I may be in totally the wrong place but have felt so ill that I am trying to join up dots.
I have recently been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis which explains a great deal. However, I also have all kinds of other very high or abnormal blood test results that I will post here in the hope someone has some knowledge of what it might indicate or if pernicious anemia is a possibility.
FOLATE - 4.5 (2.9-15) low?
FERRITIN - 167 (13-150) (over range)
B12 - 625 (187-883)
TOTAL WHITE CELL COUNT - 10.2 (4-10) (marked as abnormal on GP records)
RED BLOOD CELL COUNT - 4.87 (3.8-4.8) (marked as abnormal on GP records)
HAEMOGLOBIN ESTIMATION - 151 (120-150) (marked as abnormal on GP records)
HAEMATOCRIT - 0.457 (0.36-0.46) at very top of range
NEUTROPHIL - 6.51 (2-7) towards top of range
MEAN CORPUSCULAR HAEMOGLOBIN - 32.4 (27-32) (marked as abnormal on GP records)
MEAN CORPUSCUALR VOLUME - 94 (83-101)
There are lots of other results but all of those seem within range.
Thanks again for any help with this.
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PurpleNel
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the results that have been picked up as abnormal are very borderline - so probably more about watching to see if they drift more from normal but the results aren't that significant at the moment.The folate is in range - folate is very responsive to dietary intake because it doesn't get stored in the body - the fact that it is in range means it is very unlikely that folate is a problem.
If you are supplementing iron then you may want to reduce the dose a little.
Some of the results could also reflect mild dehydration.
If you have concerns I suggest that you follow up with your GP
The B12 result makes PA extremely unlikely - it is well in range.
I don't supplement with iron and eat very little meat so have a low iron intake.I have read a few papers that suggest a high ferritin level is associated with megoloblastic anemia and as I have so many other abnormal bloods (even though they are only just abnormal) I was wondering if it was connected.
Talking to the GP is a joke. He totally ignored my Hashimoto's and just let me get more and more ill.
I am not a doctor but I do know that I am watched very closely for symptoms of hemachromatosis which is a fairly common, but mostly missed, genetic disease and easily treatable. I am a heterozygous for it, but familial diagnoses and an occasional blood result make me a "watch and see" candidate. You may want to read about it. A full iron panel, TIBC, UIBC, iron saturation and ferritin is usually a good indicator if hemachromatosis should be considered. A genetic test would confirm it. The treatment is easy and cheap.
Please go back to your GP and ask to be referred to a hematologist, I am not an expert but your numbers point to a possible MPN, though as you have not given all your FBC numbers it may just be an infection. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your reply. What is MPN? And what other FBC numbers would be needed to help here? I only posted those that were very high or abnormal.I did ask my GP why I had several abnormal readings and he said they were only slightly abnormal. When I asked if that in itself wasn't some cause for concern taken with all my other symptoms and rapidly declining health he just replied again they are only slightly abnormal.
MPN stands for myeloproliferative neoplasms, it comes in a variety of guises, but essentially affects your blood cells, which is why you should see a hematologist. There is another cause which my father had which is heamachromatosis ( I probably spelt it wrong) which is too much iron in your blood, what other counts are abnormal I do not know.
There are some people on forum who have been diagnosed with Functional B12 deficiency, where there is plenty of B12 in the blood but it's not getting to where it's needed in the cells so patient develops symptoms of B12 deficiency.
I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's/autoimmune thyroiditis and had ME diagnosed many years ago (although now I am wondering if it was Hashimoto's all along and not ME). So two autoimmune conditions already.
I have lots of symptoms - the most debilitating are
extreme fatigue and trouble staying awake for very long
breathlessness even with minimal exertion (such as cleaning the sink!!)
headaches - almost constant to some degree
muscle and joint pains and aches
hot flushes (could be menopause)
sudden pains in chest - last only seconds, worse on breathing in
depression and anxiety
confusion and severe brain fog
stomach bloating
severe weight loss and then weight gain (no change in diet and weight loss was when eating loads and then weight gain with no appetite)
stomach bloating/burning stomach
nausea
regurgitation
and lots more
Two years ago I was very, very active.
