Please help with blood resukts

[Auntbessy]

Hello my GP is trying to work out why I have numbness and tingling in my hands. She ran these tests. She did a B12 before around a month ago and that came up at around 200. I then started 1000 mg of B12 every day. Do these results look normal to you? She said she couldn’t do T3 as that is now an endocrinologist thing. My TSH looks good but she was wondering about poor T4 conversion. I have been on iron replacement for 6 months it was 11 but is still only 18!

[Marz]

If your B12 is 200 then that could well be the cause of your tingling - a B12 result below 500 can result in neurological symptoms and tingling is one of them - please look at the link below to read so many of the neurological signs of LOW B12 - also click onto FILMS in the Menu on the left to understand the seriousness of how Low B12 can affect your body - the Doctor in the video was just waiting to die.

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Your Doctor is being incompetent because the very FIRST line of the Guidelines for Folate and B12 Deficiency states that clinical Signs should be observed above blood tests. She obviously has not read them ....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

And Number 1 in the above list is ....

Folate must also be checked and needs to be mid-range as it works with B12 in the body. Is your VitD also LOW ? Needs to be around 100.

For the complete thyroid story you also need FT4 - FT3 tested along with thyroid anti-bodies TPO & Tg. Private testing available through Thyroid UK - website below - Click onto About Testing.

thyroiduk.org

[Marz]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

A also posted a month ago on the thread above and gave you advice about B12 - so did you manage to follow it ?? It would have helped your symptoms ......

[Auntbessy in reply to Marz]

Yes I went out and bought some B12 1000 mg pills. I feel like they are making a difference. My eyes feel clearer like a weight has lifted from them and I am less clumsy. It’s only been 3 weeks though. I am not sure but the tingling may be very slightly better. It’s a nightmare getting an appointment with my GP to discuss the blood test. I have had to wait 4 weeks so far. It’s at the end of this month!

[Marz in reply to Auntbessy]

youtube.com/watch?v=OvMxJ6G...(Not working as expected?)

Have linked the film about Sally Pacholok and B12. Worth a watch.

Which B12 did you buy ? Are you also taking a GOOD B complex to include Folic Acid or Folate ( B9 ) I would be taking 5000 mcg B12 Jarrow Methylcobalamin Lozenges from Amazon - that you keep under the tongue until dissolved. Better absorption that way !

I do not think your GP will be able to discuss your B12 results - they are not trained in Vitamins and Minerals. Did you look at the links I posted for you ? - always good to get feedback You also need the information I have posted to be able to discuss with your GP.

What are you doing about the additional Thyroid testing that is not done on the NHS - I posted you a link about Private Testing ....

[Auntbessy in reply to Marz]

I will look at all the links tonight when things are more quiet. Will let you know what I think soon : ) I don’t have a great income so private testing and all the extra vits and minerals gets expensive. I do my best though. The time scale thing with the NHS isn’t great though. I imagine I will have to wait several months to get a referral to an endo re possible conversion problems. I think I will see what the doc says about how long I will have to wait, give the B12 a bit longer to work and review whether I need to test my T3 through an endo or do private testing. My antibodies are high anyway because I have Hashimotos. They aren’t as bad as they were because I am strictly gluten free now but they are still above normal.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

Before you started supplementing with B12, your GP should have tested for the 'intrinsic factor' to disprove you do not have Pernicious Anaemia and our stomach cannot absorb B12, so need quarterly injections. PA is another autoimmune disease and needs to be treated properly. If we supplement if B12 is just 'low' we need to take methylcobalamin sublingual B12 not cyanocobalam (in most over-the-counter supplements).

[Auntbessy in reply to shaws]

But my doc said I was within range and fine. I am yet to debate her idea of fine though as I haven’t been able to get an appointment. I will discuss this with her though.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

Some Doctors don't look further than the blood tests, i.e. only look at the number and aren't suspicious that there could be an underlying cause of symptoms.

