Blood test results... do they come in stages? HBA1C missing from full blood count result.

[Catsymoo]

Hey guys,

First time poster here and feeling a bit confused. I had a blood test on Friday as I have been feeling extremely unwell the last 2-3 weeks with nausea, major fatigue, breathlessness, lightheadedness, neck pain, headaches, hair loss. I am off work and can barely even sit at a computer, no covid. I've been on PPIs for stomach acid for a long time and my doctor suspects B12 deficiency.

My doctor ordered a lot of tests on the bloods to check my hba1c, iron, B12, thyroid etc.

I got a call today saying I need another blood test because my white blood cell count was higher than normal, but I had a cold last week when I had the test. I asked the nurse if everything else was normal and she just kinda shrugged like ''I think so''. I logged on to see my test results online and I cannot see my hba1c or anything regarding B12 or thyroid on these results? The only test it appears to be is the ''full blood count'' when on my blood form it says other stuff like hba1c (requested), magnesium (requested), B12, thyroid etc.

Do these results come back separately?

 

[EmmaL76]

They can do, I usually get a text message from my doctors. If I have had quite a lot tested I will usually get 3 messages as they come in batches. Usually you will expect hba1c in a couple of days so should be coming along soon. My full blood count is always dodgy, ranging from under reference range to over within a couple of months.

 

[EmmaL76]

Can I just add, breathlessness, fatigue etc… has your iron been checked do you know, are you female ? Also hair loss and headaches are also signs of anemia. They were exactly my symptoms along with heart palpitations. Anemia also messes with your blood count. Sometimes your total iron count can be classed as fine as there is a very wide range but ferritin can be low, this is more reliable as this shows you iron stores.

 

[Catsymoo]

I'm fully expecting my HBA1c to be high. My main thing I wanted to know was nutrient deficiency and thyroid. I refuse to believe that everything is normal when I have literally all the symptoms of B12 and underactive thyroid. There is no way I could be feeling this unwell and have rapidly greying hair at 32 in the last 3 weeks, and hair loss and thinning.

I want to see the numbers myself as it is a postcode lottery on what a GP thinks is high or low it seems. I noticed on previous blood tests they always clearly included my HBA1C, thyroid and other bits on my results.

These results seem to just be cell counts and that's it. I'm hoping there will be more results as it seems strange.

 

[Catsymoo]

On my blood form, the iron/ferritin was requested but the only test result that has come back is the FBC. I don't know if everything is included under that and they just don't post all the results on your medical records? Thought it was weird my hba1c is not there.

 

[EmmaL76]

Well looking on my online system for results full blood count is platelets, white and red blood cells and all that kinda stuff. Iron maybe included in that. But ferritin has to be requested specifically which most doctors don’t do unless you ask. On my report hba1c has been done separate to the full blood count also vitamins etc seems to be done on a different report
Ahh sorry I noticed you said ferritin was requested… good, and that should show up separately

 

[Catsymoo]

Well looking on my online system for results full blood count is platelets, white and red blood cells and all that kinda stuff. Iron maybe included in that. But ferritin has to be requested specifically which most doctors don’t do unless you ask. On my report hba1c has been done separate to the full blood count also vitamins etc seems to be done on a different report

That makes sense.

I'm guessing if I was anemic or had a thyroid problem it would show on the FBC?

I'm feeling really frustrated because I'm so unwell, and when everything looks normal it just makes me feel like I'm going insane. I was hoping it was something simple like anemia so I could just be given treatment and I know I'll get better. I feel so weak and shaky all the time, I've got this constant pins and needles headache radiating from the back of my head and neck and its causing vertigo. My eyes are so dry when I wake up I need drops to see properly, and I keep going really pale and wanting to faint just from standing up talking to my boyfriend. I'm struggling to lose weight and my hair looks horrendous. My gums are pale as well.

 

[EmmaL76]

If you look on here you can see the batches I’ve had done on different dates and how they were reported

 

[Catsymoo]

If you look on here you can see the batches I’ve had done on different dates and how they were reported

Oh yes that looks the same as mine but mine only says full blood count! Thank you so much for this, it's really helpful. I never know how these things work as I'm petrified of blood tests and barely have them unless I'm really unwell.