Many of these are associated with Hasimoto's or knock-ons from Hashi's.
So here is the full blood count result
TOTAL WHITE CELL COUNT - range 4-10 10*9/L31/12/20 – 10.1 MARKED AS ABNORMAL ON GP RECORDS
3/8/21 - 10.2 RISEN – MARKED AS ABNORMAL ON GP RECORDS
RED BLOOD CELL – range 3.8-4.8 10*12/L
31/12/20 – 4.67 VERY HIGH
3/8/21 - 4.87 MARKED AS ABNORMAL ON GP RECORDS
HAEMOGLOBIN ESTIMATION – range 120-150g/L
31/12/20 - 149 VERY HIGH
3/8/21 - 151 MARKED AS ABNORMAL ON GP RECORDS
HAEMATOCRIT – range 0.36-0.46
31/12/20 - 0.435 VERY HIGH
3/8/21 - 0.457 RISEN /VERY HIGH
NEUTROPHIL COUNT – range 2-7
31/12/20 - 5.52
3/8/21 - 6.51 RISEN/HIGH
LYMPHOCYTE COUNT – range 1-3
25/2/20 - 3.18
31/12/20 - 3.88
3/8/2021 - 2.95
EOSINOPHIL COUNT – range 0.02-0.5
25/2/20 0.06
31/12/20 - 0.09
3/8/21 - 0.06
BASOPHIL COUNT – range 0-0.1
25/2/20 - 0.3
31/12/20 - 0.03
3/8/21 - 0.02
MEAN CORPUSCULAR VOLUME (MCV) – range 83-101
25/2/20 - 94
31/12/20 - 93
3/8/21 -94
MEAN CORPUSCULAR HAEMOGLOBIN (MCH) – range 27-32
25/2/20 -31.5
31/12/20 – 31.9 HIGH
3/8/21 - 30.9 LOWERED
MONCYTE COUNT – range 0.2-1.0
25/2/20 -0.67
31/12/20 - 0.6
3/8/21 - 0.66
PLATELET COUNT – range 150-410
25/2/20 -240
31/12/20 - 263
3/8/21 - 270
NUCLEATED RED BLOOD CELL COUNT – range 0-0.1
31/12/20 - 0.1
3/8/21 - 0.0
ALSO A HIGH END LIVER FUNCTION RESULT (don't know if any connection)
Might be worth putting referral requests into a brief, polite letter to GP and include any evidence that supports request eg symptoms list, extracts from UK medical/health guidelines/articles.
If you have neuro symptoms...
have you asked to be referred to a neurologist?
"confusion and severe brain fog" would usually be considered as neurological.
Has your GP got a list of all your symptoms especially every neuro symptom?
Below is a list of some of the neuro symptoms I suffered - most improved or disappeared after I started B12 treatment.
tingling
numbness
pins and needles
electric shock sensations
burning sensations
insect crawling sensation (formication)
I used to get a sensation of water trickling down my spine
numbness
limb weakness
tinnitus
muscle twitches
muscle fasciculations (rippling muscle movements)
flickering eyelids
restless legs syndrome RLS
periodic limb movements (PLM), usually affects arms, legs, can also affect hands, feet, toes, fingers , head etc
dystonia type symptoms
vertigo
migraine
clumsiness
dropping things
bumping into things
word finding problems (nominal aphasia)
memory problems
balance issues
brainfog
confusion
loss of ability to do mental arithmetic
mental blanks....I'd go blank in the middle of a conversation
proprioception problems (problems with awareness of body in space)
unusual behaviour eg putting car keys in the fridge, boiling the kettle without any water in it
There are other neuro symptoms that can be associated with B12 deficiency such as a strange gait (unusual way of walking).
