could it be pernicious anaemia?

[Helbo123]

hi all. Currently trying to figure out what’s happening with me and after your thoughts please. I have hashimotos and am perimenopausal so my symptoms could be due to a number of factors. Last year I had low ferritin (level 22, range 18-150). GP didn’t want to treat so bought myself some ferrous folate. Current result 69. T3 and T4 low end of range, TSH suppressed (am on NdT). I’m very tired, don’t have any strength, legs feel heavy, slight tremor in my hands mainly when I’m moving them to my mouth when eating or drinking., my eyes feel puffy. I looked back at my B12 result from last summer and my level was 295. Could my B12 level cause these symptoms? Many thanks

[greygoose]

Hi Helbo123, welcome to the forum.

Low B12 can cause a lot of symptoms similar to hypo symptoms. And yours is dangerously low. Are you not supplementing B12? Did you ask to be tested for PA?

On the other hand, if your FT4 and FT3 are at the bottom of the range, you're under-medicated and that's going to cause a lot of symptoms. Why don't you try increasing the dose?

[Helbo123 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your reply. My GP recorded that B12 result as satisfactory. I’ve only just started looking into it and realised that actually it’s not satisfactory. I have an appointment next week with the GP to discuss it. I was going to start supplementing but thought it might be best to wait to see the GP in case they want to do further testing, what are your thoughts? The same GP recorded my ferritin at 22 as being satisfactory!

I actually thought I’d posted in the PA group and was going to do a separate post regarding my thyroid situation. I see a private endo regarding my thyroid and she is very TSH focused and was happy with my T3 and T4 results. I have an appointment with her in a few weeks and am hoping she’ll be happy to increase my dose.

TSH 0.16 (0.3 - 5.5)

T4 13.4 (12 - 22)

T3 4.4 (3.1 - 6.8)

Folate 5.5 (3.8 - 26.8)

[greygoose in reply to Helbo123]

Well, of course, GPs know nothing about nutrition. They don't learn about it in med school. So, for them, anything that is even vaguely within the range is good, as far as they're concerned. And, of course, strange as it may seem, they know nothing about interpreting blood test results.

But, if you can get your GP to test for PA that can only be a good thing. But, I would suggest that first, you ask about testing for PA on the PA forum:

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

They'll be able to tell you more about it than I can.

I see your folate is also much too low. But that's not surprising given that your thyroid hormone levels are pretty low:

FT4: 13.4 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22) 14.00%

FT3: 4.4 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8) 35.14%

Can't remember what you're taking, but if on T4 only, your FT4 should be more like 75% through the range, and FT3 just slightly lower. So, I too hope she'll be happy to increase your dose! If she doesn't, then she knows nothing about thyroid and you should stop paying her!

[Hectorsmum2]

dont supplement incase he want to re do your bloods. Unless there are other reasons for your low B12 such as being vegi or vegan or taking PPIs or metformin you probably have pernicious anemia and wont be helped by taking B12 tablets anyway. You might well need injections. It would be a good idea to post on PA forum in health unlocked before seeing your doctor. It also sounds like you are still hypothyroid and need an increase of NDT.

[Caradoc1a]

Just to add, my B12 was 334 and I had neurological symptoms. Also underactive thyroid symptoms. Can be difficult to disentangle them. Need to work on both. After 3 months of self injecting B12 every other day, I reckon remaining symptoms likely to be thyroid related. Good luck and persevere!!

[bookish in reply to Caradoc1a]

I hope you are still injecting regularly though! Someone on the PA forum recently shifted symptoms that they had been aware of since the 1960s, so don't think more improvement isn't possible......Gave me a good deal of hope. Cheers

[Caradoc1a in reply to bookish]

I am!! The past 2 days I decided not to SI just to see what happens. This morning I've buzzing in leg and foot again. So, back to EOD!

[Helbo123 in reply to Caradoc1a]

Do you get your injections on the NHS?

[Caradoc1a in reply to Helbo123]

No! GP will not entertain the notion. I had negative Intrinsic Factor & H Pylori tests. She says she is unable to authorise Parietal Cell Antibody test without a gastro referral. The surgery protocol is to only give 6 injections over 2 weeks with a confirmed diagnosis of PA and then 1 injection every 3 months. It would not be enough anyway. So I self inject.

[Helbo123]

thank you all so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it. You can feel like you’re going crazy when the GPs are telling g you you’re fine but you feel so ill.

[Caradoc1a in reply to Helbo123]

If I had believed what GP told me I'd be very ill by now. They do not know about B12.

[Helbo123 in reply to Caradoc1a]

Hmmm not particularly looking forward to trying to talk my GP into testing further