blood test result help

[mklanch]

for the last 2 years i've been suffering with tiredness, insomnia, dry itchy skin and scalp, heavy periods, 1 stone weight gain that i cant loose, being very cold all the time, very bad memory and numbness/tingling in my right hand and foot.

i went to the doctor and he said he wanted to do blood tests to check for a thyroid problem, he also checked for hormones etc.

so the test's have came back. it says i have a borderline b12 deficiency. doctor hasnt contacted me yet as i can view my results online.

these were some of my results

b12/folate 131
SHBG 130.1
TSH 1.69

does this make any sense to anyone? im confused if these results are bad or good.

anyone?

Do you have the reference ranges for those results? B12 and folate should be two separate results.

Also TSH is not enough on its own to show whether you have a thyroid problem. As you have classic symptoms though I would look at the Thyroid UK website and forum.

Pathology Investigations

B12/folate level
Serum vitamin B12 level 131 ng/L [144.0 - 915.0]
Below low reference limit
Serum folate level 4.8 ug/L [3.1 - 19.9]
Serum ferritin level 24 ng/mL [11.0 - 306.8]

Pathology Investigations

SHBG 130.1 nmol/L [18.2 - 135.5]
Please note: New reference range as from 09.07.18
Reference range assumes non pregnant, normal
cycling and not using steroid contraceptives.

Serum testosterone level 2.0 nmol/L [0.0 - 3.1]

Pathology Investigations

Serum TSH level 1.69 miu/L [0.34 - 5.6]

these are my results (copied and pasted from my online results)

Pathology Investigations

Bone profile
Serum calcium level 2.24 mmol/L [2.15 - 2.7]
ADJUSTED CALCIUM 2.24 mmol/L [2.2 - 2.6]
Serum inorganic phosphate level 0.9 mmol/L [0.8 - 1.5]
Serum alkaline phosphatase level 37 iu/L [30.0 - 130.0]
Serum albumin level 42 g/L [35.0 - 50.0]

Liver function tests
Serum alanine aminotransferase level 11 iu/L [1.0 - 34.0]
Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase level 12 iu/L [0.0 - 37.0]
Serum bilirubin level 9 umol/L [3.0 - 21.0]
Serum total protein level 65 g/L [60.0 - 80.0]
Serum globulin level 23 g/L [20.0 - 42.0]

Renal profile
Serum sodium level 138 mmol/L [133.0 - 146.0]
Serum potassium level 4.4 mmol/L [3.5 - 5.3]
Serum urea level 4.5 mmol/L [2.5 - 7.8]
Serum creatinine level 70 umol/L [49.0 - 90.0]

That's not a very comprehensive full blood test. Are you waiting on any more results?

Your B12 is below range so it is significant and really the doctor should have phoned you about it. It needs upping.

The Dr should have done a more in depth look at things like immunity, another iron aspect which I cant remember its free ferritin and haemoglobin maybe? Blood cell count and size. White cells. Etc as that's all pretty standard. I think?

@IncessantNameChanger

That's not a very comprehensive full blood test. Are you waiting on any more results?

Your B12 is below range so it is significant and really the doctor should have phoned you about it. It needs upping.

The Dr should have done a more in depth look at things like immunity, another iron aspect which I cant remember its free ferritin and haemoglobin maybe? Blood cell count and size. White cells. Etc as that's all pretty standard. I think?

this was everything they tested and all the results.

whats weird is i have a good diet so cant understand why my b12 is so low! but i've felt like rubbish for around 2 years, but had thought it was the stress of trying to find a house. b12 being low doesnt really explain my 1 stone weight gain, but perhaps ive just gained weight.

sorry i missed these ones!!

Pathology Investigations

Full blood count
Total white blood count 5.1 109/L [3.7 - 11.1]
Red blood cell count 4.61 1012/L [3.8 - 4.9]
Haemoglobin concentration 136.0 g/L [110.0 - 150.0]
Haematocrit 0.388 l/l [0.36 - 0.46]
Mean cell volume 84.2 fL [80.0 - 101.0]
Mean cell haemoglobin level 29.5 pg [27.0 - 32.0]
Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 351 g/L [290.0 - 360.0]
Platelet count - observation 177 10*9/L [150.0 - 450.0]

Differential white blood cell count
Neutrophil count 2.7 109/L [1.7 - 7.5]
Lymphocyte count 1.9 109/L [0.9 - 3.2]
Monocyte count - observation 0.3 109/L [0.2 - 1.0]
Eosinophil count - observation 0.2 109/L [0.0 - 0.5]
Basophil count 0.1 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.1]

I’m not sure about the other values but low B12 can definitely contribute to all those symptoms, directly or indirectly. Mine was only 40! Call your GP when open and ask for a (telephone) appointment to discuss them. The nursing team at my surgery who organised my injections and tablets were amazing but it took chasing for the GP to pass the information on to them. Hope you feel better soon

@Stressedout1980

I’m not sure about the other values but low B12 can definitely contribute to all those symptoms, directly or indirectly. Mine was only 40! Call your GP when open and ask for a (telephone) appointment to discuss them. The nursing team at my surgery who organised my injections and tablets were amazing but it took chasing for the GP to pass the information on to them. Hope you feel better soon

thank you, i will call them on monday

Your Serum B12 is below range, so your GP should be offering you a loading dose of B12 injections and then regular injections no more than 12 weeks apart. At the same time, he should be advising you to take a B complex supplement with a reasonable amount of methyl folate in it to get your folate level up.

Your ferritin is so low that you are only two points above the cut off for non-anaemic iron deficiency, so you also need an iron supplement to get that level up to something like mid-range.

As I said above, TSH alone is not enough to diagnose or rule out a thyroid condition and thyroid issues often go hand in hand with auto-immune B12 deficiency.

As well as Thyroid UK, you could look at the Pernicious Anaemia Society website.

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anaemia-b12-folate-deficiency/diagnosis/interpreting-investigation-results/

Why would the doctor contact you? You can see your results. Make an appointment if you wish. It's not up to us to chase your results.

@RuthW

Why would the doctor contact you? You can see your results. Make an appointment if you wish. It's not up to us to chase your results.

it says on my results that action to be taken: doctor needs to contact patient. also the nurse told me that once my results are in my doctor will contact me to discuss if anything comes up. i will however call up on monday

[quote NaToth]Your Serum B12 is below range, so your GP should be offering you a loading dose of B12 injections and then regular injections no more than 12 weeks apart. At the same time, he should be advising you to take a B complex supplement with a reasonable amount of methyl folate in it to get your folate level up.

Your ferritin is so low that you are only two points above the cut off for non-anaemic iron deficiency, so you also need an iron supplement to get that level up to something like mid-range.

As I said above, TSH alone is not enough to diagnose or rule out a thyroid condition and thyroid issues often go hand in hand with auto-immune B12 deficiency.

As well as Thyroid UK, you could look at the Pernicious Anaemia Society website.

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anaemia-b12-folate-deficiency/diagnosis/interpreting-investigation-results/[/quote]
im in the process of moving 3 hours away! i thought i would just get a tablet.

@RuthW

Why would the doctor contact you? You can see your results. Make an appointment if you wish. It's not up to us to chase your results.

Is this a joke? Is it now up to patients to interpret their results and task the doctor to prescribe something where needed?

Hope you feel better soon OP.

@RuthW

Why would the doctor contact you? You can see your results. Make an appointment if you wish. It's not up to us to chase your results.

Erm, it is up to you if you work in a doctors surgery especially if you're a doctor to check the results and phone the patient.

I know most doctors are acting precious at the moment but come on!

thank you :)