b12 testing

[Angie10116]

My worry is this. I had low b12 2 years ago (aug 2022) , it came back in the 200s, can’t quite remember. I had loading doses and it came back in 900s. The doctors left it at that. Then in September of this year (2 months ago) it came back at 390 (180-900). Ive been feeling worse and worse ever since, and now I have a lot of symptoms, also now paired with mental symptoms.

Symptoms: weird sensation in teeth, burning tongue and throat, tiredness, foggy brain, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, coughing. numbness and burning sensation in hands and feet, feeling low etc

I want to push for one more b12 test.. but I have been supplementing for nearly 2 weeks….1900ug per day. So I’m not sure what to do…

My questions are, when is the earliest I can do another b12 test and how long to wait to get the supplemented b12 out of my body

Thank you <3

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Unless you have Pernicious Anaemia, you can maintain GOOD B12 with daily supplements

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m not sure if I have it. It worrying that it dropped like that for no reason… I did get tested for the pernicious anemia but it was fine. I know that the test doesn’t always work

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Angie10116]

B12 frequently very low unless supplement continuously when on levothyroxine, especially if not on high enough dose levothyroxine

Are you vegetarian or vegan

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh I see. I didn’t know that it dropped when taking Levo. 2 years ago it dropped by itself as I wasn’t on Levo then. No, I have a varied diet

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Angie10116]

You quite likely started having thyroid issues years before diagnosis

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

I had hyperthyroidism before, so was on different meds 😄

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Angie10116]

Yes but Graves’ disease also significantly affects vitamin levels

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ah right, I didn’t know that! Thank you

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

Also my folate has been 2.0 for years! I only found out a couple days ago as doctor showed me a graph. So I’ve been deficient for year

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Angie10116]

Core vitamins…..folate, B12 and vitamin D are the first to drop

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you very much. I hope you’re doing well. Wishing you a lovely evening

[PHappy in reply to Angie10116]

Go to youtube, tap in" diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency" it is a documentary. Sally Pacholok is in it. She used to be known as "Sally B12" since she, as a nurse, pestered doctors about proper B12 testing for symptomatic patients which was and is not done.