Hi guys, when I last seen the doctor and got my results from B12/Folate/ferritin test...the results were on the lower end of range so she retested. She's rung me back this morning and said is again on the lower end or the range and has suggested 3 x B12 injections and Folic acid prescription. I'm just a little concerned as the endo has sent through for a short synathen test, coeliac test and repeat B12...will these skew the results?
Thanks as always ☺️
Hi Ying-yang
I read up on B12 for my son. From what I understood, it is a big no no to take folic acid when B12 is low, you should take methylfolate instead. I'm not sure which web sites they were, but if you google B12 and folic acid you will find information about it. Someone else may have more knowledge than me and can give you a better response.
Oh right, I shall have a little look into that then ☺️ Im not sure what the prescription is exactly, my doctor appointment is Thursday so will double check what she is prescibining. I'm wondering whether they might also affect the short synathen test? I'm hoping the tests by endo will be in the next two weeks or so.
Thanks for your input ☺️
Ying-Yang, B12 and folic acid shouldn't affect the synacthen test, but B12 injections will raise your B12 over range and will make the endo's B12 test redundant if it is less than 3/4 months after the injections.
I was prescribed 5mg folic acid for 8 weeks to correct folate deficiency. Methylfolate is a more expensive supplement which NHS doesn't prescribe. Some people don't tolerate methylfolate well and do better on folic acid and vice versa.
Ahh ok..well my doc retested B12 last week, and she's doing the injections and folic acid starting Thursday. I have synthacen test/coeliac tests booked with endo for 3 weeks and he was going to repeat the B12 test (didn't realise that) I guess as my doctor has already redone them last week i shouldn't worry about him doing it in 3 weeks time. I was starting to wonder whether I should have held off on the injections for the tests but doc said to start them sooner rather than later. Do you think I should just go for them asap as planned?
How did you get on with the folic acid? Did it correct your levels? I take it the retest you regularly to keep your levels in check?
Sorry for all the questions, might seem like the Spanish Inquisition?!? Lol 😂
Ying-yang, There's no point in waiting for the endo to test if your GP is willing to give B12 injections and they won't affect the other tests. Go for it.
Folic acid was fine. After 8 weeks x 5mcg daily retested Jan 2014 and back in range so prescription stopped. My practice has never suggested follow up testing, I don't think they're big on vit/min tests.
Endo is testing vitD and calcium in May because of mild osteopenia diagnosed in June and high vitD in Dec.
It's hard to handle them being so tunnel visioned (not great grammar I know...but that's all I can do today lol)
Ahh so hop on the supplement front..
After adding this I'm wondering still whether I should hold off on the injections...maybe I'm being para...but after coming so far really don't want to fluff up the test and not be back at square one but even worse off...things ruled out that shouldn't be 😳
livestrong.com/article/5472...
Probably paranoid...your thought would be appreciated thigh 😁😁
Ying-yang, I don't really see the problem. If the B12 injections improve adrenal function isn't that good? If you'd rather wait until after the synacthen test tell your GP and ask her to schedule them in 3 weeks.
My point was simply i didn't want to mask anything by having them too early. Of course it's good if it helps.
Ying-yang, I don't see what improved B12 will mask. Can you ring your endo for advice? I'd be more worried that an endo would see low in range B12 as ok and put the kibosh on getting the injections. If you delay the injections make sure they're scheduled before the endo's letter reaches your GP, just in case.
Hi Ying yang
Here is one of the articles I read, chriskresser.com/folate-vs-... I think if you do take methylfolate it's best to start at a low dose and build up.
Oh wow! Rosypo that's a very interesting read! I shall definitely bear this in mind! I guess I shall have to see what she actually prescribes. I generally eat healthily most parts but still low in B12, ferritin, folate and Calcium, so perhaps I need to vary and mix up more what I eat....tend not to really have much dairy or red meat, perhaps I'm going to have to make myself ☺️ Has your sons B12 got better?
I've only just realised that he might be really low in Vit B because the last blood test was a while ago and he was on the lower range, but not deficient. He now has symptoms which point to low B12, but I can't be certain. However the doctor prescribed him folic acid along with vit D and he has been taking that for a while. So now I'm looking for a multivitamin with methyfolate instead of folic acid. He's feeling poorly at the mo.
Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of whats making him feel ill.
Aww it's not nice watching them feel ill...hope you find out soon for him. Thanks for the info again..will have another read of it all tomorrow ☺️
I would NOT take B12 treatment of any sort until you've had all B12 related tests. If you take any treatment, especially injections, it will neuter all further B12 tests. Without tests on file showing you have a problem you will have great difficulty later down the line establishing that you had a genuine B12 problem. Furthermore, they will no longer be able to establish exactly what that problem was, or where it is coming from. Your B12 could be related to coeliac, for example, or be a pernicious anaemia problem. If you take B12 in any form they will not be able to identify this.
Furthermore, if you mess with the B12 now you will not be able to take Homocysteine tests or MMA, which they might want if they need more data, so no, you've waited this long. Unless you don't care about diagnosis and just want relief, there is no good argument for taking B12 at this relatively early stage. The doctor is working on assumptions that don't seem to be proven yet. I think that's a bad idea and I wouldn't support it.
I've rang the endos secretary and asked the question, she is going to check with him and call me back 😳 at least then he will be aware what is happening as well.
Good move. That way you can get the treatment you need without paranoia that you are making a dreadful mistake. Best of luck in your tests!
Ahh thank you chancery 😊 they rang me back saying all fine to go ahead with, so had the B12 today! 2 more to go so hopefully they perk me up...I'm intrigued to see if any/how many symptoms improve and if so how quickly too ☺️
I'm not good at this waiting game tee hee...if patience is a virtue...I guess I'm not virtuous lol
That's great. Hopefully they should start working their magic. I felt an improvement about two days in - it was that fast - and it fully stopped my major symptom three months into treatment, so I'm hopeful you'll have the same good fortune!
Ahh thank you! That's quite quick then ☺️ that's good to know..ahh did u have a few treatments? I'm having two more injections next week and that's the end, I have 5mg to take a week of folic acid. I'm going to try to work out how to get extra B12 into my diet (not a fan of red meat etc) she said to increase my calcium too 😕 I'll see how it all goes ☺️
I had three weeks of loading shots then one bi-monthly maintenance shot then I talked my doc into giving me them monthly, which seems to do the trick. However, I had trigeminal neuralgia, a neurological problem with severe pain and B12 'cured' that (read: sent it into remission since it is incurable), so I had powerful mojo to convince my doc to give me them monthly, but it is built on sand!
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