The doctor wants another one this friday just for FBC and I'm not sure if I can do it again because I nearly fainted last week and it was a horrible experience. Plus I had a cold so thats why my body was showing signs of a virus

 

[EmmaL76]

That makes sense.

I'm guessing if I was anemic or had a thyroid problem it would show on the FBC?

I'm feeling really frustrated because I'm so unwell, and when everything looks normal it just makes me feel like I'm going insane. I was hoping it was something simple like anemia so I could just be given treatment and I know I'll get better. I feel so weak and shaky all the time, I've got this constant pins and needles headache radiating from the back of my head and neck and its causing vertigo. My eyes are so dry when I wake up I need drops to see properly, and I keep going really pale and wanting to faint just from standing up talking to my boyfriend. I'm struggling to lose weight and my hair looks horrendous. My gums are pale as well.

Wow you are literally describing me!! I’ve been like this for months, dry eyes I have banged on about for weeks on this forum. I am dizzy and lightheaded all of the time, I just want to sleep. I have pins and needles in arms and legs. I just scraped through on my iron but I have very low ferritin, I’m hoping things will improve once my levels pick up. I’ve also lost hair, my skin is pale and my tongue can look virtually white!

 

[EmmaL76]

Oh yes that looks the same as mine but mine only says full blood count! Thank you so much for this, it's really helpful. I never know how these things work as I'm petrified of blood tests and barely have them unless I'm really unwell.

The doctor wants another one this friday just for FBC and I'm not sure if I can do it again because I nearly fainted last week and it was a horrible experience. Plus I had a cold so thats why my body was showing signs of a virus

Your welcome, let me know what the doctors come up with, if nothings showing ask them to check electrolytes if they haven’t already

 

[Leadinglights]

Our surgery does not take blood for the tests but gives you a form to take to wherever you book to get the blood taken so I always check they have ticked everything I expect and if not tick myself.
It is possible that if you have been on PPI's especially esomeprazole your B12 could be low.

 

[Catsymoo]

Our surgery does not take blood for the tests but gives you a form to take to wherever you book to get the blood taken so I always check they have ticked everything I expect and if not tick myself.
It is possible that if you have been on PPI's especially esomeprazole your B12 could be low.

Yeah I was on omeprazole for about 4 years 20mg a day, they upped it to 60mg in October 2021 and when that did not work, they changed me to esomeprazole 40mg a day. 20mg in the morning and 20 at night. My tummy is feeling much better but now I feel god awful. I had covid in November and this is worse. The constant headaches and feeling weak almost like hypo weak but sugars wont be low, I get dizzy after 5 minutes on a computer and I'm really irritable all the time. My eyes are healthy according to tests but they are so sensitive to light.

Sometimes I feel so out of it and confused that it feels like I'm not in my own body, it's been really awful. Doctors have put me on some anti nausea and muscle relaxers to help me sleep and cope, but I cannot work at all. I had a horrible attack in the office a few weeks ago where the lights and sound felt like it was assaulting me and I had palpitations, nausea and dizziness. My headset and glasses felt like they were squeezing my head, and my arms feel weak and ache a lot. I'm an artist and a gamer so I am getting depressed that I cannot do my hobbies without pain and feeling sick.

Even my pillow causes the headache at the back of my head to feel worse and I've been struggling to sleep.

 

[Leadinglights]

Yeah I was on omeprazole for about 4 years 20mg a day, they upped it to 60mg in October 2021 and when that did not work, they changed me to esomeprazole 40mg a day. 20mg in the morning and 20 at night. My tummy is feeling much better but now I feel god awful. I had covid in November and this is worse. The constant headaches and feeling weak almost like hypo weak but sugars wont be low, I get dizzy after 5 minutes on a computer and I'm really irritable all the time. My eyes are healthy according to tests but they are so sensitive to light.

Sometimes I feel so out of it and confused that it feels like I'm not in my own body, it's been really awful. Doctors have put me on some anti nausea and muscle relaxers to help me sleep and cope, but I cannot work at all. I had a horrible attack in the office a few weeks ago where the lights and sound felt like it was assaulting me and I had palpitations, nausea and dizziness. My headset and glasses felt like they were squeezing my head, and my arms feel weak and ache a lot. I'm an artist and a gamer so I am getting depressed that I cannot do my hobbies without pain and feeling sick.

