Go to your GP with a copy of your test results and mention that:
1. vitamin B12
2. folate
3. Ferritin
are all under range.
Also now go onto the pernicious anaemia society on healthunlocked and ask for advice on your vitamin B12 and folate test results.
In regards to the vitamin D you need to buy some 5,000IU supplements and take one every day for 12 weeks. After that have a vitamin D test to see where it is. ((City Assays do one for around £30.) You are aiming to get your vitamin D level up to 100nmol/L. If you go to your GP and mention your vitamin D result s/he will tell you to take the standard 600IU recommended by the Chief Medical Officers of the UK. This will do absolutely nothing to raise your levels. Take vitamin D3 4 hours away from levo and with your fattest meal of the day. In addition take magnesium and vitamin K2-MK7. Do NOT take a calcium supplement. You can buy them all on Amazon.
I forgot to say once you have seen your GP start a new thread with what they have advised. Often GPs give crap recommendations as they have no knowledge or very little knowledge about nutrition and exercise.
Oh and ideally your GP should test your haemoglobin levels to confirm you don't have iron deficiency anaemia not just a low ferritin level. A low ferritin level on it's own is called non-anaemic iron deficiency.
Ok you don't have iron deficiency anaemia but you still need to go to the GP.
The reasons for this is:
1. It is recorded on your medical records you have these deficiencies - which if you have issues later you can point this out so they don't just try and put you on anti-depressants.
2. You may as well try and get things for free on the NHS instead of having to buy it as you are paying for it anyway.
3. The GP is suppose to monitor you so y own thing you should get at least one test on the NHS before you resort to doing your testing.
All the above results are too low. You will have to supplement.
Ferritin : This needs to be mid-range or a little bit over - about 80 - 100, possibly a little higher with the reference range you have been given.
I took ferrous fumarate 210mg, one tablet, three times a day, first of all via prescription, but then I started buying my own. I managed to get it without prescription from Lloyds and Tesco Pharmacies. It comes in a box of 84. If asked why I need it I just say I don't hang on to iron and have to supplement.
This gives a daily dose of 3 x 69mg = 207mg of elemental (pure) iron per day, and I would consider this to be the maximum safe dose. It is the amount of iron you take in a supplement which is important, but many people can't tolerate iron supplements very well and have to take lower doses of iron, which may slow down improvement.
Some other iron supplements :
Ferrous sulfate - usually comes in a dose similar to ferrous fumarate
Ferrous gluconate - 35mg pure iron per pill
Ferrous bisglycinate (aka Gentle Iron) - about 20mg - 25mg per pill
For meat eaters - Eating liver a couple of times a week will also raise iron levels, and can be eaten in addition to taking other iron supplements.
Well worth reading - written by helvella, one of the admins on here :
With each dose of iron, also take 500mg - 1000mg of vitamin C. Iron supplements cause constipation in many people, high dose vitamin C causes diarrhoea. Adjust the dose of vitamin C to keep yourself comfortable. Vitamin C also helps the body to absorb iron.
High levels of hemoglobin in your serum are generally a sign of hemolytic anemia. Conditions that can cause red blood cells to break down abnormally include, but are not limited to:
sickle cell anemia: a genetic disorder that causes your red blood cells to be rigid and unusually shaped
G6PD deficiency: when your body does not make enough of the enzyme that produces red blood cells)
hemoglobin C disease: a genetic disorder that leads to the production of abnormal hemoglobin
thalassemia: a genetic disorder that affects your body’s ability to produce normal hemoglobin
congenital spherocytic anemia: a disorder of your red blood cell membranes
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Ferritin, folate, vitamin D, B12
Ferritin folate vitamin D and vitamin B12
Results help please
Ferritin, folate, vitamin D, vitamin B12 results
Ferritin, folate, vitamin D and B12
