B12

[Pooh10]

My mum is hypothyroid and results look good for her and endo agrees.

However, active b12 is 51, folate and vitamin d are also low. She’s supplementing vit d (3000iu) / vit k spray, taking folate but GP is being unhelpful re b12. Are there any other tests she should ask for? How do you determine if b12 jabs are needed or if supplements are enough?

Thanks and please disregard if not appropriate to this forum but wasn’t sure where to ask.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Can you provide the range for the B12 test Pooh10; as labs can vary with these. Also results and ranges for other vitamins.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Pooh10

Active B12 usually has a range of 37.5-188 or 25.1-165.

According to Viapath at St Thomas' Hospital, Active B12 below 70 suggests testing for B12 deficiency

viapath.co.uk/our-tests/act...

Reference range:>70. *Between 25-70 referred for MMA

There is a link at the bottom of the page to print off the pdf to show your GP.

But first of all, your mum should check to see if she has any signs of B12 deficiency – check here:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

b12d.org/submit/document?id=46

If she does then she should list them to discuss with your GP and ask for testing for B12 deficiency and Pernicious Anaemia, referring to the information above from St Thomas' Hospital (an NHS teaching hospital in London). If further testing is suggested then she should not take any B12 supplements or folic acid/folate/B Complex supplements before the test as this will mask signs of B12 deficiency and skew results.

[Pooh10 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your helpful reply x

[shaws Administrator]

If your mother has Pernicious Anaemia, the rule is replacement B12 injections every two or three months.

I also have P.A. and my GP said I can have as many B12 injections I feel I need. I have a jab monthly.

My mother developed stomach cancer due to ther GP telling her (after a few years on B12 injections) that she needed no more B12 injections as her bloods 'wer fine'.

My sister and I thought that the doctor's advice was good but we were wrong. The doctor's advice caused my mother to develop stomach cancer which caused her demkise.

[Pooh10 in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws for the helpful advice.

So sorry to hear about your mum, that’s awful.

Unfortunately, I just don’t trust GP and many drs these days.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pooh10]

As few doctors seem to know how important certain replacements are needed by patients. If someone has P.A. they have to have regular B12 injections. I now have an injection monthly. The usual is quarterly injections.

Due to having P.A. our stomach cannot convert food into B12.

This is an excerpt from the link below.

"Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. Most people with vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia have underdeveloped red blood cells that are larger than normal. The medical term for this is megaloblastic anaemia.

nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b...

[Pooh10]

Active B12 - 54 pmol/L (37.5 - 150)

D - 36 nmol/L (>adequate)

Folate - 5.59 if/L (>3.89)

[shaws Administrator]

Your Active B12 at 54 seems very low. I hope your GP knows how to treat you.

[Pooh10 in reply to shaws]

GP has told my mum NFA as within range…so looking at what type supplement is best.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pooh10]

If we have pernicious anaemia (ask Mother's doctor to test for it). If she does have P.A. she has to have a B12 injection frequently due to stomach not being able to absorb B12.

[Pooh10 in reply to shaws]

Thanks, gp tested for intrinsic factor antibodies and it was neg.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pooh10]

That's good and it means your Mum does not have pernicious anaemia.