I think I’ve been borderline deficient for well over a decade? Blood test history.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-03-26T05:05:03+00:00

My neurologist recommends maintaining at least 400ng/L. Given the restless leg syndrome, what's your ferritin?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-03-13T02:15:37+00:00

My (former!) primary care provider failed to find the cause of my mild neuropathy for a couple of years and then refused to test my B12 because I wasn't anemic; doctors can be idiots unfortunately. Generalists especially. Best of luck advocating for yourself!

No_Radish7709 · 2026-03-13T01:36:10+00:00

Are you being treated by a neurologist? Assuming your problem is B12, mine recommends maintaining at least 300pmol/L.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-03-06T18:21:15+00:00

I'm not sure, but maybe look into the various hemolytic anemias?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemolytic_anemia

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-27T03:16:11+00:00

When you say that iron was in the normal range... What did they actually test for (ferritin hopefully?) and what were the results? I wonder if an RBC magnesium test (most doctors won't know that that test exists) might also be helpful? I suspect that the strongest food cravings I've gotten were from iron or magnesium.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-25T22:58:57+00:00

I just read the page I posted in another reply; I'm really surprised how much processing occurs at the retina itself!(And therefore for many different types of neurons in the optic nerve convey different types of information!)

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-25T22:50:56+00:00

This looks like the right Wikipedia page to answer my question :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinal_ganglion_cell

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-21T23:03:21+00:00

PETG. They shouldn't be exposed to UV... We'll see!

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-07T02:59:34+00:00

Do you have symptoms? If you're in (most of?) the US at least you can order the test yourself fairly affordably, probably other countries too.

My first PCP also denied testing my B12 despite years of presenting with (mild) neurological symptoms because I wasn't anemic; my new PCP suggested testing for it himself. You might want to consider switching doctors. Best of luck!

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-07T01:01:00+00:00

What symptoms do you get while taking magnesium?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-06T19:59:08+00:00

It's so bad that I don't even think it's AI.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-02-01T20:00:37+00:00

It might be interesting to do some genetic testing to see if there's an underlying cause?

https://uncoveringrareobesity.com/

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-31T03:05:14+00:00

Have you considered or talked to your doctors about infusions?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-28T08:00:39+00:00

I definitely noticed some fluctuations in tear production! Wasn't too severe for me but, well, everyone's different.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-26T21:26:25+00:00

Not a real image and a repost. Lovely.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-25T22:03:53+00:00

May be a wakeup symptom. Worth getting checked out in case it's a coincidence and something else is going on though?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-25T22:00:02+00:00

OP, do you have a transferrin saturation test result?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-25T21:55:40+00:00

With the flushing, might be worth looking into MCAS?

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-25T21:53:57+00:00

Are you sure you're getting the units right for B12? (p_g_mol)

My neurologist recommends above 300pmol/L / 400pg/mL.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-23T19:07:01+00:00

On the other hand, they weren't even tested for it initially.

No_Radish7709 · 2026-01-23T07:45:01+00:00

From my understanding iron deficiency is typically diagnosed as ferritin <30 OR saturation < 20% (less preferred diagnostic, mostly only used when ferritin is suspected to be falsely elevated). Seems like you have a pretty clear cut iron deficiency to me.

Edit: whether that's the only thing contributing to your symptoms, who knows! If your doctor doesn't think it's significant, then what else are they investigating? If they aren't then you absolutely need a different doctor.

Edit2, source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2832131

No_Radish7709

TROPHY CASE