Could Iron deficiency/B12 be causing all my neurological problems?

[Occum86]

Please forgive me if I'm in the wrong place and if I talk too much!  This is the first post I've ever written about my situation.  If I’m in the wrong place advise me on where I should be?

My question is could B12 /Iron deficiency be causing all my neurological problems?

I have been to hell and back over the last 12 months, test after test after test but still no answer! My Aunt had MS so they eliminated that one first.

For the last 6 years I have been experiencing symptoms that I have just ignored and put down to being tired all the time from work!  As time has gone on symptoms have got worse. Here is just a few! Fatigue, stabbing pains/pressure in head, numb/cold feet and hands, numb face mostly on left but can be on both sides, swollen lymph nodes under jaw and neck, flashing lights in both eyes, twitching muscles, heavy arms, tinnitus, carpel tunnel, walking upstairs feels like I’ve just run a marathon, RLS, dizziness and heart palpitations, and the list goes on!  Over the last 12 months I have had the following tests:

2 brain scans – with and without contrast - Clear
2 Spine scans- cervical to sacrum - Clear
Nerve conduction test on all limbs - Normal
Hearing test - Normal
Eye tests - Normal
Ultra sound on reproductive parts - Normal
Ultra sound on abdomen – Normal
Ultra sound on lymph nodes in neck and body – Normal just swollen!
About 10 separate blood tests - Positive ANA 1:1600 (all other autoimmune follow up tests were normal)

As my doctors and specialists have found nothing wrong with me apart from a positive ANA blood test they say it’s ‘Psychosomatic.’ I thought maybe they could be right as nothing else has shown up.  So from there I saw a psychiatrist and went to counselling for 6 sessions.  They said it was anxiety and put me on anti-depressant’s! I didn’t feel depressed I felt ill and was just scarred and frustrated that nothing was showing up on any of the tests.  So after all this I went to see a nutritionist who started me on a good diet and several vitamins.  After 3 months of that I still feel tired all the time and the numbness and pins and needles are still here!  About two weeks ago I went back to my Dr’s telling her that I was unable to feel the skin on both legs. She used that annoying word again ‘Psychosomatic!  I wanted to scream at her but instead I said ok, went directly to the secretary’s and asked for all of my files from birth.  Cost me £50! I read them at home and within a few minutes of looking I found that at the age of 17 (I’m 35 now) I had a migraine and experienced numbness in my hand, face and tongue!  I don’t really remember this but around the same time I was diagnosed with anaemia due to my ferritin level being 4.8 (shouldn’t really be below 30!).  At the same time my Haemoglobin was normal.  They put it down to my heavy periods and gave me 3 months of iron tablets.  So fastforward 18 years and I went back and asked my Dr last week if I should have the ferritin test done as there may be a connection.  She looked unimpressed that I had even got my notes but reluctantly sent me for a FBC and Ferritin test. They took blood from me but the haematologist refused to carry out the ferritin test as he said my haemoglobin was normal.  I went private (£70!) for Ferritin test and it came back this morning as 22.  I’m now being tested for my b12 as last year it was 260 (shouldn’t be below 400 I have read) If you’re still reading this thank you for staying with me!  
My question is, could the supplements that I have been taking from my nutritionist have affected my ferritin result? I really expected it to be lower than 22.  I have been on Magnesium (600mg a day) Vitamin B50 complex, GTF Chromium, Omega 3 and acidophilus probiotics.  Any idea’s on what I should do next? Self medicate and see if all the numbness and weird sensations go?  See what my Dr thinks? I’m completely lost to what to do next and as I write this my right hand and face is completely numb! :-(

Any ideas would be much appreciated :-)

[Occum86]

Thanks for taking a look at my results, I don't really understand them at all. Hope they make sense? I have put what the test is, the normal amounts next to it and below it the dates and my results. Please let me know your thoughts or any other tests that you would advice me having/repeating.


