I have so little faith in my surgery these days, and because I was feeling really drained I did a home anemia test. The result was abnormal, so I contacted the surgery to arrange for a blood test. What a performance!!! I told the receptionist I did a home test and the result was to see a doctor. It was like a fox got into the hen house. I was told they can't have their patients doing their own blood tests. So I replied that if they would give me one I wouldn't have to do home tests, needless to say that didn't go down very well. Anyway I had the blood test and was given the results which I was informed are all fine but I feel uncertain .So, I wondered if you knowledgeable folk could look at my test results and give your opinion?B12 - 556 pmo ( range 133 - 675)
TSH- 0.80 mui (range 0.38 - 5.33)
Serum Ferritin - 17ug (range 11 - 306)
Serum Folate - 6 ug (range 3.10 - 19.9).
I think B12 is ok but not sure about the others.
Written by
Suziscrews
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In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
However, you need a full iron panel to include serum iron, saturation percentage, total iron binding capacity and ferritin to confirm iron deficiency plus a full blood count to see if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia and the iron panel can't show if you have anaemia.
What were the results of the private anaemia test?
Folate is low, B12 looks OK. You could do with supplementing B Complex to help improve folate level. Consider
Thorne Basic B - can be difficult to find and sometimes expensive
Vitablossom Liposomal B Complex from hempoutlet.co.uk
Yipmai Liposomal B Complex from Amazon (this is Vitablossom)
Pink Tribe Liposomal B Complex from Amazon
Remember to leave off B Complex for 3-7 days before any blood test as it gives false results.
TSH wont have any bearing on anaemia or iron but to assess thyroid status it's no good on it's own anyway, you'd need FT4 and FT3 testing at the same time.
Thank you Seaside Susie, I thought it as a it low but where a professional says its OK, then so it should be.I will contact the surgery and query the result now I have something to go on.
I do have B12 shots every 3 months at the surgery, but I also go to the beautician for a top up B12 midway. Nurse said the doctors don't care how ill I am they will only give a B12 every 3 months. I did a vit D and that was ok. They only test TSH, not Ft 3 and 4.I wish I could afford to go private.
Work on improving low folate by taking daily vitamin B complex
As you have B12 injections it’s recommended also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too
Low folate
supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg)
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
I have a B12 injection every month and my GP said I can have as many as I think I may need.
My mother also had regular B12 injections every three months but was told she needed no more B12 injections. The result (I believe) caused my mother to develop stomach cancer that caused.her demise. Both of us had pernicious anaemia.
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes:
Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L
Female's: 16-60: 30-150
Both >60: 30-650
The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘
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New blood test results - B12 & Folate! Please help!! 
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