Well after phoning up my GP a few days ago asking if I could be have a printout of my test results, only to be told "er, I will have to check if that is ok with the doctor", after being told that all my tests were "normal" and "no action needed". So when I went in today to pick up the printout, I was pleasantly surprised to pick them up without any fuss!
Ok so I seem to have lots of results, but here are some of the highlights. There aren't any ranges listed, so I don't know if this is a bad thing?
Serum folate: 5ug/l
Serum B12: 182ng/l
Serum Ferritin: 116ug/l
Blood Glucose: 5.2 mmol/L
Serum Potassium: 3.9 mmol/l
Serum Sodium: 139 mmol/l (assuming this is a typo and should be 1.39 based on other results?)
Serum calcium: 2.25 mmol/l
Serum TSH level: 1.3 IU/ml (0.2-5.5)
Vit D (a year ago): 50.5 nmol/L
Vit D (a month or so ago): 34.5 nmol/L
The Vitamin D is strange as since the first result I have been taking 2,000 IU of D3 a day? Do I need to take more?
I think the B12 is low, and I'm just checking up on this now. But what do you guys think to all this?
Thanks!
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whitenoise
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Hi whitenoise. I had my Vit B12 tested with Blue Horizon in April, and it was 390 ( ref range 191-663). Your B12 does seem to be on the low side, but I know that these ranges do vary from lab to lab! Not sure about your other results. Hope this helps. Lynne x
You could phone the lab to ask for ref ranges but I'll say that your B12 looks low, ferritin can't tell without ref range, calcium looks ok, TSH ok, just. I don't understand the others so hopefully others will comment.
I think you needed a prescription for a loading dose of vitD and then 2,000iu maintenance dose. These are new guidelines published this week which your GP may not have seen yet vitamindcouncil.org/vitamin...
Don't supplement B12 until you've read these guidelines b12deficiency.info/what-to-... and if you search Hampster1 via HU search she has posted some excellent advice on B12 deficiency and what action to take.
In our lab the range for serum sodium is 133 to 146 mmol/L, so no typo.
Under the new B12 and folate deficiency guidelines you are considered deficient in B12 (under 200ng/l) and should be getting further testing and treatment (B12 injections). A doctor wouldn't consider your folate to be low but I would, if you manage to get injections you need this top quarter of the range, at least 15 say.
I'm assuming you have some B12d symptoms? Check out this list here:
Bring them to your GP, he won't have seen them, they are brand new. The British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) cannot be ignored or disregarded by your GP.
Have a look at algorithm 1, and follow the left hand side of the flowchart - i.e. B12 less than 200ng/l. They should draw blood for the anti-intrinsic factor antibody test and commence treatment with B12 injections, as per the BNF section 9.1.2. A positive antibody result confirms PA and lifelong treatment is required. A negative antibody test does NOT mean you don't have PA, the test is only 40-60% accurate. That's why if you respond to the treatment they've coined a new name we all need to remember - AbNegPA. This also requires lifelong replacement therapy.
It's very important that you have good levels of folate and ferritin if having B12 treatment otherwise it won't work as well. Some more info on treatment here:
Just looking at your potassium that's a little low as well. You need to eat lots of potassium rich foods, start now, because once on B12 treatment this can precipitate hypokalemia as you start generating new blood cells. I tend to eat lots of bananas, coconut water is also excellent, jacket potatoes, avocados, beans, spinach, dried apricots. I'm sure there are more, try googling potassium rich foods. x
Thanks to everyone for all the information, help and support! It's nice to get some really helpful and supportive replies, other than claims of being a hypochondriac or "you are looking into things too much"!
Special thanks to Clutter and hampster1, some really useful links and information there which I'm reading. I have an appointment with an apparently more understanding GP who has been recommended to be (but still in the same practice), in just under two weeks time, so will present him with this information! I should also be more clued up and know what to ask for/expect.
It is interesting the more you read, the more a 'bigger picture' starts to form. For example I've also being looking into what has been causing my rosacea to increase recently, and into the effect of mercury fillings which I have quite a few of. There is a link that rosacea could be caused by low stomach acid, maybe which is connected to a possible lack of intrinsic factor, which again possibly connected with my mercury fillings? It could just be me being hopeful, or just a coincidence, but it's certainly interesting. I think it's important to always consider what is the actual problem, rather than just addressing the symptoms.
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