I'm 26M and had some testing done last September for a check-up. My GP included B12, etc. to be assessed too. When he gave me the result (see above), he basically just said my B12 'might' be low, all is well, goodbye.
Reading through the subreddit's guide and other people's experiences, I'm starting to suspect that he shouldn't have glossed over my homocysteine level like that.
The reason that I'm looking at it closely is because, from around 2018, I've had a slew of symptoms that have come on gradually. I've been trying to figure them out:
- Random, small twitches that only last a few seconds. Feel like they could occur anywhere on my body. I thought it was the start of ALS.
- Cognitive problems. Often feels like autism in the way I have to mentally think through things. When speaking, I have to practise the sentence in my head before I say it, make sure of the words I'm using, and I'll inevitably slur a word or two despite that. I come across as a little slow and I sometimes forget what I was saying a few sentences ago. I use lots of filler words, made-up words and BS through ideas on the spot, even though I've studied things closely.
- Socially, I've become a bit of a recluse. I get a lot of anxiety about talking to people in general these days, even my long-time friends. My heart races at the idea of needing to contribute to discussions, jokes, etc. all because I leave awkward silences as I think and disrupt the flow.
- Random double vision for far-off objects, starting three years ago. I never had this issue growing up. It's better on some days. My eyes appear aligned from all angles too. I refrain from driving when it happens.
Those are my main issues that I've seen also align with the symptoms of B12 deficiency.
I eat a balanced diet and cook my own meals. I stay away from junk food, sugary drinks, alcohol, smoking - I'm very health conscious.
Just scratching my head about my homocysteine being at 18.
Is it 'easy' for it to be at that level in the sense that it might be random variation from what I ate prior to the test? Could it be chalked up to something else?
And supposing I'm just not getting enough B12, do I infer that it's a malabsorption issue? I'm wondering about the chance of these results occurring to someone who DOESN'T have absorption issues and who eats a varied diet.