Just like hypo where there are many symptoms which we used to be diagnosed upon before blood tests. Now blood tests are the 'king' and symptoms ignored.

My mother (as I do) had pernicious anaemia and after years on injections her GP told her 'you don't need injections now your bloods are fine". My sister and I thought this was great news but it was a death knell and whenever she went back to GP with worsening symptoms no-one appeared to look at her records but gave her different meds for symptoms. She died an awful death.

[Auntbessy in reply to shaws]

That’s awful. I really sympathise. My mother died young of an autoimmune illness. I think she had a string of warning signs for years which weren’t picked up or properly diagnosed.

[Auntbessy in reply to Marz]

Thanks for the video link. I found the film very useful! I have been taking 3000 mg of B12 daily and have noticed dramatic changes around my previous issues related to this thread. I had a long chat with my doctor about the film and B12 deficiency and she kind of sits on the wall about it all and thinks that people have become too faddish about taking B12 supplements but she did say that if it’s working, then keep taking it.

[Marz in reply to Auntbessy]

How very sad your GP should be so lacking in empathy for the thousands of people suffering with B12 Deficiency. their ignorance knows no bounds. So it's a fad that when B12 is low that the Myelin Sheath protecting each and every nerve in the body can break down. Even MS and Parkinsons can be mis-diagnosed. Has your GP not seen the research by Professor Smith at Oxford University showing how the brain shrinks when B12 is Low ? Doctors follow the money and prescribe drugs for the many ailments caused by Low thyroid and Low B12 - rather than establish the root causes. No money to be made from vitamins !

youtube.com/watch?feature=p...

The above link takes you to the talk by Prof Smith - starts around 4 minutes into the video. Also I posted in my first Reply to you the link to the Guidelines that your GP should have read - she cannot deny the Guidelines for doctors are a fad

Let me tell you my story ! - When I was 27 my Terminal Ileum was removed - where the small bowel joins the large bowel. I had gut TB and was in hospital for 6 months with several surgical interventions. The Terminal Ileum - that was removed - is where B12 is metabolised and sent back to the liver - just that one place. I saw a Consultant every six months for the next 30 years or so as I also developed Crohns. NOT once did any doctor inform me that I would need B12 injections for life - I discovered for myself the importance of B12 from this forum - and so I now self-inject weekly but still live with the consequences of ignorance within the medical profession. As I said earlier they are not taught the seriousness of B12 Deficiency. I am not the only one !

Which B12 are you taking ? Also I would take the Jarrow 5000 mcg along with a GOOD B complex to keep all the B's in balance. From Amazon.

[Auntbessy]

I will ask her about folate and Vit D testing when I see her although my Vit D tends to be OK

[Marz in reply to Auntbessy]

OK is not OK !! - you need to see the actual result. Is it around/over 100 ?

[Auntbessy in reply to Marz]

I will check. I think I need to make a checklist of what vits and minerals should be and which results they have. Is there a good place on this forum that has this information? Thank you for your advice btw. You have been so kind. I don’t know what I would do without people like you on this forum!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

See if you can get access set up for your medical results online. This enables you to see all previous blood test results, including vitamin D etc

Or after May 25th this year you are legally entitled to printed copies of all your previous blood test results and ranges for FREE

firstpracticemanagement.co....

[Marz in reply to Auntbessy]

Which B12 are you taking - Cyanocobalamin ? It will be on the label. You must also take a GOOD B Complex

The vitamins that need to be optimal for good conversion are - B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD. B12 0ver 500 - Folate and Ferritin mid-range and VitD over 100.

Docs and Endos are not into convrsion and its importance so do not build your hopes up on that one. We have to help each other to become well. Have you watched the Film yet ?

[Angel_of_the_North]

Usually B12 or calcium. No B12 test there. Needs to be over 500, pref nearer 1000/ Ferritin is very poor; needs to be at least 70. No folate test either (needs to be at least half way up range). No vit D test (needs to be at least high 90s)