Asking Dr for more info on results

[Jill35]

After blood results showed up I was low in Vit d 37, Ferritin, Folate and B12 and being prescribed 50mg 3 times a day B12, 5mg folic acid and 800 Vit D.

Went back to the Drs this morning to discuss my results and his treatment, I have now been tested for pernicious anemia. I have to stick with what he has prescribed and try that first. If my symptoms don't improve in 3-4 weeks then he will refer me to neurology. And he is chasing up my urgent referral to the endocrinologist which was the start of July.

He also said he feels I am looking into it too much - I said yeah I probably am but I don't feel good and feel I need the cause looked into rather than just treating symptoms and I have found Thyroid Uk very helpful.

In fairness if I hadn't looked into it I wouldn't of been tested for B12, Vit D Folate and Ferritin and as of today pernicious anemia.

[Hidden]

Well there you go. He wouldn't have tested you. Shouldn't be looking into your own health! When it has revealed a range of problems! What an ass this man must be.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

And if you hadn't looked into it, how sick would you have got with your low B12? Take a look at this post that Marz made a couple of weeks ago, maybe your GP would be interested in the video to see what happens when B12 deficiency gets serious healthunlocked.com/thyroidu........

Why is he chasing up your 'urgent' referral to an endo? Because you have highlighted issues that he hadn't given any thought to perhaps?

By the way, I see from a previous post that your Vit D is 37. His prescribed 800iu daily will do diddly squat for that. You need far, far more. Something like 10,000iu daily for a couple of weeks, then 5,000iu daily until you get up to 100-150nmol/L (recommended level), then a maintenance dose of 2,000iu daily throughout the winter. You should then be able to reduce it during the summer when we have some sun. Doctors don't seem to understand optimal, they only know 'in range' which is rarely adequate.

And I expect he didn't tell you that when taking D3 we need K2-MK7. Vit D aids the absorption of calcium from food and K2 directs it to bones and teeth rather than arteries and soft tissues. It's also recommended to supplement with magnesium (another cofactor) when taking Vit D, most of us need it anyway.

Of course, they don't seem to know anything about nutrition so he wont know that.

I hope he didn't prescribe Adcal?????

I need a bigger nose, there's so many doctors I hear about lately that are getting up it at the moment there's not much room left!

[Hidden]

ps U know there is a Pernicious Anaemia forum, don't u? If not, you should pop along and introduce yourself and have a read through. The antibodies he'll be testing for seem to come and go, so it's yet another area where negative results don't necessarily mean you don't have autoimmune gastritis.. the condition which can lead to PA.

You'll know more than him quite fast..

[Jill35 in reply to Hidden]

I have vitaligo and Hashimoto hypo thyroid so I explained to him that autoimmune disorders can overlap each other. I am really hoping I don't have PA as well but I haven't felt right since my daughter was born in June 2015 - initially I put symptoms down to stress. Will certainly check out the PA forum once I get my results back. Thanks

I also printed out from Marz's link and highlighted the symptoms I was having to show him. I think it is good to educate yourself.

[greygoose]

He doesn't want you 'looking into' things, because it shows up his ignorance!

If your B12 is low enough for him to test for PA, then the piddling little dose he's prescribed isn't going touch it! You need a lot more than that. And you need methylfolate - which you can get in the B complex you should be taking with your B12 to keep the Bs balanced - not folic acid.

Oh, and which B12 has he given you? Methylcobalamin or cyanocobalamin?

[Jill35 in reply to greygoose]

Cyancobalamin greygoose - I asked him if he was sure I was on the right dose and he said thats what the haemotologists recommend, and they only give the injections for PA. He has advised that I stick to what he has prescribed and return in 3/4 weeks if my symptoms have not started to decrease he wants to refer me to a neurologist as well.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jill35]

Oh dear

You may want to take a look at this article naturalnews.com/032766_cyan...

Of course, he has given you the cheapest possible and worst supplement.

Which Vit D supplement did he give you?

[Jill35 in reply to SeasideSusie]

colecalciferol 800iu caps SeasideSusie

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jill35]

Just wanted to check that it didn't contain calcium as you don't need the added calcium unless you're calcium deficient and you'd need checking for that.

Did he tell you that you need to take D3 with dietary fat (the fattiest meal of the day, or maybe a cracker with butter)? That is because it's fat soluble and needs to be taken with fat. Don't forget the K2-MK7, it's very important to direct the calcium to bones and teeth and that will do the job.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Dr Cannell recommends spinach with D as a source of k1 which the body converts to K2. Many of the K1 veg are the ones hypos must avoid, so I guess a K2 hypo deficiency might be common.

[greygoose in reply to Jill35]

I knew it! It's totally the wrong one! And in tiny doses, too! which is just as well, really, I suppose. You are not going to be able to absorb that, so it's not going to do you any good. They are all so ignorant!

You need at least 5000 mcg sublingual methylcobalamin daily. So, I don't know what you want to do... buy your own? Tell him? Not tell him? I don't know what the best course is. But, if you are refused injections in the end, you definitely should buy your own, don't take the prescribed muck.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to greygoose]

Sickening isn't it Greygoose. Doesn't it make you want to bang your head against a brick wall?

[greygoose in reply to SeasideSusie]

I feel like I'm already doing that. It just beggars belief!

[Jill35 in reply to greygoose]

Thats the problem isn't it not knowing which action is best. If I don't feel myself getting any better and he is still against the injections then I will buy my own . Its difficult as we are supposed to trust drs.

[greygoose in reply to Jill35]

Yes, but then we learn better! No way can you trust them! When I walk into a doctors surgery, I feel like saying 'Hello! How many people have you killed today?'

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to greygoose]

That made me laugh

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Emily Bronte called them "murdering doctors". I think they went on to help kill her sister with mercury pills. But many still have the arrogance of those days.

[Justliloldme]

Hi Jill

I can't help you unfortunately, but just wanted to let you know I also have a less than helpful doctor who said my blood tests were ok. I paid for my own via Blue Horizon & they have showed up it do have an issue with my thyroid ( the thyroid issue is another story).

However, after posting my results on here both Susie & Greygoose picked up that my Vit B12 was way too low. I took their advice and have begun taking these each morning - Jarrow Methylcobalamin B12, 5000mcg & Jarrows B-Right Optimized B-Complex.

Its early days (4th day today) but I am starting to feel like I have a more energy, it could be all in my head I know, but I'm feeling more positive & in control.

Just wanted you to know that you're not alone with a rubbish doc & Susie & Greygoose really do know their stuff.

And you keep digging & researching, gone are the days when doctors know everything - I'm discovering this now. I always say forewarned is forearmed - if you do your research before you get to the docs you're in a great position to challenge & get what you need.

Good luck xx

[BirgitteG]

How come you need as much as 5000 mcg b12 a day? Isn'the that a huuuuge dose? But maybe that's why the 2000 mcg a day I prescribed for myself 1 week 3 days ago haven't helped that much yet. My GP didn't ask for it in the blood test, but I could see I had so many of the symptoms......

[greygoose in reply to BirgitteG]

Well, you would have to get it tested to know how much you need. But now you've started taking it, unless you can get an active test, you will have to come off it for four months to get an accurate result.

No, 5000 mcg is not a huge dose.

[BirgitteG in reply to greygoose]

Think I'll stick to my 2000 mcg a day. Have tried more these last few days, but feel bad and with overwhelming fatigue, probably because I get in need of potassium (which on the other hand confirms that I really need the b12 according to all that I've been reading about it). But thanks for answering.