Really worried about Blood Test results

[Loobs39]

Thanks to reading information on this site and learning about what I can and can't do, I recently signed a form at my docs to ask for blood test results from the past 3 years. I received them yesterday and am horrified to see that, from May 2011 to last week, my folate has constantly been 5ng (3.00 - 20.00). The last test I had 2 weeks ago was 7ng (4.00 - 20.00) and yet I have been taking Spatone for over a month. I also eat liver at least once a week - what else can I do to raise it. My B12 is superb but as for my ferritin, in May 2011 it was 21ug (11.0 - 307.0) but it hasn't been tested since. I am concerned that this is all impacting on my Throid and really need to get these levels up.

[PinkNinja]

Spatone and liver will help to increase your ferritin but won't have much effect on your folate levels. You will probably need to take a folate supplement with such low results.

Your low ferritin level will almost certainly be contributing to how bad you feel. How many sachets of Spatone are you taking a day? With a low ferritin like that you may need to take 2 or 3 daily or find a stronger, but gentle, iron supplement. Make sure you take it with vitamin C and away from your thyroid medication. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) helps the body to store iron so taking this, perhaps in a vitamin B complex, may help to bring your ferritin levels up.

I hope you find something that works and hopefully you will start to feel better.

Carolyn x

[Loobs39 in reply to PinkNinja]

Thanks Carolyn - I will start taking 3 lots of Spatone a day from now - I always take it with orange juice and at least 4 hours after Levo. I have just found my blood test results from France taken in June this year and my folate was 4.8 (4.0 - 18) and my ferritin was 49 (20 - 180) so a very slight improvement from 2011 but nowhere near enough. I will start on a Vit b supplement as well.

Laura x

[PinkNinja in reply to Loobs39]

You may only need 3 sachets for a few weeks and then drop to 2 as your ferritin has improved. Still a little way to go though. You might want to take the sachets at separate times of day. Perhaps two with lunch and one with dinner. I don't know if it is the case, but I do wonder if it is absorbed better if it isn't bombarding your system 'all at once'. Just a thought

[Loobs39 in reply to PinkNinja]

This is getting worse (I think). I have had a look in more detail and see that in July 2012 my TPO Antibodies were 730.0 (0.0 - 60.0) (this was a Peroxidase test). It wasn't mentioned at the time but the note on the test says "Consistent with autoimmune thyroid disease. Associated with increased risk of other organ specific autoimmune diseases (eg Pernicious Aneamia, Addisons Disease)" Again, this hasn't been tested since then. I was on (and still am) 50 mcg of Levo plus B12 jabs and now lots of iron supplements but does this mean I have an autoimmune disease - I am confused (and concerned)?

[helvella Administrator in reply to Loobs39]

It is almost certain that you have autoimmune thyroid disease. I.e. Hashimoto's.

It is unusual for people to have repeated Thyroid Peroxidase antibody (TPOab) tests - once positive that is regarded as sufficient. There are all sorts of theories about how antibody levels change and what they mean - but precious little real research over long periods.

Have you been formally diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia? If not, it would be good to be tested for intrinsic factor antibodies and,maybe, gastric parietal cell antibodies.

Rod

[PinkNinja in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod

[Loobs39 in reply to helvella]

Hi Rod and thank you for your reply. I haven't been diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia but as I have had to have B12 injections every 3 months since early 2011, I realised I could be suffering from it. I will ask my doctor when I see her but does this make any difference in terms of medication?? I am taking supplements and Levo so assume I just carry on as normal (this is normal?!!)

[Hidden in reply to Loobs39]

Hi Loobs39, have a look all around this link:

b12deficiency.info/

You will find advise about how important it is to have good folate and iron levels when on B12:

b12deficiency.info/assets/p...

You've probably been getting very little benefit from your injections with those levels, and most people can't get by on 3 monthly even when these other things are optimal.

Come and join us on Facebook if you want advice from fellow sufferers:

facebook.com/groups/1749289...

There is also the PAS and B12d.org, links can be found on the webpage above.

Hampster

[Loobs39 in reply to Hidden]

I will do - thanks x