White blood count 4-11
1993          Nov 01    Dec 09.  Dec 10.
3.7.          3.9.             3.6.            3.4

Red blood count 3-5.8
93      Nov 01    Dec 09.    Dec 10
5.09.    4.76.    4.95.    4.9

Plasma Ferritin 10.0-250.0
Needs to be 70+?
Aug 93       Aug 11
4.8              22

B12 145-914
Aug 93        Oct 09        Dec 10
998              260            274

Serum Folate level 2.5-20
Aug 93        Oct 09        Dec 10
17.7                9.7           15.3

Haemoglobin concentration 11.5-16
Nov 01        Dec 09.            Dec 10.
11.7              14.4                13.1

Haematocrit 30-50
Nov 01        Dec 09.            Dec 10
0.37(litres).  44.        40.2

Mean cell volume 79-99
Nov 01            Dec 09.          Dec 10.
78.0.                88.9.              89.5

Mean cell haemoglobin level
27-34.5
Nov 01          Dec 09.        Dec 10
24.6.              29.1.            29.2

Mean cell haemoglobin concentrate  31.6-36.5
Nov 01            Dec 09.        Dec 10.
31.6.                32.7.            32.6

Platelet count-observation 150-450
Nov 01            Dec 09.          Dec 10
174.                  222.              164

Neutrophil count 1.7-7.5
Nov 01        Dec 09.          Dec 10
1.5.              1.38.                  1.65

Lymphocyte count 1-4.5
Nov 01        Dec 09.        Dec 10
1.7.              1.76.              1.32

Monocyte count observation 0.2-0.8
Nov 01    Dec 09.      Dec 10
0.6.          0.4.            0.36

Eosinophil count observation 0.0-0.5
Nov 01          Dec 09.          Dec 10
0.1.                  0.6.                0.4

Basophil count 0.0-0.1
Nov 01          Dec 09.        Dec 10
0.0                  0.1.                  0.1

Serum TSH level 0.27-4.2
Nov 01      Dec 09.            Dec 10
1.29.            1.02.               1.13

Serum C reactive protein level 0.27-4.2 miu/L
Nov 01                            Dec 09.                  
68.0 (umol/L).            5.0mg/L

Blood glucose level
Dec 09.                  Dec 10
4.3.                          3.7

O/E-Systolic BP reading 0.0-0.1
Dec 09.    
110 mmHg

O/E-Diastolic BP reading
Dec 09.                  
75 mmHg          

Serum Cretonne level 44-133
Dec 10
65

GFR calculated abbreviated MDRD
Dec 10
90 mL/min/1.73m2

Serum albumin level 35-50
Dec 10
47

Serum bilirubin level <=21.0
Dec 10
7 umol/L

serum alkaline phosphatatase level  20-130
Dec 10
73 iu/L

ALT/SGPT serum level <=41.0
Dec 10
37 iu/L

Serum urea level 2.5-7.8
Nov 01          Dec 10
4.0            4.8 mmol/L

Serum sodium level 113-146
Nov 01            Dec 10
139.                  143

Serum potassium level 3.5-5.3
Nov 01            Dec 10
4.3.                4.1

ESR 1-12
Sep 10                  Dec 10
4                            5

DNA antibody (0.0-30.0)
Dec 2010
12.3
Double standard DNA antibody was negative.

Complement C3 0.75-1.75
Dec 2010
0.94

Complement C4 0.14-0.54
Dec 2010
0.75

ANA
Feb, Dec 2010 and Feb 2011
Positive hemogenous pattern
1:1600

ENA
2010
Negative

Cardiolopin IgG (<10.0)
dec 2010
3.0
IgG cardiolopin antibody negative

Total protein 60-80
Dec 2010
80

Albmin 35-50
48

Creative kinase (<167)
65

Immunoglobulin A (0.80-4.00)
1.01

Immunoglobulin G (5.3-16.5)
12.5

Immunoglobulin M (0.50-2.50)
2.46

Urea 2.5-7.8
Dec 2010
5.9

Creatinine 44-133
Sept 10.            Dec 10
66.                    73

eGFR
Sept 10.          Dec 10
89.                  79

Bartonella/cat scratch
Negative

Calcium 2.2-2.6
Oct 10
2.51

Magnesium 0.7-1
Sept 10
0.8

[bbxx]

