My health board (in Scotland) doesn’t use the Active B12 test so they are unwilling to accept the Medichecks test I had done which showed a slightly below range result - 36pmol (37.5 - 188)
They have retested my serum B12 and folate:
Serum B12 315ng/L (187-883)
Folate 2.7 (3-20)
My serum B12 has increased which I wasn’t expecting! It was 274 3 months ago. I took sublingual B12 in between but only for 4 days in early November.
The GP has been advised to offer me oral folate with a follow up in 3 months. An Intrinsic Factor Antibody test was requested but hasn’t been returned yet - will be speaking to them again later this week.
My tiredness, lack of focus etc continues. My stomach problems are increasing - short lived but urgent bouts of diarrhoea and general discomfort. The numbness in my fingers of one hand has increased and extends to my hand and up to my elbow at times. I also have a sore upper arm on the same side.
I’m slightly aware of an issue of increasing folate before increasing B12 but the GP tells me that with a B12 of 315 that is fine. I’m concerned about my below range Active B12 though.
Does anyone have any advice? Should I accept the oral folate or not?
Thanks!
Written by
GW1000
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Vit D not great at 75 (50 - 250) - I take a supplement
B12 in Jun was 264 - so increased twice. 264, 274, 315
Folate has gone from 4.1 to 5.1 to 2.7.
I’ve told them my diet is good and have mentioned absorption problems - I think the folate recommendation came from a gastroenterologist.
Could 4 days of sublingual B12 have done anything?! I didn’t notice any immediate benefit. I wonder if taking that alongside the folate would be best?
I didn’t get any significant benefit from the other oral B12 I took in 2020/21 either. Possibly a little less brain fog. I didn’t have any numbness back then - that’s only been the last 6 months.
I will ask about tests for functional b12. It’s very frustrating that they won’t accept the Active B12 test. I’ve been told that even the specialists don’t know about it. I find that v. hard to believe when it’s mentioned in other NHS pathways for B12 and is alluded to in our NHS Inform info.
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 films, B12 websites and B12 articles and a few hints on dealing with unhelpful GPs.
Some links may have details that could be upsetting.
Yes this is the same thing we going through and it's very disturbing GPs aren't listening. I'm just learning all this too serum b-12 of 398 recently got back results and that's too low anything under 550 isn't good it's the grey zone, a Folate test I have is 24.6 too high I'm told but my GP doesn't understand that we need to test the two half's of the blood serum folate the active and the inactive same with b-12. GPs need to tell the difference between what's active in the blood and what's not (HoloTC) is the best test and it can tell the difference, but I'm having issues the same as you getting this test done by my GP. b12Awareness.org is a great website . B-9 and B-12 must work together like brother and sister.
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