Good afternoon,
I’m scheduled to meet a new oncology hematologist on Wednesday, September 7th. I would appreciate suggestions for questions.
Background: I have Hashimoto’s and two thyroid cancers. Fortunately I have no evidence of disease (remission) at this time.
I learned on August 4 that 55% of Hashimoto’s patients also have Pernicious Anemia (PA). I immediately stopped my B12 /folate supplemen, waited two weeks and took the labs in the attached image that showed negative for PA. Quest and LabCorp are two labs in the US.
As you can see, Homocysteine is high. I was supplementing B12/folate for months prior to Dec 2021. You can see B12 was 942 and folate is 8.6, yet red blood cell labs were low. MCV is low, but so is iron.
A friend suggested the Homocysteine in July. I was surprised it was so high. Unfortunately I started the B12 & folate immediately for 3 weeks before I learned of PA and stopped for the labs. I know it wasn’t enough time to wait for the MMA.
I have read all three of Martyn Hooper’s books. The symptoms feel familiar.
I’m discouraged by the negative intrinsic, normal gastric, and negative parietal, even though I have read they are often wrong.
Homocysteine did drop, so maybe I was absorbing the B12 & folate even though I felt no benefit?
I have been referred to do a colonoscopy and endoscopy to look for sources of bleeding to cause the low iron. But I don’t feel strong enough for those procedures.
Hoping the hematologist will shed new light? Perhaps look at a fresh slide of blood?
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.