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Vit B12 too high on blood test

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Posted 4/26/2023 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone ever had HIGH Vitamin B12 on a blood test? When I search about this, I just find posts about low levels. I assume that’s what my doctor was testing for, to see if it is low. Well my on my recent test it came back high! The range is 153-655 and mine was 728.

I googled a bit and it seems having high levels of Vit B12 is not in itself harmful but it does indicate a possibly “severe” underlying condition. One of which is a damaged liver.

On that same blood test, my ALT was also high!! Normal is <36 and mine was 65. If just this was out of range I could possibly explain it away, but combined with that Vit B12 number, PLUS some odd looking poops I’ve had recently…. I am worrying.

I did call my doctor right away but could not get an appointment until May 4. I presume she’ll want to do further blood tests, maybe a full liver panel. Well, that’s what I want to do anyway.

Anyway, does anyone else get their Vit B12 measured and was it ever out of range?
Posted 4/26/2023 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
You don't take any multivitamins or other vitamins with b12, do you? Mine is always quite high, but I take a b12 supplement since I'm vegan. Your b12 doesn't seem that much higher than the upper range.

Hopefully everything is ok and future bloodwork will come back normal.
Posted 4/26/2023 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I do take one supplement that contains some Vit B12, but I have for years. Mind you, I've only had Vit B12 tested one other time and that was last September. My level at that time was 463 which is within the normal range.

If it was just the Vit B12 out of range, I think I'd shrug it off more easily. Well all I can do is wait to see what my doctor says. But that doesn't stop my mind going in circles about it in the meantime!
Posted 4/26/2023 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
I went back and checked my test results because I couldn't remember if I once had a slightly weird liver test and I did. It was high bilirubin. My doctor did an additional blood test and it was normal. That was 2 years ago. It's never been high again and I get bloodwork done every 4 months. For what it's worth.

I bet your vit. B12 could've just been due to the timing of taking the vitamin. My last b12 level was 1,374 pg/mL.

Let us know what you find out!
Posted 4/26/2023 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Well I take that supplement every day at the same time and have done so for years so I'm not sure about the timing aspect. That supplement does not contain THAT much B12 anyway. From what I've read (which does not make me an expert by any means!) the liver is supposed to be removing any excess out of your system so you would normally not have a high level in your blood, so that fact that it registers high means your liver is not doing its job.

I dunno. I will definitely let you know what my doctor says.
Posted 4/26/2023 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sara, your B12 measurement was pg/ml. On my test it is reported as pmol/L. Makes it hard to compare. I ran it through a conversion thingy and must not be doing it right because it comes out that 1374 pg/ml = 5043 pmol/L. That's crazy.

Does your test give you a reference range?

Wait - I guess it makes a difference WHAT you are converting. I just found something that specifically gives a conversion rate for Vit B12. 1.35 pg/ml = 1 pmol/L So that means 1374 pg/ml = 1017. Is that right? Oh lawd, don't ask me to do math!!

Okay I just found an actual online conversion thingy for B12 and it comes out 1014 so that must be about right.
Posted 4/27/2023 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
When I was septic in the hosp,mine was 2000 I forget the units, now just below normal.
Oldmike
Posted 4/27/2023 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
Oh maybe it would be the same units as Sara's so yours was quite a bit higher than hers was.
Posted 4/27/2023 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
My range was slightly higher than yours but I can't remember off the top of my head now and don't feel like looking again. It's from my supplement and no one ever said it was a concern. I have been taking it a little less often lately so we'll see what it is next month.

You take your vitamin at the same time of day but was your blood test at the exact same time? Was your diet the exact same? I guess you're right and you could be dying, but you feel fine other than mild flare symptoms, right?
Posted 4/27/2023 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah Sara, I actually do always go for my blood tests at the same time. I am a creature of routine, LOL! I keep thinking that if this were an isolated thing, I would agree it would be no big deal. But alongside that other liver reading (ALT) being high, I find it more concerning.

I will see if my doctor says to stop taking the supplement to see if it makes a difference. I'm continued taking it because 1) apparently high Vit B12 is not in itself a concern, it's what it says about your liver that is and 2) I don't want to skew the results of the next test.

I do feel fine otherwise but of course I went down that wretched rabbit hole and read that you don't feel any symptoms from liver damage until it is Too Late and it is time to update your will! Well, in my more reasonable moments I think maybe it means the Mezavant is taking its toll, which is the whole reason we are monitoring my liver and kidneys. So then what, is my next worry. If I have to stop taking it, what would I be prescribed next?

