To ask your B12 levels?

[UseAMuckySock]

I have all the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia

my ferritin has come back as 9
B12 - 165

I’ve been prescribed iron tablets but nothing for the B12.

would you say 165 is low? (Enough to cause symptoms)

Normal for our lab is anything above 150. You need to know your labs reference range to see if it’s ‘normal’ or not.
Your ferritin is low so iron tablets make sense and will improve your symptoms but it doesn’t automatically mean you need B12.

Would a B12 level show as B12 on a blood report or as something else? I happen to have a copy of my latest blood report and have just been prescribed iron tablets & folic acid for folate-deficiency Anemia.

No. B12 has its own test.

I think mine was around 160 when I was feeling ill. I pay for injections now and it's above 400. I feel much better.

That b12 is way to low. The UK has such low values for 'normal'. Optimum is 400+.

Mine is around 85 and I'm two infections into a course if 6 so hoping I will be feeling more normal soon!

At a recent medical the Dr told me they like women to have a Ferritin over 100 to make sure they have good reserves.
On my last test the normal B12 range was 25-165 pmol/L so you need to know the reference range before you can judge the B12.

Yes it's low. The test itself is flawed as it doesn't distinguish between active and inactive B12. It's very poorly treated in this country however. Many people choose to order their own supplies and self inject.

According to this (I found online), your B12 is at lower end of normal;
www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/vitamin-b12-level#:~:text=Normal%20values%20are%20160%20to,your%20specific%20test%20results%20mean.

I don't know what mine is now but a few months ago a blood test revealed I was deficient in B12 and folate. I started on 1100'ugm B12 and 400'ugm folic acid daily and am much better for it. I know some people have injections, presumably they have very low levels and I imagine - don't know for sure - I was borderline. However 'the pills' are definitely doing the trick and hopefully my next blood test will demonstrate that. I will also ask for the precise levels, should have done that last time really, I usually want to know every detail.

However I am glad of the improvement, low B12 and folate can cause a lot of problems.

I do hope you get sorted out soon, UseA. We have to nurture ourselves, I admit that I neglected myself towards the end of last year and beginning of this but since then I have eaten well and healthily, and taken supplements, latterly adding the B12 and folic acid.

a friend of mine does B12 Injections (she’s a qualified nurse) so I’m going to get some. Sick of arguing with the bloody doctors.

Anyone know a good folate supplement to take?