u/Boring_Name99

I went in for a check up after having a bunch of different symptoms popping up over the last few months. Had blood work done. B12 is at 301, down from 376 last year. Vitamins D at 41. Before this follow up visit, I researched my results. Everything stayed relatively the same except for the b12. Made a list of blood work that I wanted to get done (MMA, homocysteine, folate, B6, intrinsic factor antibodies(?), iron and ferritin). Showed him the list and he stated that I should hold off on those since everything is “within range”. Informed him that I would like to get them done anyways. Then he started rambling about how insurance might not cover it. I insisted that I would get with the provider to discuss that. He STILL would not make the labs for me. The only good thing that came out of this is that I got a referral to a neurologist.

Wtf is their problem? Why do they do this? I waited 2 weeks just to be told that?? I purchased b12 supplements and have waited on taking those until I get all the blood tests I wanted done. I was hoping to start taking them this week but now I have to keep sitting on them until I can find someone to order these labs for me.

*edit*
After reading that I could order my own labs, I went ahead and did it. I probably could have had it covered by my insurance had I got it ordered through a provider, but then I’d have to waste time trying to find someone to write it up. I’ll follow up with the results once they come in. Thanks all

I just learned that eggs are a great source of B12, which is interesting because for nearly 15 years now, I have been eating eggs almost every morning for breakfast. I was eating 5 eggs everyday and only recently lowered it to 3 due to my loss of appetite, yet my b12 level is at 300, which is down from last years test.

I’m holding off on supplementing with b12 pills for now until I’m sure I got all the lab work out of the way, but now I’m wondering if the pills will even be effective considering that my system isn’t taking the b12 in from the eggs that I’m eating? Or maybe the b12 results I’m seeing is from the eggs and my levels would be lower than they are had it not been for the eggs? 😩

I have been having symptoms starting at the beginning of 2024 and only recently started getting B12 labs done last year. My baseline result was 371 in late 2024, which then dropped to 306 in my most recent test. My symptoms have progressively gotten worse. So far, all research leads me to believe my symptoms are related to B12, with the cause yet to be determined. My providers site where I view my results shows 300 as being within range, so I just know they're going to shrug it off as being a nothingburger. I'm not medically savvy, at all, so I know if I ask them what other tests can be done, they'll likely tell me to change my diet or some other BS.

I have a follow up scheduled so I want to get somewhat of an idea of what I should be asking to have done next just in case they do decide that I'm "in perfect health!" and it's all in my head. I included a screenshot of the tests that were done so far.

https://preview.redd.it/c3rqw22eufzg1.png?width=1431&format=png&auto=webp&s=241fffc5dba723bc2d4d0b582c7e9ccdd90f90b8

41m, 138lbs, have a relatively healthy diet and active lifestyle: Not taking any medication or supplements. I have been having some issues at the start of 2024, beginning with heart palpitations (specifically low heart rate, 30-40bpm). I felt like I was dying so I went to the ER. Had follow ups with a GI doctor and a cardiologist. Everything was seemingly OK.

Heart palpitations still come and go but it’s not consistent like it was before, so I learned to live with it. However, new symptoms started popping up since such as always feeling fatigued, burning sensation in feet/lower legs (sometimes in the hands after waking up), joints aching, lower back pain, eyes feel irritated / blurred vision, hearing loss with tinnitus, brain fog, weight loss from lack of appetite, hair loss accelerated… My overall cognitive function has changed for the worse. I was severely depressed when I got tinnitus so I always assumed it was from that. I kind of got better at accepting it but I’m at a point where I don’t feel anything anymore, emotionally speaking. I’m not sure if it’s depression or a symptom of whatever I’m going through.. I have a gaunt appearance and I look just as bad as I feel. Going to work is a struggle and I don’t know how I can continue going on like this tbh

I have been getting yearly checkups since and everything has been within range. The last two tests included B12 and vitamin D 25. Within a year, my b12 dropped from 371 to 304 and my vitamin D dropped from 50 to 41. I’m reading that B12 having that kind of drop isn’t normal, but I don’t have much of a trend to go by beyond that.

I have a follow up visit scheduled so I will be discussing it with my doctor, but I wanted to do a little research about this beforehand in case they decide to tell me that nothing is wrong with me. I was referred to a spine doctor as he believes it could be related in some way to my problems? Googling it takes me down a rabbit hole of issues that it could be and chatgpt is saying it could be autoimmune related and is suggesting all kinds of bloodwork to get done… I don’t want to be a google doctor, but at the same time the healthcare system has let me down before so I want to make sure I at least do my own research.

Sorry for the long post. I tried askdocs and got no responses. I’m not sure where else to ask