Great Wishing you well.

Melody

New readings
 

Hi,

My new readings are in. They look good I believe, or what would you say?

Vitamin B12 733pg/mL (I was only taking B complex at the time of testing)
Homocysteine 12,80 µM/L
Iron 137 µg/dL
Ferritine 15,8 ng/mL (only this one seems a bit low acc. to their reference range).
Eosinophil granulocytes (white blood cells) are 1% above the range, with 504/µL (I have had an infection very recently, maybe that's why. my GP should be able to pick that one up).

If I am not vitamine B12 deficient, I have to look to further to find the culprit. Is there any other deficiency which could cause neurological problems?

Hi.

I know Mrs. D will be along to comment. She knows her stuff.

Hope you are feeling okay since getting that infection. I've been laid up with sciatica, going to P/T and just about going nuts because I like to be active and at my age sciatica is no walk in the park, aside from having two bum knees. At present I watch the people dancing on tv, jumping off of stuff and I go "how on earth do they do that, why don't their backs and their knees kill them?"

Ah, to be young and healthy again.

Oh well, all we can do is support each other and give good info.

Keep taking the B-12.

Feel better.

Melody

"Low ferritin may also indicate hypothyroidism, vitamin C deficiency or celiac disease" - from wikipedia. I highly doubt I am vitamin C deficient, but was never tested for the other two. I guess it's the time to make any possible test, since I do have a serious problem.

The homocysteine is rather high.

B-complex has B12 in it. If you have intact intrinsic factor, it
will aid in the absorption of the B12 in the complex.

Ask the doctor for an MMA test. If this is low, that means you are utilizing the B12 normally and most likely don't have the MTHFR mutation. If high it means the cyano in your vitamins is registering a false elevation. Cyano will test with a B12 test, but if you are not converting it to methyl form, you will still be deficient biologically.

Do you have the MCV value from your CBC test? If borderline high or high, it suggests low B12 utilization too.

Thanks! My MVC is rather high, with 91.2 fL (ref. range 76-96). I will see if I can convince my doctor to an MMA test .. if not, I could just go to that diagnostic center and order it myself, that should work also.
My low ferritine could point to celiac disease? I dont understand why I have normal (upper range) iron but low ferritine, o that is also interesting.

Women often get low ferritin. As you age you may become estrogen dominant and have heavier periods. This causes a slightly higher loss of iron. If you are past menopause, then low ferritin is more problematic.

MCV goes up as the red cells get larger...once past a point which you are almost at, it signifies macrocytic anemia, which is a low
B12 type, and also a possible deficiency in copper.

Thanks. I will get the MMA test; also, I will not take B-complex, only methylcobalamin 1000mg a day, and will get re-tested after 1 month or so, does that make sense?

Yes, but stop the B12 about a week before any testing. This will help minimize false elevations.

I've made a list of what needs to be checked. I have some time anyway, before I go to the university clinic for emg and whatever else they will want to check, so might as well continue with my Sherlock job myself.

MMA
Folate
Vitamin E
Vitamin D
Copper
Zinc

Is there anything else what could and should be checked in case of neurological symptoms?