Follow-on from first post

[Cherry_blossom]

Hi following on from my first post here are results of ferritin, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Iron was supplemented in May with an iron infusion.

SERUM FERRITIN 113.5 (15-150 premenopausal females, 30-400 postmenopausal females) This result is 2 months old, test to monitor the iron anaemia is being done next month along with serum iron, transferrin saturation%, complete blood count. One abnormality has cropped up since after the infusion and that was a high MCHC? Ferritin when checked before was 101 (same range), time before it was 146 (same range) and time before that - 4 weeks post-infusion - was 187 (same range) Do I need to look to maintain iron level? Periods are and aren't a problem for me at the moment - they make me bleed heavily but for some reason they aren't coming back after stopping...

SERUM FOLATE 2.29 (2.5-19.5) This result is a month old, previous GP prescribed me folic acid to boost level but new GP thinks the infusion has thrown up a folate anaemia and she wants folate retested along with the new iron panel. Not sure if I should be supplementing the folate if this be the case. Folate has gone high, low and deficient a few times.

SERUM VITAMIN B12 469 (180 - 900) This result is a month old. Has dropped from 520 (same range) which was done in August.

25-HYDROXY VITAMIN D2 0

25-HYDROXY VITAMIN D3 51.5

TOTAL 25 OH VITAMIN D 51.5 (50 - 75 vitamin D suboptimal) These results are about 10 months old. Do I need to retest? Previous GP said he won't check it anymore and I don't need supplements any longer. I used to take 800iu.

Thanks

[Cherry_blossom]

Sorry, forgot to add serum iron which was tested 4 weeks after the infusion:

SERUM IRON 10.1 (6.0 - 26.0)

[Clutter]

Cherry_blossom,

Ferritin is optimal half way through range to >100 so yours is fine.

High MCH is explained in labtestsonline.org/understa...

Folate is deficient so I think you should be supplementing folic acid.

B12 <500 can be deficient so I would supplement 1,000mcg methylcobalamin and a B Complex vitamin. B12 and folate are synergistic so B12 may have dropped because folate is deficient.

VitD <75 is sub optimal. Most people are comfortable around 100. I would supplement 5,000iu D3 daily for a couple of months and then reduce to 5,000iu alternate days and retest in May.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[Cherry_blossom in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter. I will need to speak to my GP about the high MCHC because it could be pernicious anaemia; I remember feeling better when taking a B12 supplement in the past.

[Clutter in reply to Cherry_blossom]

Cherry_blossom,

healthunlocked.com/pasoc can advise about B12 and folate deficiency and pernicious anaemia.