Have you been referred to a haematologist for concerns about blood results?
GPs are supposed to seek urgent advice from a haematologist for patients with B12 deficiency with neuro symptoms present. See NICE CKS link below.
severe weight loss and then weight gain (no change in diet and weight loss was when eating loads and then weight gain with no appetite)
stomach bloating/burning stomach
nausea
regurgitation"
Have you been referred to a gastro enterologist for gut symptoms?
A gastro specialist should be able to spot signs of gut damage from PA, Coeliac and other gut conditions.
If you think Functional B12 deficiency is a possibility, I suggest starting a new thread with Functional B12 Deficiency in the title- that way you will hopefully get the attention of forum members who have this diagnosis.
B12 deficiency is not always well understood by GPs, specialists and other health professionals.
You may find it helpful to keep a daily symptoms diary.
Thank you so much for all the time you have given me. At every turn I have battle with the GP. I have been getting more and more ill for 2 years and have got nowhere.He admits I am obviously very unwell but I have been waiting a year to see the ENT because of this lump in my throat and been rejected for both ultrasound and endocrinologist. GP won't take any notice of where results are abnormal so have little hope of anything that is hidden or unusual.
Because I feel so unwell I have little energy to fight him or clear the brain fog for long enough to get anything together written that would bear any force.
I, myself like many others on HealthUnlocked are also struggling to get their gp's to take them seriously, experiencing similar to what you are having to go through and it's not nice.
I realise that you have very little energy and are really struggling but I did get and are still having results from writing to my gp. Even if it takes you a week to get a letter done and sent out it will be worth your time and energy to do that. I'm dyslexic also so letter construction takes me forever to do anyway but I got it done eventually.
So I'm just trying to encourage you to start a letter, keep it brief, (polite☺) and to the point. State what your problems are, what you want doing about it blood tests etc also include any supporting research papers/references. Although private blood tests get ignored include them also. Also send a copy to the practice manager.
As Sleepybunny has already mentioned writing to your gp, I'd highly recommend it! I've now had blood tests done and got an endocrine referal (accepted though there's a long wait) all from writing to the surgery and always including a separate letter for the practice manager.
I'm still battling to be taken seriusly but am no longer being told it's all in my head/caused by anxiety and to go away, although they may still be thinking it. I'm still trying to get diagnosed but at least things are moving in the right direction.
Thank you SO much Hedgeree. Most of all for reminding me that it doesn't matter if it takes a week to write a letter. I am so impatient and frustrated with myself that if I can't do it ALL and do it NOW I say I can't do it (and you have reminded me that isn't true).Little nuggets of insight and knowledge that are so helpful. Thank you again.
The letter writing link I included in my replies has letter templates that people can base their own letters about B12 deficiency to GP on.
I agree with Hedgeree that it's worth sending a copy to practice manager as well.
If you have any concerns about the possibility of a MPN - mentioned by jointpain then worth mentioning in any letter as this is likely to get GP's attention.
More about writing letters
Letters avoid face to face confrontation with GP and allow patient time to express their concerns effectively.
Best to keep letters as brief, to the point and polite as possible.
It's harder to ignore a letter in my opinion.
When a letter is sent to GP, worth including a request that GP practice sends written confirmation to letter writer that they have received letter. Keep this as proof a letter was received by GP practice may be useful if there is a need for a formal complaint in future.
I included a request in letters that a copy of letter was filed with medical notes.
My understanding is that in UK, letters to GPs are supposed to be filed with medical notes so are therefore a record that an issue has been raised.
Useful to have a paper trail in case there is a need for a formal complaint over treatment in future.
Letters could contain relevant test results, date of diagnosis, brief relevant family and personal medical history, extracts from relevant UK health documents and guidelines, extracts from local CCG/Health Board guidelines, requests for referrals to relevant specialists eg neurologists, haematologists, gastro enterologists.
Keep them as short as possible as I think the shorter they are the more likely they are to be read.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
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