply to fbirder]

Yes. Thanks. That was the last time I saw my Gp in February. I was asking for referrals. I Then asked what did she think the cause was. She said dietary . Unbelievable really as I've followed her instructions trying tablets ect. Shes seen they do nothing.

She knows I'm on no medication. So surgeries. Stopped all alcohol so far simply as I havent fancied it or too poorly to try. I have a very good mixed diet. I eat most things .That's why I was concerned my ferritin levrk dropped dramatically first time ever. She gave no reason for that either.

I've written down what I eat and will put another letter in with it at some stage for my notes.

Thank you