Pls help me understand my blood test results

[spottedinthewilds]

I had a blood test last week. The nurse who took the bloods said that I would get a phone call by Friday with my results.

The blood test was done because I am constantly exhausted. I'm 45 and peri menopausal. I went through a phase a few weeks ago where I felt so tired my face and eyes felt really strange. Almost as if I had a mild case of Bells Pausy. I did a Boots at home iron PCR test which said I had low iron levels. (Didn't meant the minimum level). So I started taking a high dose of iron gummies. I booked the blood test but it was 3 weeks away.

I didn't get a phone call from the GP but I logged onto my nhs app and found the results. They all say Satisfactory and that no further action is required. My interpretation is that I need to boost both my iron and B12 levels as they are at minimum levels. Is that correct?

I would agree with you, yes, they are both very sub optimal and you would likely feel a lot better with them higher. Did they also check folate and thyroid etc?
The group "The Iron Protocol" on Facebook is a good source of information - lots of links to clinical guidelines and research etc to help you and a supportive community.
You could return to your GP and ask if they would give you a trial of treatment to see if it helps, if you want them onboard?

But you can also buy iron OTC without a prescription.

For B12 being low end it would be worth asking them to check your Intrinsic Factor which is a test to see if you might have pernicious anaemia (an inability to absorb B12 in the gut). Assuming you are not veggie/vegan you should get B12 in your diet so I would be questioning why it is low. You can buy B12 in a sublingual preparation (drops or melt in the mouth pills) that should bypass the absorption issues.

Look up the NICE guidelines on both areas and do some research & if it was me with those numbers (and it has been in the past!) I would self medicate if I wasn't getting much help from my GP.

But with both being low, I would be wondering if anything else is low (folate and vitamin D spring to mind as possibilities) & what the root cause is. Thyroid? Gut issues? Diet? In an ideal world, they would do further investigations, especially as you are symptomatic!

Thanks so much for comprehensive response. There were a number of results, including Folate and Thyroid function. They look a bit more normal.

I have iron gummies and will continue to take them. I have bought some b12 tablets, would they work as well as the drops? I'm not vegetarian/vegan and have quite a varied diet.

I'm annoyed that the GP didn't even bother to contact me with the results and suggest some supplements,

Ok that's interesting, your folate is also bottom end of range. Obviously you can work to supplement your way out of all of these but I would be concerned there's some reason why they are all so low.

Have you been pregnant/breastfeeding recently?
Undereating?
Any gut disorders eg inflammatory bowel diseases?
Do you take PPIs or any kinds of antacids that will lower stomach acid and hamper digestion?
Any other inflammatory conditions?
Medications?
Heavy bleeding?

Don't feel you need to answer this but have a think and I would go back to your doctor to discuss your symptoms and the fact that all these factors are right at the bottom of their ranges and crucially YOU DON'T FEEL WELL.

I can't remember how to make a clicky link but York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have a nice flowchart about this that might be helpful?
www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk › ...PDF
Guidance for Primary Care on the Interpretation of B12

If you do choose to supplement I would suggest looking into effective dosages - i for example, t's likely your gummies are only a small amount of elemental iron and you will want the pills with 65mg elemental iron in each, possibly up to 3x a day. You also need to be aware of what you should eat them with (ideally nothing but vitamin c!) and what you need to avoid within 2 hours of them (dairy, tea, coffee etc) to help absorb them.

Good luck, and I hope you can get a doctor to help you work out the issue(s) causing it all.

Not sure why they've hidden my post above - possibly because I put a link in it (to an NHS guide!!) 😂
Hopefully it'll be reinstated later!

https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/severn-pathology/requesting/test-information/vitamin-b12#

This NHS site has a good description of the range of B12 results and action for each.

Iron tummies won't do much for you, especially if you are flooding each month like I was!

I take ferrous sulphate, buy from the pharmacy. I take one every 48hrs alongside a high strength vitamin C tablet.

I did this for three months and my ferritin went from 16 to 71 (same scale as you).

Dont take them any more frequently your body can't absorb any more than that. Also this way there are no gastric issues. I don't get constipation.

Are you dealing with the bleeding? Ask for transexamic acid if you are flooding.

Are you able to tolerate a multivitamin pill like sanatogen gold? That's where I would start. My son had anaemia and I just gave him lots of ready brek every day and it sorted him out in a week.

It depends if you can tolerate supplements though. I can't so I have fix it through diet by eating things like liver to get B12.

Have you tried checking your diet on a diet analysis app like CheckYourFood: Protect Your Health

I find it enormously helpful.

Good luck there. I think you are going to feel so much better when you have your nutrition right. Well done for catching it.