Low folate - please help!

[Whitlam0]

Hello Everyone, I hope you are all well !

Please could anyone advise.. in May this year I had a very bad sinus infection which I was given penicillin for it then turned into a chest infection which I was given antibiotics for then a few months later I had yet another infection and had to have more antibiotics.

Since all the infections I haven’t been feeling great. I’ve seen a Nutritionist and changed my diet and I drink lots of water. I recently had a blood test which says I have low folate, which I’ve been given 5mg daily folate. All the other vitamins were fine except my ferritin was high. I feel awful, tired all the time, wobbly legs, heat in the body, weak and anxious. Walking any great distance is so tiring and I mean walking about 5 minutes makes my legs burn like when I use to do 20 push ups !!

I’ve been on HRT for 6 Months which has worked great. The blood results showed my estrogen had gone up so I don’t think it’s the HRT.

Has anyone had folate deficiency and/or felt like this? I feel utterly miserable and anxious. I’ve even cancelled the family holiday as I know I won’t be able to walk long distances. My mum died of cancer and I’m convinced I have some weird disease or cancer. I don’t know what else the doctors can test for and I don’t who else to turn to.

Thanks for listening X

Are they investigating why your ferritin is high? DF’s was high but that was due to alcohol, there can be quite a few reasons for high ferritin though from thyroid issues to liver issues, inflammation or Haemochromatosis (I know someone in her late 60’s who has just been diagnosed, I thought it would have shown up earlier!)

High ferritin can cause lots of the symptoms you are suffering.

are they doing any other blood tests? Did you get a copy of your blood test results? There are lots of very knowledgeable people on MN who may be able to offer advice if you posted a copy of results and the lab reference ranges. I hope you can get to the bottom of it and feel better soon.

Sorry, I meant to say lots of reasons for high ferritin, which could be causing you to feel as you are, and it doesn’t mean you have cancer but I understand why you are worried

heat in the body

Can I ask what you mean by this? I have a thread on the autoimmune disease board where I’m trying to figure out the reasons for my symptoms. One of them is feeling like I’m overheating all the time/hot flushes, so I’d be curious to know what you experience. My folate was last tested a year ago and was on the low side of ‘normal’ - 5. I’m having it tested again tomorrow along with other things and hoping for some answers.

Hi MumMum….
thank you for you replying. The doctor hasn’t suggested any other tests just the folate supplement. . He said the blood results are fine for my liver and thyroid and I don’t drink and the high iron doesn’t run in my family. He seemed abit stumped and just said to come back in 3 months to be retested for folate and iron. He suggested iron just goes up and down and the blood test was taken when it was up. But on the test results the iron is ok it’s the ferritin that was high.

I’m starting to get more anxious and upset by not knowing what or where to go for an answer!

thanks again X

My husband had low folate ( 1.2 to be precise) and yes, he felt exactly the same as you do ( according to your post). The full 3-months course of 5 mg of folic acid helped

Thank you Julia, that gives me some hope ! Mine is about 2.7 IG/L

Thank you X

Also, don't expect an immediate result, he started feeling better after about 3 weeks.

@Whitlam0 hi how are you getting on? I know they said to have a blood test in 3 months but just wondered if you are feeling any better? X

Only 2 years late, but did you ever start feeling better?! Literally in this boat right now, even to a point where I'm always confused and my cognitive skills are going! My folate level is 1.5 and I just need to know if I'm ever going to feel better. It's like impending doom all the time! Xx