As far as your ferritin being low. My doc said the same thing--no iron issue. I went to a second doctor and she did a ferritin test becaue my hair was so thin you could see my scalp. It just was falling all out all over. THe ferritin was almost none, so she put me on iron. Three months later, it stopped shedding. Now 9 months later an dmy hair is normal again. Dont buy the anxiety label. Thats what they use for anything that would require them to do some work. Bottom line,  most doctors, at least the ones I have seen,  are lazy and want everything that is pre-charted for them. (basically if you fit in this chart of standard testing they will help you, anything requiring them to dig and research and they say it must be anxiety). I had anxiety for years (I am 42). In those 42 years, I know anxiety and I know my body better than anyone. They see a female, extra work, label it anxiety. I was complaining about my hearat for years. Always told nothing, just anxiety. Finally I passed out after it was in a strange rythm and guess what---it wasnt anxiety. Shocker eh? I was misdiagnosed a few other times due to the fact that some doctors are just plain ignorant and lazy. I never went to med school, but I was puking my guts out non stop and had horrid throbbing pain in my back. My body does NOT work like the standard text book. Two urine tests negative and no fever, so they conclude anxiety. I tell them my body is not like everyone else, I dont get fevers, etc... finally my husband insists they admit me. They do and a nurse comes in and I am crying and I tell her, this is not anxiety. She believes me and tells me to wait for the shift change. cause the next doctor is really good. He comes in and says the same thing...anxiety. The nurse actually tells him, "she does not have anxiety, she is in serious pain and we had to give her stuff to stop the vomiting." He says ok, lets do an ultrasound. Guess what....NOT anxiety, it was a really bad kidney infection. My whole life I have listened to docs pass everything off as anxiety, and the funny thing is, every single time they did that, I pushed em back and guess what, I alwasy had something REAL and unrelated to anxiety. I could write a book. Do not let the antidepressant pushin doctors call your symptoms anxiety. I know when I have anxiety. I  know when I have a panic attack. I have never ever said it  was something real when it was just anxiety or panic. I know the difference.

[Londres70]

To be honest, this labwork is too old to give you an accurate opinion.  With counts like these, you should have been referred to a Hematologist.  

Basically, most of your CBC panel was abnormal or low normal, i.e WBC, PLTS; this is concerning.  Plus your B levels and ferritin levels were low.  Your CRP level was elevated.  I saw your TSH level.  Didn't they do a full thyroid panel?  i.e. TSH, T3, T4 levels.  Need that done.    

Have any of these "swollen" nodes been biopsied?  Any history of gastric issues?  

See if you can get prescriptions for b12 and iron tablets ASAP.  That needs to be corrected immediately.  Hopefully, this idiot of a physician will at least do that for you.  How in the hell did she conclude this is "Anxiety?"  I think she is the one who is "nuts" or just plain "lazy."  

Any other symptoms besides what you have listed already?  

BTW:  bbxx makes some very great points.  Couldn't say it better then bbxx.  

[meniere135]

The doctor didn't say to give her iron.  The visit was taking me in all different directions so I forgot to address the low ferritin.  So I give my daughter a multivitamin with iron.  Then at her next appt. I'll have her ferritin rechecked.  I'm slowly trying to wean her from milk products.  

When you stand up, do you feel pressure in your head?

[Occum86]

Oh that's good getting her on multivitamins with iron.  It would be interesting to see what her ferritin level is when it's rechecked.

Yes, I get head pressure, happens when I'm sitting down as well as standing up!  It's usually in my temple areas, especially the right side! I also have stabbing sensations in the head like im a voodoo doll being poked with pins! :-(

[Occum86]

Thanks Bbxx,  for the first time in a whole year, after hearing your story I don't feel so alone anymore!  My partner has been a solid rock for me throughout all of this but he can only take so much of me talking about my symptoms before it gets him down too :-(  

I like what you said about knowing your own body better than anyone.  I have always felt the same up until Doctors said it was psycosomatic, then I had doubts about my mental state having concluded that they hadn't found anything wrong!
Thanks so much for your feedback :-)