Those of you who have ever had low ferritin, can you describe your symptoms?

[randyh4]

Having seen at least 3 hematologists, I can say with absolute certainty Stewie knows more about hematology when it comes to the TRT population than they do.



I disagree with the doctor. I find ferrous sulphate to work rather quickly in restoring ferritin for me personally. I don't even think it needs to be used that long either. It didn't seem to cause a noticeable rise in H/H. Maybe it did but hard to tell.



I appreciate the ideas but I had all this stuff checked out and don't have any genetic mutations fortunately. I just over-phlebotomized, simple.

In any case, I do not think my symptoms are from ferritin. I switched metformin out for berberine and it's been much better. Makes me wonder if B12 was depleted. I read standard B12 panels are not accurate and I need to get an MMA test for a more accurate B12 level. Can't draw any conclusions yet. This has come and gone for over a year now.

There was a lady who was always deficient in magnesium so she seen specialist who switched her Metformin out for something else and put her on rx mag and she no longer needs weekly infusions..

 

[nothuman]

Were you supplementing B12?

No because my blood level was always high and above the normal range, so I just figured my body produced naturally high B12 and never worried about it. But then I started investigating and reading that the serum B12 is unreliable and that you need to get an MMA test. Not one single doctor I have seen in the past year ever tested that. They only tested serum B12. It's really sad and puzzling that no physician out of many I've seen knows to do this.

I still haven't gotten an MMA test because I'm in a restricted state where you need a doctor to RX bloodwork, but it's a plausible theory since I haven't felt the awful symptoms the last few days after being off Metformin a week and a half.

There was a lady who was always deficient in magnesium so she seen specialist who switched her Metformin out for something else and put her on rx mag and she no longer needs weekly infusions..

This is interesting.

 

[xpac2]

My Ferritin is high (700) but Hematocritc and Hemoglobin are just below normal range and RBC is just above normal range. Very odd. Any ideas what it could be? I am a carrier of thalassemia so thinking it could be that

 

[Smack]

There was a lady who was always deficient in magnesium so she seen specialist who switched her Metformin out for something else and put her on rx mag and she no longer needs weekly infusions..

I know metformin reduces B12 and CoQ10 but does it reduce magnesium as well?

 

[randyh4]

Clinically speaking, no not really but in this particular case, it seemed to be contributing to client's hypomagnesemia, she will have to be routinely monitored for her life but beats coming in for weekly IV Magnesium. Another symptom seen with low mag is restless legs. As far as the B-12 serum, 1000 mcg IM monthly should do the trick, could always do above dose daily x 5 days, weekly x 3-4 weeks, then to monthly depending on how low serum was.

 

[randyh4]

My Ferritin is high (700) but Hematocritc and Hemoglobin are just below normal range and RBC is just above normal range. Very odd. Any ideas what it could be? I am a carrier of thalassemia so thinking it could be that

So Thalassemia minor I'm guessing? Do you only have one gene involvement? Also a consideration is hemochromatosis, are your liver enzymes normal?

 

[nothuman]

Clinically speaking, no not really but in this particular case, it seemed to be contributing to client's hypomagnesemia, she will have to be routinely monitored for her life but beats coming in for weekly IV Magnesium. Another symptom seen with low mag is restless legs. As far as the B-12 serum, 1000 mcg IM monthly should do the trick, could always do above dose daily x 5 days, weekly x 3-4 weeks, then to monthly depending on how low serum was.

Are B12 lozenges in the methycobalamin form effective or does it have to be the shots?

 

[xpac2]

So Thalassemia minor I'm guessing? Do you only have one gene involvement? Also a consideration is hemochromatosis, are your liver enzymes normal?

yes Thalassemia Minor it runs in my family on my moms side. All Liver Enzymes are normal

 

[randyh4]

Are B12 lozenges in the methycobalamin form effective or does it have to be the shots?

That may be a viable option but some can't absorb b-12 through GI tract so IM is a way to bypass this issue.

 

[Smack]

That may be a viable option but some can't absorb b-12 through GI tract so IM is a way to bypass this issue.

Coming from someone who has done a bit of reading due to MTHFR mutations.

Most people dont see much benefit from swallowing B12. Lozenges are better but they dissolve too quickly when under the tongue. Better method is to leave between gums and cheek and let dissolve over an hour.

Also some people dont do well with hydroxycobalamin - see MTHFR mutations. IM methylcobalamin would be best but all the injectable B12's I see are hydroxy. I would live on Synthelesen if it was methyl.

 

[randyh4]

Coming from someone who has done a bit of reading due to MTHFR mutations.

Most people dont see much benefit from swallowing B12. Lozenges are better but they dissolve too quickly when under the tongue. Better method is to leave between gums and cheek and let dissolve over an hour.

Also some people dont do well with hydroxycobalamin - see MTHFR mutations. IM methylcobalamin would be best but all the injectable B12's I see are hydroxy. I would live on Synthelesen if it was methyl.

Very well said, have you been tested? I think labcorp does it for $99 without physician order.

 

[randyh4]

No because my blood level was always high and above the normal range, so I just figured my body produced naturally high B12 and never worried about it. But then I started investigating and reading that the serum B12 is unreliable and that you need to get an MMA test. Not one single doctor I have seen in the past year ever tested that. They only tested serum B12. It's really sad and puzzling that no physician out of many I've seen knows to do this.
I still haven't gotten an MMA test because I'm in a restricted state where you need a doctor to RX bloodwork, but it's a plausible theory since I haven't felt the awful symptoms the last few days after being off Metformin a week and a half.



This is interesting.

Have you had homocysteine checked?

 

[nothuman]

Coming from someone who has done a bit of reading due to MTHFR mutations.

Most people dont see much benefit from swallowing B12. Lozenges are better but they dissolve too quickly when under the tongue. Better method is to leave between gums and cheek and let dissolve over an hour.

Also some people dont do well with hydroxycobalamin - see MTHFR mutations. IM methylcobalamin would be best but all the injectable B12's I see are hydroxy. I would live on Synthelesen if it was methyl.

Great info. This is what I was trying to figure out. I never really studied B12 much because my serum level was always high. Only recently found out the serum level is basically useless.

Have you had homocysteine checked?

Yes a few times but not since last August when it was 7.2(the dizziness was a problem then as well). I was taking HMG and folate at the time though, so maybe those lowered it despite having low B12?

 

[Stewie]

There's other methodologies outside of MMA as I had mentioned to you a few days ago. MMA is superior over serum B12 as there's a few interferences giving false indications of one's cobalamin status.

The other unmentioned assay you could ask your treating physician for is, holotranscobalamin (holoTC). It's markedly as accurate as MMA without the potential for interference.

 

[nothuman]

There's other methodologies outside of MMA as I had mentioned to you a few days ago. MMA is superior over serum B12 as there's a few interferences giving false indications of one's cobalamin status.

The other unmentioned assay you could ask your treating physician for is, holotranscobalamin (holoTC). It's markedly as accurate as MMA without the potential for interference.

I just wrote this down for when I have another opportunity to get labs. HoloTC and MMA

 

[nothuman]

Does anyone know whether it's possible to have low B12 despite normal homocysteine?