Low in Vit D and B12

[Tulipvase]

Hi

Apparently I’m low in Vit B12 and Vit D. I’m not sure of the measurement as I wasn’t given that by the figures were 118 for B12 and 30 for Vit D.

I have a repeat blood test next week and a telephone appointment so can obviously ask questions then but I’m impatient.

Any idea what they might do?

Those of you in uk

Actimel - contains one third of recommended vit D per day

Drink 1 or 2 of those daily
As well as supplement

@worldwidetravel2017 I use the Better You vitamin D oral spray which lasts a good few months for a tiny bottle. Abit more cost effective than actimel if you just want to up vit D and doesn't need to go in the fridge.

I take a daily b12 as my levels go low (not sure on the numbers , doesn’t show on my online record ) . I’ve had the injections in the past but since taking the daily b12 I’ve not had an issue. Also suffer with low iron and had low vitamin D . Again , once I take the vitamins daily it comes back up. Not sure why I don’t absorb correctly anymore.

I have repeat blood tests every 6 months or so.

@ScoobyBooby interesting to hear that, so do you have daily b12 tablets or injections..?

So had a phone call today about the repeat bloods, they want to schedule a telephone appointment but not till a week Friday….. B12 was 148 so was up from 118.

Do you think that means they aren’t going to do anything about it? My husband thinks that they are just busy and that’s what it is like now and it’s not desperately urgent. I’d have thought they would just book me in with the nurse to start injections?

I hate all this waiting around!

148 is still really low for B12 as many people are symptomatic at levels below 400. Again, I was diagnosed with PA when my B12 was 285.

Any chance you can push for the IF antibody blood test? And there was another test mentioned in an earlier post that is also used to diagnose PA.

Even though the B12 is quite low it may fall within the lab's "normal" threshold in which case the GP might choose not to offer injections. Frustrating, I know!

I think this test was for Intrinsic factor amongst other things. I only asked about the B12 on the phone, I might go in tomorrow and ask for a print out. I’ve got the app but it will take 10 days for my surgery to process my request.

Tbf, I’ve not actually spoken to a GP about this so they don’t know that I know it could be pernicious anemia and might require injections. Perhaps the tel conversation is to tell me that? I just thought they would just send me for the injections but my husband says I’m daft and they will want to talk to me about it first. I’m just not very patient lol

@Tulipvase It does make sense that they'd want to discuss the test results with you before just starting treatment. It's hard not to be impatient when you've been feeling awful for so long now!

Probably a good idea to get a printout of the lab results so you'll be prepared for the telephone appt.

@Tulipvase very disappointing they can't fit you in before a week on Friday. Is there any options to see someone quicker..? I would push for a quicker appointment you sometimes have to lay it on thick or noone thinks you are actually that unwell. Can you call first thing to book a same day appointment..? Explain how unwell you are feeling and you are just needing to speak to someone about the results.

Just to check have you taken any multivitamins or anything like that since the initial tests .?

Thanks @LifesShortTalkFast @Rainbowgirrl

That isn’t even with my GP as she is away so I think it is the earliest……

I haven’t taken any vits or anything. I did read that levels can fluctuate quite a bit.

I just want to know what it is!

@Tulipvase that sounds to me like you are booked in on a routine appointment. If it was me I would be ringing up first thing asking for a same day appointment but that's because I have grown tired of patiently waiting for answers. We are told to just crack on and accept when we feel unwell and wait in a queue.This is YOUR health and nobody is going to put that first but you. Question the operator on why they can't give you a same day appointment when you are feeling so unwell and sat waiting for someone to simply talk to you about your results. If your doctor is away it doesn't really matter who you speak to/see as long as you can get some answers.

I’ve emailed the surgery, hopefully they will get back to me a bit sooner than a week Friday! Just want to know if there is a plan to do anything.

I wouldn’t say any neurological problems as in serious stuff…. I have been saying the wrong words sometimes or unable to find the write word in my brain…. So instead of saying pass me the butter I’d say pass me the spoon (that’s next to the butter etc).

I was actually really worried about 6 months ago as it was happening a lot around Xmas but I presumed it was the stress of Xmas! And alcohol! It did improve a bit after Xmas but now I have one eye that has been twitching for 6 months and that’s actually why I went to the doctors!

Shortness of breath seems to be the one I suffer the most.

I have more bloods being taken today as the doctors also requested a stool sample to be sent off and a blood test for inflammation markers? To find out why I’m not absorbing the stuff.

Im early 30s and overweight, I’m not a vegan or vegetarian so should be getting everything I need from my diet as I eat meat, eggs, dairy regularly.

Ive also just discovered that the intrinsic factor test takes 10 days to come back….. could have mentioned that when they called yesterday. I assume they are waiting for that result, even though it’s not very reliable.

I had my b12 tested at my gp and I was at 92. As PP's mention, two weeks of loading dose and then one every three months. After a year repeat bloods to see if you still need the injections.

@Neonyellowfish I had some similar symptoms to you, shortness of breath (couldnt catch a full breath), finding it hard to get my words out like mixing the first letters up in a word or not able to find what word I'm looking for. The twitching eye is neurological. Do you have fatigue or pins and needles..? Post what they come back with and hope you get an answer from these bloods.

@Tulipvase ahh ok so it is abit of a waiting game then. I can totally understand your frustration and when they didn't explain what the wait was it seemed silly to make you wait. Hang in there and I hope you have some sort of results to talk through.

@CR7 have you just had these results? Did they test for anything else other than B12?

If the IF result is positive for antibodies then that confirms PA. If it's negative it doesn't necessarily rule it out; there are a couple of other blood tests they can run that would indicate PA.

In the end though (no matter the cause of the deficiency) the treatment is B12 supplementation.

@Rainbowgirrl I had a full blood count last year. They called me in immediately regarding my b12. Everything else was normal. Xx

Yes that’s how I understand it to be, which makes it more odd that they delay treatment until tests are back, when the treatment is the same regardless of cause…..

Have u asked 4 feretin testing ?

Feretin and vit D often arent on full blood count but are very important

@worldwidetravel2017 yes has it tested also.

Ferritin
Your Value
114 ug/L
Standard Range
15 to 150 ug/L
15 - 150 ug/L

& vit D ?

@worldwidetravel2017 also fine. 44 x

Nhs ranges are wide yes

But 44 isn't really fab 4 vit D

Ideally you want it more 70 - 80

My dr helped get mine from 30 something to 70 something