Dx'd with "Vitamin B Deficiency"
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Recently I got a blood panel done to check my vitamin B, D, and thyroid levels. I was told (via voicemail) that my D and thyroid levels were normal, but my white blood cell count was slightly elevated (might just be normal for me) and my vitamin B levels were "very low," at a 7.
Now, I've done some extensive Googling and can only find that B12 normal levels are between 200 and 500 pg/mL... is it possible that mine are 7 pg/mL, or was my doctor's assistant referring to another "scale" for vitamin B in general? I find it hard to believe that I could be at a 7 when the low end of normal is 200!
I've also read about a few causes of this deficiency, but nothing really makes sense for me... I've been trying to eat less animal products, but I don't believe I'm eating so little of them to cause a deficiency this extreme. I also don't have any other conditions except some mental health concerns (which could frankly be caused by the deficiency itself). My grandfather has a deficiency as well... could it be hereditary? I mean, Jesus, I'm only 21!
Yes, I realize I could just call my doctor's office back, but then I would engage in phone tag for days on end since I can only leave message for my doctor. Any help you can offer would be appreciated!
(If you're concerned, I'm starting an prescribed, oral supplement today to get my vitamin B back up.)
Much obliged,
Allison
1 like, 2 replies
clivealive allison10593
Posted
I would think that your "low" level of 7 is probably or possibly referring to folate rather than B12.
You are right when you say B12 is sourced naturally from animal products so please don't cut them out completely.
Folate (B9 or Folic Acid) comes from eating leafy green vegetables, sprouts, broccoli. asparagus, spinach, beans peas etc.
Iron works together with B9 and B12 to make healthy red blood cells and if you are deficient in one or other the other two won't be effective.
Come back with your test results and let us know what your B Supplement contains.
I am not medically trained but have had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for 45 years.
I wish you well.
marion29181 allison10593
Posted
Hi Allison, sorry to hear you are struggling with this at the moment. You are entitled to ask your GP surgery for a print out of your blood test results, they may make a small charge for this to cover paper and printing costs. This will give you a better idea of what "7" was referring to.
As Clive has already said, if your grandfather had a deficiency too, you should make sure your GP his aware of this. We can inherit it, and you need to be sure you are getting the correct treatment and any further testing done. Sometimes the oral supplements don't work and we need injections to build our levels up.
I hope you get all the help you need from your GP, if you have anymore questions you can write on here, or look at The Pernicious Anaemia Society website. It's a scary title, but they have full symptom lists, and not all B12 deficiencies are PA!
Best wishes
Marion