Folic acid and iron

[EllaNore]

Hello, I asked my doc if I should take iron and folic acid and he said I could buy otc ones, so I did and took one each. I am feeling a little jittery and a little weak in the legs. Which one of those could be the culprit? I ate some toast and that helped a little. Thank you. So relieved I have a forum to ask these things. I have PA and take b12 injections twice a week right now. I've only been diagnosed 7 weeks ago so I'm just figuring things out. Thanks so much.

[Nackapan]

Are you taking 400mcg of folic acid? If so

My guess it's the iron.

Stop that for a couple of days snd see.

I was prescribed iron but the dose made me feel ill.

Also give me diarrhoea.

That had folic acid in.

Only had it one day.

I now only have folic acid in a multivit 200mcg as blois show its one of the things i csn absorb from food abd supplements well!

Iron still prescribed but ferrous fumarate 210. I tolerate that okay but down to 3 tablets a week and use spartone and solar gentle ot iron in a multi vit .

Alternating a a maintenence.

Again go by bloods.

Hooe that's useful.

[EllaNore in reply to Nackapan]

Yes, that is helpful. Thank you. Folic acid 1000mcg, iron slow release high potency 45mg. He said some people can't tolerate the iron and so the slow-release capsule is easier on the guts. I'm thinking maybe I am not going to take the iron. And just take the folic acid. Thanks so much for your information

[Nackapan in reply to EllaNore]

I would only take more thsn 400mcg folic acid for a very short tine if deficient, until levels up . Then take 200-400mcg as a maintenence daiky.

Then check again by s blood test .

[EllaNore in reply to Nackapan]

Thank you. My doc said my folic levels were good but several people here said to make sure I take it with my injection. So I asked if I can and he said sure. Just the over the counter. So maybe I don't need it at all?

[Technoid]

I think your doctor should be advising you on how much and how often to take the supplements based on iron panel and folate blood tests. Both can be problematic if deficient or in excess so blood results should be the guide. 400mcg Folic Acid or Methylfolate is a common maintenance dose that folks here take, my folate is high so I take that on alternate days.

800mcg Folic Acid per day is a good number to bring up a low folate result but I would make sure to get blood checked again after a month to make sure its not going through the roof ( or not rising enough). I would not rely completely on doc to interpret blood results as they may just say your folate is "fine" if within normal range, but you'll need to know where exactly it is in the normal range, borderline high or borderline low to the range each tell a story about how you might need to alter your supplementation accordingly. For severe folate deficiency 5mg a day is prescribed but I think this is usually short term only.

Iron 45mg is a pretty chunky daily dose but if you are iron deficient it may be suitable - again depends on blood results and how much you're absorbing - you should be advised the right dosage and frequency if an iron panel shows you have an iron deficiency. There are other formulations such as iron bisgyclinate which may be kinder to the stomach.

[EllaNore in reply to Technoid]

Thank you so much. I've been pouring over all my tests over the past 2 years and there were red flags that no one said anything about until I went in and said I couldn't walk my feet and hands were killing me. they ordered B12 and here I am. the thing is that my RBC were too large and misshaped and too few for 5 years and no one said anything. Then they found cancer and all kinds of tests were done and boy this was in their face for 5 years and no one said anything. I have low potassium, low sodium, and the list really goes on. I sent a letter to my health care providers asking them to please take a minute to connect the dots. Had an EKG that says consider a blockage and no one even mentioned it to me. Just so many things. Am I being too picky? too scared? I've just suffered for so long, I need answer and I need to stay on top of it all. Anyway, thank you for your response, I hopefully will get some more answers soon. I am not going to take the folic or the iron. I don't think I need it.

screen shot of blood work.

[Technoid in reply to EllaNore]

I also learned the hard way not to automatically place trust in doctors. I had a B12 deficiency 2 years ago that had already progressed to neurological symptoms and went into a GP telling them I suspected a B12 deficiency. After a blood test showed high B12 they told me to reduce my B12 supplementation as I was "overdosing". Farcical and ridiculous. Unfortunately I trusted them and created a terrible situation for myself 2 years on.

I don't see folate or iron panel results in that image so can't comment. Folate measurements are straightforward enough I think, if you have the lab ranges but iron is tricky to advise on because inflammation can affect ferritin and probably other factors I'm not aware but better experts than me here might be able to. This is why a full iron panel (which contains several important measurements) is better than just serum iron or ferritin. They also should be examined alongside other blood parameters like RBC etc etc.

Your potassium is just under the min threshold. Potassium supplementation is generally inadvisable unless under careful/expert medical supervision, but you could look to increase high potassium foods in your diet, provided you do not have other conditions such as chronic kidney disease for which high potassium foods are to be avoided. Something to discuss with your doc at least.

Disclaimer: I have no medical training just what I've learned here and from endless researches during my treatment.

[EllaNore in reply to Technoid]

Thank you. Right l, this test was just basic rbc etc. I did find my b12 and folic test, I'll have to find it again. I feel half dead most the time and feel like my doc wants to help, but is not one to connect the medical dots. I feel they just don't have time. Even as a simple Layman if I look at results and symptoms, I can come up with a logical assumption. I just am shocked at how long I went and so many of you begging for help and begging to be seen and begging to be heard and still not getting the right diagnosis, for decades in some cases, like mine. And it's all still so new to me that I don't know exactly what is from the B12 deficiency and what is from something else. All these years I thought I was heading down one road, listening to doctors and now, I'm completely derailed and don't know what symptoms are from what and every time I turn around they seem to be from B12 or can be. I'm just tired of all the doctors visits and having to figure things out in your head what's what. Am I complaining too much and my demanding too much? Should I be more assertive? I'm afraid of scaring docs away. I've had so many injuries and odd things happen in my life, I feel like I'm a modern-day medical Evil Knievel and I don't know where to turn and what information is even accurate. To tell you the truth I trust the information here more than I do anywhere. I'll be leaving for my gastroenterology appointment this morning we'll see what happens there. I'm just so tired of filling out all the doctors forms. I wish I could just fill out one form make copies and hand it to every doctor I see. It's exhausting and they want to know why you're depressed