b12 206 do I need to supplement

[Mccrae]

b12 range 211-911 my level is 206.

[Charlie-Farley]

Hi Mccrae

Absolutely you

Need to supplement, 😱 has the doctor said nothing? There is a link to a post that may help inform at the bottom of my reply.SlowDragon has a wealth of info that she provides on this topic and she also advises if your vitamins are out/low the utilisation of thyroid hormones can be compromised. I notice you haven’t filled in your bio. If you click on my face you will see mine - it’s good to do and can help people get a bit of background to your situation and give better advice from a lived experience perspective- I’m presuming you are hypo? Link below 😊👍

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....?

[Mccrae in reply to Charlie-Farley]

thyroidectomy 2013 secondary to benign nodules.

[Charlie-Farley in reply to Mccrae]

Hi Again Mccrae 😊

So totally hypo by virtue of no thyroid which is not the most common route to hypothyroidism. I’m one of the common variety- Hashimoto’s.

Are you on mono therapy or combo or NDT?

If you have vitamin deficiency/ies you need to supplement, but how is your thyroid hormone replacement therapy going? Everything works together and if everything isn’t optimal (rather than the ridiculous term normal which is a misused term) you won’t be at your best.

Could you share recent/latest results for thyroid and vitamins with us that you have? Make sure with ranges and units and anonymised.

Do you follow protocol advised on here for blood tests? Early morning advisable, fasting bloods, nothing but water (but plenty) and take meds after or modify dosing if on combo.

How are you actually feeling right now and could you tell us any OTHER health issues? Sometimes if we keep an eye on things we can ‘head stuff off at the pass’

Have a read of the link to useful post and come back and give us some more background to situation. SlowDragon advice got me back on my feet 🤗❤️

[Mccrae]

I take NAMEBRAND synthroid. Waiting to take labs in a couple weeks. I feel my best when tsh is 4 or 5. I just started bhrt for perimenapause. Haven’t worked in 4 years due to symptoms. Present symptoms

Swollen tongue

Short of breath

Tingling hands and feet

Hair loss

Depression

Fatigue

Actually just increased antidepressant because I didn’t know what else to do

[Charlie-Farley in reply to Mccrae]

😱 gosh not sure about swollen tongue but just about every other symptom mentioned screams under medicated. Glad others have come in with advice.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Charlie-Farley]

Swollen tongue, Scalloped tongue is a hypothyroid symptom thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

[Charlie-Farley in reply to RedApple]

thanks red apple 🤗❤️

[Charlie-Farley in reply to RedApple]

truly believe in lifelong learning, especially since joining this forum

😊👍

[waveylines]

Hi Mcrae. Shame on your GP not acting on such a low B12 level! Are you vegetarian? Not eating meat can cause a very low B12.....as the main source of b12 is in meat. Your GP should be checking cause. So before supplementing ask GP to check your Intrunsic Factor. This is a test for PA. However this test still misses 50% of PA. At this low level if not due to diet its extremely likely you will need B12 injections. Have a look at the B12d.org website. It has a very helpful assessment sheet of symptoms. If you have any neurological symptoms such as blurred or double vision, pins & needles, tingling or sense of electric shocks running up down, numbness, memory loss, robotic feeling in legs when trying to walk, weakness then your GP should not delay treatment whilst running further blood tests. Neurological symptoms should be treated with alternate day b12 injections until all is resolved.....which can take a long time.

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

all of those symptoms. Actually endocrinologist never reported to me.not a vegetarian either.

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

will b12 affect synthroid absorption?

[waveylines in reply to Mccrae]

Might affect effective uptake into the cells but not absorption. We do know that patients on thyroid treatment need an optimal level of B12 to feel well. And it commonly low in Hypothyroidism. But not as low as yours....however I don't know your test ranges and I was basing it on uk ranges. You are in the USA Ive realised.....so the test may use a different range. Hence my request for the ranges.

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

my level 206 lab ranges (211-911) is there still a need for supplementation

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Mccrae]

Although based in Wales, UK, the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum might be worth joining.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

You absolutely do need to supplement. You probably should have at least a course of B12 injections. (Precise practice varies by country.)

BUT - if you supplement now, that will mean that future blood tests will not show the esame very low B12, and can also affect Intrinsic Factor antibody tests.

Further, if you are considering any other supplementation, be aware that taking folic acid while very low on B12 can cause problems. Always start treating B12 before folate/folic acid.

[waveylines in reply to Mccrae]

Yes! You are below range too. You must feel awful. You will need injections of B12.....a specialist once told me when you ate that low & are a meat eater it's unlikely supplementation eith tablets will work. Get the Intrinsic Factor done.

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

Igf level 229 range for my age (118-298)

I truly don’t understand that lab but that was result

[waveylines in reply to Mccrae]

Sorry I don't know know what the igf test is. Have you been checked for coeliacs?

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

yes. Normal

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

that was results for intrinsic factor

[waveylines in reply to Mccrae]

I thought the Intrinsic Factor was simply a negative or positive.... Do u have anyone in your family with PA?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Mccrae]

IGF would be Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)

Intrinsic Factor antibodies is a completely different test to that.

From one UK lab:

Reference ranges

Less than 1.20 AU/mL: Negative

Results are considered negative for the detection of intrinsic factor antibody. Samples with ratios less than the negative cut-off are reported as negative.

1.21 to 1.52 AU/mL: Equivocal

Results that are above the negative cut-off and below the positive cut-off are regarded as equivocal and are reported as equivocal

Greater than 1.53 AU/mL: Positive

Results are considered positive for the detection of intrinsic factor antibody and are reported as positive

southtees.nhs.uk/services/p...

But there is no certainty that the lab which did yours will use anything like the same reference intervals. Especially as the units are "arbitrary units" so only comparable to other results on the same system.

[waveylines]

Im sorry to hear this but not surprised given your b12 level. Do you know the ranges of the b12 blood test - figures in brackets. Definitely see your GP. Go on the website I mentioned and do their assessment sheet. Fatigue is a big factor with B12 deficiency too. Ask your GP to check for anemia too. Endocrinologist would not know about PA or b12deficisncy, I'm afraid.

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

my b12 level 206 lab range (211-911)

[Mccrae in reply to waveylines]

unfortunately my gp passed away and can’t get in with new dr until august

[waveylines]

Oh nooo thats terrible. Is it worth ringing their reception & explain about your very low B12 and you need an urgent sppointment. You maybe be able to order this test online but I don't know who you go to in America. There are postal blood tests. Do it yourself ones....finger prick involved. On Thyroid UK website there is a list but I don't know if it applies to America. Lol