I got my blood test results back. I have foot and hand twitching, numbness, tingling and pins and needles, clumsy when walking and various other 'neurological' signs and am Hypothyroid but my B12 is clearly well in range. I don't understand because from when I supplemented it I felt instantly better. I;ve felt great since I've been taking B12 (although still foot and hand twitching now and then and buzzing foot sometimes)
Does this mean it's more likely MS? I feel gutted to be honest because I thought I'd cracked it with the B12
Blood haematinic levels
Serum vitamin B12 level 414 pg/mL [191.0 - 663.0]
Serum ferritin level 88 ug/L [12.0 - 233.0]
Serum folate level 8.9 ng/mL [2.4 - 26.8]
Thyroid function test
Serum free T4 level 16.4 pmol/L [11.0 - 26.0]
Serum TSH level 1.17 mU/L [0.27 - 4.2]
Serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level 52.5 nmol/L
Total 25OH VitD >= 50 nmol/L suggests VitD sufficiency.
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SKYROCKET123
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The blood test was before I started taking the B12 though. I am vegetarian too so I'm baffled why my B12 would be so high. I had ordered some B12 ampoules from Germany I was that convinced I was B12 deficient. Can I harm myself if I use them? I just can't get over the difference in how I feel since taking the B12, even my husband was blown away by the difference. Is it possible to have a level in the 400s and still be deficient?
"Is it possible to have a level in the 400s and still be deficient?"
From personal experience yes....
I did have a below range B12 result in past for which I only got one set of 5 or 6 loading injections and then nothing else.
At the time, I trusted my GPs knew what they were doing but I should have had every other day loading injections (because I had many neuro symptoms) and then regular maintenance injections because it was not dietary deficiency. PA tests were negative.
When my symptoms were at their worst, my serum (total) B12 results were between 300 - 500 ng/L.
"In the presence of discordance between test result and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment"
NHS link about B12 and Folate deficiencies includes statements below
"But some people can have problems with their normal levels of these vitamins"
Referrals cost money so GP surgery may be reluctant.
I used to put requests for referrals into brief, polite letters and included reasons for request eg symptoms and also included evidence such as quotes from UK health/medical documents that supported the request.
Local Guidelines
I also suggest you track down the local guidelines on treatment/diagnosis of B12 deficiency for your CCG or Health Board and compare the info with BNF, NICE and BSH links below.
There may also be local guidelines on referrals to neurology etc.
Links to forum threads where I left detailed replies with lots of B12 deficiency info eg causes and symptoms, more UK B12 documents, B12 books, B12 websites and B12 articles and a few hints on dealing with unhelpful GPs.
Some links may have details that could be upsetting.
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