Blood Test Results.

[Clare_oxo]

Just a quick question. I had my monthly B12 injection two days before having a blood test. Could this make my b12 levels abnormally high? TIA

[FancyPants54]

Of course it would. But it doesn't matter. Once on injections, tests are pretty irrelevant.

[Clare_oxo in reply to FancyPants54]

Thank you for your quick reply.

[Cherylclaire Forum Support]

Monthly injections ?

If you are UK based, either you or your doctor (or both) have done well there.

But your GP should have no reason to test your serum B12 after injections have started. All the UK medical guidance advises against retesting.

I did have a retest in 2016, after the GP was seeing no response and a continued deterioration after loading injections and a few 3-monthly maintenance injections.... but she also had my methylmalonic acid (MMA) tested at the same time. As she suspected, both serum B12 and serum MMA were high - giving me a diagnosis of functional B12 deficiency confirmed by the testing laboratory (since renal problems had already been ruled out as a possible cause). Later, SIBO was also ruled out as a potential problem.

Otherwise, there seems no reason to waste money looking at what will be high B12 levels. It is measuring input: something already measurable.

Your GP would be better led by your symptoms. The aim being to anticipate the return of symptoms and pre-empt that with the injection frequency. First, symptoms have to be controlled sufficiently to find a pattern emerging. This can, in some, be established after loading injections but in others, can take years !

Worth making a record - a daily diary or chart - even if nothing appears to be changing cyclically yet. In the hope that it soon will, and that this proves helpful.

[Clare_oxo in reply to Cherylclaire]

Thank you for your reply. Much appreciated. I am in Spain hence the monthly injection. I also have an endoscopy every three years. It is the protocol here. I cannot complain at all. The B 12 level was just done as part of an annual blood test to check thyroid levels and general health. I have never seen my B 12 so high before but it was so close to my injection I just wanted to check. Thanks again.

[Cherylclaire Forum Support in reply to Clare_oxo]

Good that you are getting regular injections, regular endoscopies, and as long as the medical professionals know to take no notice of a high result after an injection, all continues to be well !