Even my pillow causes the headache at the back of my head to feel worse and I've been struggling to sleep.

Oh dear you do sound to be suffering, just low B12 shouldn't cause all those symptoms. You are going to need to be forceful to try to get a diagnosis and some relief. It could be an aftermath of Covid.

 

[EmmaL76]

I have this exact same thing, especially with screens. I had all the eye checks all fine. Now what I have discovered is that I have blocked Meibomian Glands, those little glands we have in our eyelids that give the tears their oil. I’ve been using a plug in heated eye mask and doing eye massages (gently) and they have been unblocking gradually. Look up Meibomian Gland Expression. Apparently this is the cause of most dry eye cases. I don’t wear eye make up at the minute as this can be a major cause. Honestly the stuff that was coming out of these glands … I couldn’t believe it ! It can take up to 6 weeks to sort them out apparently, I have noticed a massive difference

 

[EmmaL76]

Also with the reflux, mine was so bad I was sent endoscopy. PPIs made no difference. So I bought a Iqoro device. Expensive at £145. It looks a bit like a mouth guard that you put between your lips and pull. It’s trains your oesophageal sphincter, So the acid can’t travel up especially while sleeping. Talking of sleeping, do you sleep with your head elevated? I used to sleep with a wedge pillow, this caused me neck pain and numb arms. The device worked a treat for me.

 

[Catsymoo]

I honestly found that the best treatment for GERD/gastritis is a bland diet.

Mine never used to manifest much as acid reflux, only when it was REALLY bad. I mainly get false hunger pains and my stomach swells so bad I look pregnant. Sometimes right after eating my stomach would feel empty and like it needs to growl but wouldn't. And it was awful and so uncomfortable. I would also get pain in my upper abdomen when standing up top long.

I got some test results back today and my vitamin D is low at 36. Everything else is OK but for some reason the B12 and ferritin they need to test again. The results were invalid apparently. Apparently low D can cause hair loss and feeling like death so I've started supplementing. I've also been taking iron and B12 Floradix tablets as I remember feeling better 2 years ago when I felt a bit hazy and had dry, light sensitive eyes.

Doctors have mentioned my issues could be the following but not sure:
Auto immune B12 and unable to absorb it
Long covid and diabetes
Poor posture causing a neck injury leading to vertigo and weakness and may need physical therapy.

I've tried neck and posture exercises over the last 2 weeks and have seen no improvement. But the headache I have is definitely radiating from the base of my skull. It feels like half of my head has fallen asleep like your arm does when you lay on it.

My next push is going to be an MRI I think.

 

[EmmaL76]

Yes mine wasn’t the traditional acid burning type, they called it silent reflux. More like the feeling of everything coming back up my throat. I get this type of swelling feeling too, under my right rib. I also get those weird hunger prangs, to be honest I thought it was blood sugar dropping. Glad you got some results back but shame about invalid ones. I’m slowly trying to get my iron up, it gives me terrible low blood pressure which makes me feel dreadful

 

[DaveB]

Hi. My HBA1C normally comes back with a few days with all the other test results.

 

[Catsymoo]

Yes mine wasn’t the traditional acid burning type, they called it silent reflux. More like the feeling of everything coming back up my throat. I get this type of swelling feeling too, under my right rib. I also get those weird hunger prangs, to be honest I thought it was blood sugar dropping. Glad you got some results back but shame about invalid ones. I’m slowly trying to get my iron up, it gives me terrible low blood pressure which makes me feel dreadful

You poor thing. I can really relate to what you are going through. I feel like my body hates me. I'm only 32, I should be energetic and have a spring in my step but I feel like a withered husk.

I don't drink or smoke, I gave up coffee. I eat lots of vegetables and have a decent diet. My blood sugar control isn't great but I havent had any complications in my 10 years of having type 1. Seems like since the last 12 months my body has just decided to go downhill. I can't seem to lose weight either and I'm always bloated which makes me feel really depressed seeing my stomach bulge so badly.