B12 170

[hymermad]

My partner recently had a blood test which showed his B12 was 170 just under the NHS range. He was told to come back in 3 months time to have another blood test! Can he insist on B12 injections. I have given him daily doses of 5000 b12 spray. Just feel he has been fobbed off by the GP. Should he go back and insist on B12 injections. He has been poorly and not himself that is why I insisted he go to the GP and have blood tests, alot they did not test him for even though i asked!

BTW hello every one, i am new to this particular Anaemia site but am on HU thyroid UK cos I suffer hypothyroidism and also have a very low B12 of 230. Medicating myself with high doses of B12 for for past 3 months. Tomorrow have another blood test so will be interesting to see if my B12 has gone up.

Happy New Year every one.

Caroline

[Hidden]

Hi hymermad,

It would be wise not to supplement with anything until a firm diagnosis has been made! It is quite normal to have a repeat bloodtest in a few months if one had a low B12 reading. Its just o make sure that result was not a fluke say, and not to start people on life long treatment unless uneccessary.No harm will be done in 3 months, people have survived much lower serum B12 results and come out fine after treatment..

The test at St Thomas is worth having, particularly for you as it will define if you are actually B12 def or not, it most likely will also need MMA test, which costs more, but its so worth having a firm diagnosis before starting treatment, all tests are better done without having suplemented yourself..

I hope this helps,

Kind regards,

Marre..

[purplemummy]

Hi ,

170 is extremely low . DO NOT wait three months ... Definitely head down to St Thomas's for " active B12 test " In fact St Thomas & Guys Hospital Trust no longer do the serum B12 ( which will be what you & your husband have had done ) as it has been proved to be so poor at picking up B12 problems . However as mentioned by previous replies you must stop supplementing otherwise tests will show incorrect results .

My Son aged 15 had a result of 170 ( this was following a struggle to get even that tested )& I was told no panic , I fought tooth & nail for Parietal & Intrinsic factor Antibodies & he tested positive for Intrinsic factor ( It is difficult to test positive for either ) . Many of his symptoms have gone or lessened but not all . He has memory problems & general dippyness which is not teenage related . This is 4 mths into treatment & I am giving monthly injections & not 3 mthly .... In fact I think he needs more frequently than that . This is despite testing " replete " on B12 test at St. Thomas before Xmas.

[catsachs]

Hi,

I am new to this site. I was diagnosed 8 years ago with Pernicious Anemia. My B12 was at 296 at the time of diagnosis and I was barely able to function. I had trouble balancing, my head was in a constant fog, my lip and toes tingled and my eyes feel glazed over. I had a doctor that sent me to a nuerologist and thought I should be tested for MS. The neurologist instead had me tested for B12 deficiency and it came back at 296. He said I needed injections, however the GP said it was not low enough for injections and just take the supplement. The nurse at the nuerologist gave me the name of her GP that gives her injections. I went there and got the injections weekly to start with. The new GP also had my tested for the Intrinsic Factor blocking antibody, which was positive. He said that meant my body could no longer absorb the B12 adequately on its own and I would need monthly injections the rest of my life. The nuerologist said to continue until the b12 was over 1100. He said many people seem to respond differently at various levels of B12. I got up to the 1100 in about 10 months. My B12 levels dropped to back to 433 with monthly injections. My GP gave me a prescrition to self inject as needed. He said you can not overdose on B12. I have found I need shots every 2 weeks to maintain a level that I feel relatively normal at 700-800. Even so I feel like I could be better. I have read at this site about the active B12 and am wondering if that is something I should look into. I had asked my GP about correcting the intrinsic factor, so my body would absorb the B12 on its own, but he said because it is so cost effective to give the B12 shot no research has been done on that. I don't know if that is correct, but I have never seen anything to indicate that it has.

Cathy

[hymermad]

Thank you every one for all your replies and suggestions . Very much appreciated. Thank you.