Is this all B12 related?!? - Anemia Message Board

janeeth · 05-02-2008, 06:13 PM

I'm new here, and I've been seeing an endo for a variety of problems. It looked like parathyroid problems to begin with, but the calcium has gone back down and the fatigue and other symptoms remain. Not celiac disease. I am diagnosed Hashi's, but I don't need meds yet. Can any of you offer info on these new labs? I'm now being treated for B12 deficiency, but I haven't had a test for anti-If or anything else specific.

WBC 4.4 (4.8-10.8)
RBC 3.76 (4.20-5.40)
Hemoglobin 11.9 (13.5-16.0)
Hematocrit 35.3 (36.0-48.0)
MCV 94.1 (80.0-100.0)
MCH 31.5 (27.0-34.0)
MCHC 33.5 (30.0-36.5)
RDW 12.5 (11.0-15.0)
Platelet 248 (130-450)
MPV 10.9 (6.0-12.0)
Iron 79 (35-150)
TIBC 319 (250-450)
Iron Saturation 24.8 (20-55)
B12 338 (160-800)

Magnesium, Creatinine at the low cutoff. Vitamin D is low, but I don't know how low. ALT & AST both 1 unit below the low cutoff.

Like everyone else, I just want to feel better. I'm 35!! I'm taking folbic and vitamin d. How long before an oral B supplement begins to make a difference? I'm scheduled to be retested and see the endo in six weeks. Do I need to push to see a hemo instead?

Thanks so much for your insight.

Jane

japlopper · 05-03-2008, 05:54 AM

Jane,
Yes, your hemoglobin is a tad low, and so is your B12, although drs will tell you it's fine, my hema says that people can have symptoms from low B12 with levels under 600. You should start taking sublingual B12 vitamins, and probably have them check your ferritin level. Once your start building your B12 level your body will use your ferritin more, so you'll need to watch that. My ferritin level was 10 last time I checked, which while it falls in the normal range, it really needs to be higher.

When my B12 was 329, I had terrible symptoms. It wasn't until I got them up to 800 and stayed there for a few weeks that I saw improvement.

It takes awhile to feel better - months, really. And you'll have progress and setbacks together, so don't get discouraged.

Take care,
Jill

janeeth · 05-03-2008, 09:41 AM

Jill,
Thanks so much for the information. I'm curious about ferritin. Can the ferritin level be low, while iron is still very much in range? And do you know if people have B12 and iron-deficiency anemia at the same time? I don't see my doc again for six weeks. This has been going on for at least a year -- more pronounced for the last six months. Here's hoping it's better by the end of this year!

Regards,
Jane

mmee · 05-03-2008, 10:46 AM

What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency? My doctor mentioned that as an additional possibility the other day but then never tested for it.

Also- janeeth, what were your calcium levels and then what did they go to when they fell? Also was your pth and ionized tested also?

mmee

janeeth · 05-03-2008, 08:11 PM

My calcium levels were between 10.3 and 10.5, and my PTH was in the upper normal range -- inappropriately normal according to the endocrinologist. But now my PTH is 45 and calcium has dropped to 9.5. There may be an absorption problem too, so maybe that's why my calcium went down. Who knows. I'm just waiting for answers.

Jane