Hello,
I was wondering how to tell if you need b12 injections when you take oral b12 and your serum b12 always comes out looking great? I haven't had it tested recently but past tests always come out way over the range. Anyway, I saw a post by @Marz in which she said that she takes b12 due to having had bowel surgery and I had the same surgery about 10 years ago (as well as having Hashi's) so I'm wondering if that means my ability to absorb b12 is compromised? My surgeon said that it wouldn't be but I can't help but wonder why I'm so tired all the time despite labs looking good.
Here are some recent labs I've had done in the last year. They didn't do a folate test and I didn't know to ask for that.
10/10/22 Vitamin B12 838 pg/ml (>= 200 pg/ml)
4/23/23 Vitamin D 80 ng/ml (20 - 79 ng/ml)
7/28/23 Ferritin 4 5 ng/ml (22 - 291 ng/ml)
12/23/23 TSH 1.2 uIU/ml (0.4 - 5 uIU/ml)
12/23/23 Free T4 1.3 ng/dl (0.8 - 1.7 ng/dl)
12/23/23 Total T3 81 ng/dl (50 - 170 ng/dl) *Dr will not order a free T3 only a total)
12/23/23 hgb A1C 5.6 (<= 5.6)
I take a multivitamin with B12 and an iron supplement that also has B12 because my ferritin usually hugs the bottom of the range. It took 2 years to bring my ferritin up from 29 to 45. I see an endocrinologist privately who treats my Hashi's and he recommended iron infusions but I can't get it ordered under my insurance because my blood counts and hemoglobin are in the normal range.
These thyroid labs were done when I was on 50 mcg of Tirosint but my endo recently raised my dose to 75 mcg and I guess he's hoping I'll be able to tolerate some T3 medication at some point. I don't tolerate NDT at all so that's off the table. BTW, I take my thyroid labs fasting 24 hours after my last dose of Tirosint.
And to answer your question, Marz, my hubby has had all the same tests done as well as folate and his results are all in the normal range.
Thanks in advance to all who read this and share their thoughts.
Best,
shirlzoni