Vitamin Deficiency Testing

[Merika]

I have noticed a lot of folks on this board say they are deficient in vitamin x or y. How did you all find this out? Where did you have tests run?

Other than for B12 (shots) what can be done other than time and gut healing for better nutrition? Did you find it was worthwhile?

Thanks,

Merika

[Rachel--24]

Merika,

I was wondering the same thing. Is this a standard test or what? I've only had my B12 checked. I asked my doc about vit/min screening last week and he didnt know...said he had to look it up.

-Rachel

[KaitiUSA]

The doctor can do blood tests to check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

If you are deficient, like I was, I found that liquid vitamins worked well because of the way they are absorbed. Also, certain supplements can help with gut healing too.

I chose a different route then B12 shots. I took sublingual B12 vitamins.

[Merika]

So is this just a regular MD doctor who tests for b12? Is it a blood draw into a test tube type of test?

Kaiti, how long did you take the vitamins for? Did you retest and find yourself in the normal range later? Are the sublingual vitamins of a modest portion of the USRDA of vitamins - like 10-100% or are they like health food store vitamins which often contain 2000% of a vitamin?

Thanks,

Merika

[KaitiUSA]

I'm still on vitamins and will continue to take them because I think they help boost my immunity but my levels went back to normal after getting on vitamins for a few months.

Pre gluten free I was deficient in pretty much everything except B12 because I took them sublingually before.

I got retested last August after going gluten free in January of 2004 and all my levels were back up. I was also tested again in January of this year and my levels were still good They still like to monitor it every now and then.

I just got a regular blood test to test for the vitamins...they may have other ways to but I got mine done through a blood test and my regular doctor ordered it done.

I am not sure of the amount of what's in the B12 vitamin but I can check..it's very small and it has a good flavor and you just keep it under your tongue till its dissolved(although I tend to chew it after it's under my tongue for a few minutes)

I guess if you are super low then shots would make sense though until you can get them up.

Let me know if I can help you at all with info.

[drewsant]

My Dr ordered blood tests to check for any deficiencies when he ordered the blood tests for Celiac. He knew that one of the indicators for Celiac is being deficient in vitamins/minerals. I am low in folic acid, so he put me on prenatal vitamins--which I haven't filled yet because I can't afford to until I get paid next week--hopefully they'll help to make me feel better.

[Rachel--24]

What is wrong with my doctor???? I've asked him for this test 3 times now and he just looks at me blankly. He has no clue what this test is...keeps saying he needs to look it up. I told him its a standard test...any doctor can order it. He said its not a test hes ever heard of. Now suppossedly he's going to ask the nutritionist about it. I'm so angry with my HMO...they cant seem to get anything right. I've seen lots of doctors and this guys actually the BEST I've seen...how sad is that! He also ordered the wrong tests for celiac disease last year and because of his mistake I never got the full panel done + he said it was ok not to be on gluten at time of testing. Anyways I'm getting out and finding a real doc ASAP. Sorry just needed to vent...anyone else having trouble getting the vit/min test?

-Rachel

[emeraldskies]

What is wrong with my doctor???? I've asked him for this test 3 times now and he just looks at me blankly. He has no clue what this test is...keeps saying he needs to look it up. I told him its a standard test...any doctor can order it. He said its not a test hes ever heard of. Now suppossedly he's going to ask the nutritionist about it. I'm so angry with my HMO...they cant seem to get anything right.  I've seen lots of doctors and this guys actually the BEST I've seen...how sad is that!  He also ordered the wrong tests for celiac disease last year and because of his mistake I never got the full panel done + he said it was ok not to be on gluten at time of testing. Anyways I'm getting out and finding a real doc ASAP. Sorry just needed to vent...anyone else having trouble getting the vit/min test?

-Rachel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been having a similar problem. I've wanted my vitamin and mineral levels to be tested for quite some time, but since I haven't found anyone who will perform the tests for me, I've been leaving my body in a horrible state where I am avoiding taking any vitamins because I don't want to mess up the tests. So, I continue to get worse. Before I was diagnosed, I at least had a daily multivitamin and B-complex (and occasionally calcium and vitamin E). I feel since I have had legitimate disorders that have been repeatedly blown off, and since my body tends to have an extreme reaction to little things (for example, when I had appendicitis, I had pain in all of the expected areas, so they went ahead with the appendectomy. When the surgeon saw my appendix, he was sure it was actually healthy, so he looked around in my abdomen for our possible causes of the vomiting and pain. When they did the pathology report, they saw that I did have appendicitis, but it wasn't obvious from just looking at the organ. Also, I've had severe reactions to half the starting dosage of many meds), I need the test results to be off the scale so I will be taken seriously and believed. If I take the vitamins, I may end up not being deficient on the tests, and everyone will say, "See, we told you that you were making it up."

I am not getting any help at all, though, and in fact, I am feeling worse and worse, so I can't neglect this any longer. I researched the tests, and I found ones that I am going to order myself. I have taken several tests from this organization before, and it is pretty convenient to do so. They have an agreement with one or more clinics in many cities in each state (this is in the US) where you can go and have your blood drawn, and you can have the results e-mailed to you. There are many tests that they offer, and there are many more not listed that you can call them about to see if they have them if they are not listed on the site. Things that you should definitely have tested are the vitamins A, D, E, and K, all B vitamins, magnesium, and calcium (and maybe iron). There are also other suggestions on the site for celiac disease (such as CBC, CMP, etc, which are very common tests that doctors order all of the time for non-celiacs. It seems like your doctor is just being difficult. Doctors treat me the same way everywhere I go). Here are the recommendations for celiac disease: Open Original Shared Link

Also, here are the tests for malnutrition: Open Original Shared Link

After I get the test results back, I will start taking my vitamins again. This probably won't mess up my future bone scans because my bones are obviously curved and that's not going to change until I get treatment.

[Rachel--24]

Emeraldskies,

I'm glad you found a place to get these tests done. Hopefully you can get the results back soon so you can start to feel better. I hope you're not letting yourself suffer just so you can prove something to your docs though. Were you taking vitamins before and did you feel better? I was taking supplements but was getting worse...they had gluten and that was one of several things that led me to get retested for celiac disease. I just dont know what I need to be taking right now or if I need to take anything at all. I had to call and complain about my doctor and this usually gets some results...at least he called me back. I don't think he's trying to be difficult I just think he really does not know very much at all which is kinda scary since he IS my doctor

Thanks for the links...I'll probably have to end up printing something out and giving it to him so he knows what tests to order. I've had to do this in the past with him. If my Enterolab comes back positive my doc will accept that as a diagnosis...I'm thinking the GI doc probably will be less enthusiastic though.

I'm sorry you're going through so much right now...hopefully you will get better soon!

Thanks again

-Rachel

[Nevadan]

Regarding tests and labs, I too find Labtestsonline.com to be a good source of information on specific tests. Also if you have a Quest Diagnostics Lab, Inc nearby, they have an affliate, Questest, that provides patient ordered testing in most of the states they operate in. You can view the available tests at Open Original Shared Link

George

[emeraldskies]

Whoops, Lab Tests Online has a lot of good information, but I meant to refer to Health Tests Direct, where you can order tests: Open Original Shared Link. Sorry about the misinformation.