My diet has also been crap while I've been on this flare. Low fibre and not very nutritious. In my more optimistic moments I think - maybe that's what it is. I've been slowly adding in more fibre since getting those test results. Can't handle raw vegetables yet though. Those always are hardest for me during a flare.
Posted 4/27/2023 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
My B12 went up to 1400 around 10 years after my liver enzymes climbed. I was taking the same multi since 1987 that has a very small amount of B12.
I do have PBC liver disease, so that seems to be the reason. It's gone down a bit, but is still high.
I do suggest you get an AMA blood test done.

q
Posted 4/27/2023 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
AMA, okay I will make note of that. I've not heard of that before so I'm off to look it up now. Thanks.
Posted 4/28/2023 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
SN,

I've never had really high B levels so I am unable to help you there.

I would recommend that you get another set of tests done asap to ensure they didn't screw up the first one. They did that with my alt/ast levels and when redone the next week they were normal. I never was able to find out what happened. But it totally freaked me out.

Clo
Posted 4/28/2023 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Clo, yeah that's what I'm planning to do. My appointment with my doctor is on May 4 (Thursday) so I will request more testing then. I would like to do a whole liver panel this time, repeat the Vit B12, plus add the AMA test Quincy mentioned. We'll see if my doctor goes along with that or if she has other ideas.
Posted 4/28/2023 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Please let us know.

I'm crossing my fingers for you!

Clo
Posted 4/28/2023 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you!
Posted 5/2/2023 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Let hs know what the next tests show and what your doctor says.
Posted 5/5/2023 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Spoke with my doctor yesterday. Boils down to, she is not concerned by these numbers. All she said about the Vit B12 was to stop taking the supplement. (BTW, originally I said it contained a small amount but when I looked at it again and googled the daily recommended, it is actually pretty high). I seem to recall, Sara, you were told the same thing when you had high Vit B12.

The other bad result was the ALT. Again, she was not very concerned. She said because the other results were all normal, it is unlikely there is anything wrong. Plus when there is liver disease ALT is usually 5-7 times normal, and mine is nowhere near that.

She does want to retest it in 3 months and then said something about again in 6 months, but I am not sure if that was just if the result was high again. I asked about doing more tests but she said it wasn't called for at this stage.

So now I guess we just wait for 3 months and see what happens. Hopefully I can just relax about it now and quit googling all these scary possibilities. There still may be something wrong but it seems like it's not so dire that immediate action is required.
Posted 5/5/2023 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
She could still do an AMA test...
q
Posted 5/6/2023 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
Thats good! Yeah, they've never been concerned with my high b12. Yeah, those vitamin B supplements tend to pack a lot in. I like being able to see my lab results for myself but sometimes it does it cause me unnecessary anxiety because I also Google everything immediately before even hearing back from my doctor. I would try not to worry about it if she isn't.
Posted 5/9/2023 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
SN,

I've had my tests come back wonky also. Dr. Google scares the living crap outta you....

Are you flushing your system out with water? My PCP had me start 4 tablespoons of organic ground flaxseed daily, increase my liquid intake and my AST and ALT are down to 15. (You have to work up to the 4 tablespoons.) I don't know if it was a fluke but we'll see in 4 weeks when we redo them.

Clo
Posted 5/9/2023 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
I really try to flush my system out with water... I used to drink loads of water every day, but somehow now I have to constantly remind myself and focus on it. Somedays I am better than others.

I also read coffee was good for the liver. I drink two cups in the morning (small mugs... not coffee shop size "cups", LOL). I am not clear if decaf is also of the same benefit, but I figure it can't hurt so I am drinking decaf in the afternoons now.

Never heard of taking organic ground flaxseed for liver! I could try that. Do you just mix it up with water or what? I'll have to see where I can get some.
Posted 5/9/2023 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Curious as to what the flaxseed is supposed to do???
Posted 6/12/2023 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
I got my b12 tested again last week and thought of you, ha. Mine came back a bit high again. I know for me I'm just taking too much of my supplement though so I plan to scale back a little.

Are you feeling any better?
Posted 6/13/2023 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, interesting. Well just a bit high, especially if it's consistent, does not sound too bad.

I am feeling pretty much like normal. If I didn't look in the toilet, I would think I was in remission. But I still have mucus and/or a bit of blood or a few bits of mush alongside mostly normal stool. Just one bm per day most days.

I am due for blood test & fecal calprotectin by the end of the month. (This is my GI's blood test, so does not include the B12). I bet the fecal calprotectin will still show inflammation. My symptoms never match the actual state of my innards.
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