How high should I aim to get my blood levels?

[Muffintop]

I was diagnosed with PA 3 weeks ago and have had my 6 B12 loading injections.

My blood results with reference ranges at diagnosis were:

B12: 99 ng/l (>160 ng/l)

Folate: 13.6 ug/l (3.20-25.90 ug/l)

Ferritin: 17 ug/l (11.00-307.00 ug/l)

Haemoglobin: 119 g/l (120-150 g/l)

Potassium: 4.00 mmol/l (3.50-5.00 mmol/l)

Calcium: 2.23 mmol/l (2.15-2.60 mmol/l)

I am currently taking iron tablets to correct the iron deficiency and my haemoglobin has risen from 110 and my ferritin from 4.

I have just had a blood test today to check my levels so any advice on how high I should aim to get my levels would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[SheilaHP]

Hi Muffintop

The range quoted seems to be Normal = 200 to 900, but if age 70+ 1,000 desirable to help defend against dementia like symptons. The BRILLIANT books "pernicious Anaemia: The forgotten Disease" by Martyn Hooper and "Could it be B12? " by Sally Pacholok and Jeffrey Stuart suggests levels should be above 500/550 + to prevent neurological damage.

Personally, I am aiming to get it upto as near 900 as I can, as can't believe how awful I have felt for 6 months (B12 was 270 in October 2012 and just retested after fight with Dr and find its 368 end of Feb 2013 (after me self prescribing 6 wks of 2,000 micrograms B12 daily ). Dr won't acknowledge B12 could account for symptons, but did agree to one injection of B12 last week, and felt so much better virtually within an hour of the jab- tongue stopped tingling, don't feel so breathless and not waking as many times with tingling fingers at night. Also I am sleeping slightly better (now getting about 4 hours), so am now continuing tablets, as Dr won't allow me another injection for 6 weeks!!! This was after he told me B12 tablets are not available over the counter (so why do Holland & Barratt sell them?!!).

I can't get the Dr to do a full screening of my bloods- did you get that done automatically, or did you have to fight? I have been iron deficient for 36 years, and have an underactive thyroid, and have IBS like symptons so I fit the Pernicious Anaemia criteria perfectly, but no help from the medical profession.

Good luck!