Not pregnant, not trying, prescribed folic acid - why?

[Dolceandgabbana14]

I saw the GP a few weeks ago as I have been feeling really run down and extremely tired. Ended up in tears when he showed some sympathy, so he's probably flagged my file with depression He sent me for a blood test, but I haven't got the results yet.

Going for my '40 year old health check' tomorrow, so I just logged in to our online account to check the appointment time, and can see under 'acute medicines' that I've been prescribed 5mg folic acid (84 tablets). I'm not pregnant, nor am I trying to conceive. Any idea why this would've been prescribed? Will it be the magic energy pill that I'm going for?! I'm not complaining, just curious as to what the blood tests may have shown up to trigger this prescription. In the past I've been borderline anaemic, but iron tablets have usually been the preferred course of action. Apart from extreme fatigue, I've got memory and concentration issues, aching joints, breathlessness- are these all connected, and will the prescription sort it out? Should I be alarmed by the 'acute' term?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/

Acute medicines will just mean that it's a new prescription, not a repeat.

You can be anaemic (and experience the extreme fatigue other symptoms that go with it) from various deficiencies, iron is one of them, vit b12 and folic acid are others. Your result probably showed a low level of folic acid. You might want to check that your vit b12 levels were tested too.

About 6 months after I had my DD I was beyond exhausted and blood tests came back normal. Someone recommended Floradix to me. It was a total game changer and I felt like me again. You can buy it is Boots and Holland and Barrett. Although you might want to see how you current prescription works because it may well help on its own.

Thanks everyone. The link was really helpful. I get into bed and can't sleep, then wake up exhausted every morning and really struggle to get going. I've always been around the eight stone mark but I've piled over a stone in the last few months, which probably doesn't help with the sluggish feeling and breathlessness when I walk.

I'll try to get a print out of my results today, and I'll ask if my B12 levels were checked. If they weren't, is there a reason for asking for them that'll make me sound like I know what I'm talking about, rather than spotting something I've read online?

It's interesting that this was prescribed on 10th April but nobody's contacted me to tell me, I only found out by chance!

Just back from the over 40s check up and the HCA gave me a bit more of an insight into my results, although she wouldn't discuss them with me. She said my iron levels were 13, but my B12 and thyroid were low. I can't remember the numbers and she couldn't give me a print out, this needs to be cleared by a gp first. I think she said the thyroid was something like 4.2, although I'm not 10% certain. No mention was made of the B12 tablets. I have an appointment with one of the GPs on Friday, so what should I be asking? Is the tiredness and weight gain likely to be thyroid related?

It could be but low b12 certainly would make you feel rubbish. Definitely go and see ýour gp to discuss treatment.

I was prescribed folic acid after going to my gp. Was feeling tired and had been taking floridex which doesn't have B9 vit (folic acid) so I was low in that.

Sounds like underactive thyroid. I had an over active thyroid once and the range for normal was 10-24.

I had 44 as my result. Now it's 15. If I was getting F4 results of below 10 I'd be underactive.

Sorry, FT4 results. Underactive is much easier to treat than overactive, in general.