# Worried about my wife



## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

My wife has been suffering recently from severe tiredness, aches & pains all over her body & migraines.  She went to the doctors on Thursday who said it could be Fibromyalgia.  She had the full set of blood tests done and got a call from the doctor a few minutes ago saying her folates were very low.  This has really worried her as there is no reason to why this has happened.  She eats loads of vegetables including stuff that is high in vitamin B12, and like you do she has looked it up on the web and some of the things she has read has frightened her (including a form of blood cancer).  Just wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation and can reassure her (and me) not to worry too much.


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## AlisonM (Feb 5, 2016)

Is she on any medications, sometimes it can be a side effect of things like that.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

She has just started on anti-depressants, but that was after the blood tests so obviously not related to them.  Otherwise no.


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## Pumper_Sue (Feb 5, 2016)

Hi Mark, I had a blood test about 5 months ago that showed low folic acid. It's amazing how much better you feel after a top up of folic acid.


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## Rosiecarmel (Feb 5, 2016)

I've no advice to give but I really hope your wife starts to feel better. Tell her to stop Googling! Looking up symptoms online can be so detrimental as you read mostly the "worst case scenarios" and can cause unnecessary stress.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

It's just confusing as to why she has low folic acid.  We both eat lots of vit B12 rich veg such as kale, broccoli & pulses.


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## KookyCat (Feb 5, 2016)

I had low folate levels and B12 deficiency before I was diagnosed.  Likely exacerbated by excessive water consumption with the onset of diabetes, but it was there well before the diabetes took residence.  Both deficiencies can make you feel very unwell.  Mine was caused by a genetic problem, I don't absorb all the B vitamins I ingest and it just tipped over the edge at some point and then went very rapidly down hill when my immune system hit my pancreas (because of the increased water consumption, many of the b vitamins are water soluble).  Easily fixed though, I just have to take short bursts of intensive vitamin B regularly.  Please try not to get too anxious, it could be something very straightforward, and she will feel so very much better when the deficiencies are corrected.  Fingers crossed its a simple top up that's needed.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

Rosiecarmel said:


> I've no advice to give but I really hope your wife starts to feel better. Tell her to stop Googling! Looking up symptoms online can be so detrimental as you read mostly the "worst case scenarios" and can cause unnecessary stress.


Thanks, Rosiecarmel.  I told her to stop googling, but it falls on deaf ears.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

KookyCat said:


> I had low folate levels and B12 deficiency before I was diagnosed.  Likely exacerbated by excessive water consumption with the onset of diabetes, but it was there well before the diabetes took residence.  Both deficiencies can make you feel very unwell.  Mine was caused by a genetic problem, I don't absorb all the B vitamins I ingest and it just tipped over the edge at some point and then went very rapidly down hill when my immune system hit my pancreas (because of the increased water consumption, many of the b vitamins are water soluble).  Easily fixed though, I just have to take short bursts of intensive vitamin B regularly.  Please try not to get too anxious, it could be something very straightforward, and she will feel so very much better when the deficiencies are corrected.  Fingers crossed its a simple top up that's needed.


Thanks KookyCat.  I have tested her BG levels and they are spot on, though she is now on the same LCHF diet as me now.


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## Annette (Feb 5, 2016)

Well I have low iron levels, and I eat green vegs most days, red meat several times a week,  etc etc etc. There is no reason Im anaemic. Sometimes its just a case of not absorbing a particular vit/mineral as well as you might, so an additional supplement can help. Or it might be a straightforward reason why she's not absorbing. Hopefully the dr will now be putting in place tests to find out why she's got a low level, and once thats discovered,  a plan to sort it out can be made. Try not to worry overly at the moment and avoid Dr Google!


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 5, 2016)

Thanks everyone for your replies.  But what a time for the doc to call!  Friday evening!  Meaning can't do anything until Monday.  Well, nothing a few G&T's can't sort out.


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## KookyCat (Feb 5, 2016)

Relax, have your G&T, then a good nights sleep   I honestly don't know why they do that, ring and tell you these things when you can't get more information.  Engage brains before speaking doctor folk!


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## Mini-Vicki (Feb 5, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Thanks everyone for your replies.  But what a time for the doc to call!  Friday evening!  Meaning can't do anything until Monday.  Well, nothing a few G&T's can't sort out.


My DSN called to tell me the results of my HbA1c today, and I was also tested at the same time for Coeliac disease. She told me the result of the coeliac test, as in the actual numerical result, but she didn't know what it meant. And advised me to contact the doc. By this time it was after 5.30, so doc is now closed until Monday... So I feel your pain!
As for your wife's results, try not to worry too much over the weekend, I know that's hard, but more than likely it's very straightforward 
And definitely step away from google!!!


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## trophywench (Feb 5, 2016)

Was reading somewhere that if your Vit D is low, and/or your Magnesium - then it can stop you absorbing all sorts of things no matter how much of it you scoff.  Dunno if folates is one of the things?


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## Pumper_Sue (Feb 6, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> She has just started on anti-depressants, but that was after the blood tests so obviously not related to them.  Otherwise no.


I wonder if your wife's GP has just been a pill pusher here as reduced folates would make her feel very unwell and make her feel depressed. So I would wonder if your wife does have clinical depression or just needs a top up from a supplement.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 6, 2016)

She has suffered from depression in the past, but it's usually been brought on by certain events.  Her father died 18 months ago which hit her very hard, she had to pack her job in due to stress, and now we run our own business that isn't doing as well as we would've liked & she is stressed about that too.


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## Morph. (Feb 6, 2016)

It's really common with fibro to be deficient in some nutrients. The body plays awful tricks when you have fibro and chemicals, hormones and God knows what are interefered with.
There is often no rhyme nor reason as to the low results.  Crack on with supplements and hope it improves.  I've been taking vitamin D for a year now with only minimal improvement.
Fibro is certainly a paradox


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 6, 2016)

I've been researching if there is a link between Fibro & B12 deficiency, and it appears there is, so hopefully a supplement will work.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 8, 2016)

Well, she has been back to the docs today, but couldn't see the doc who phoned her.  She has got Folic Acid supplements for her low Folates, but this doctor doesn't believe she has Fibromyalgia.  She says it's wear & tear for her age!  She is only 43!  She was given Naproxen, for all the good they will do.  She told the doc that her pains started not long after losing her father, and the doc said well, you can't expect to lose your parents at your age.  I'm sorry, but this is a really insensitive and offensive thing to say!


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## Stitch147 (Feb 8, 2016)

OMG!!! I think id have given the dr a mouthful with responses like that!!! Can she see a different dr for a 2nd and hopefully more helpful opinion? I hoe she gets some relief soon. X


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## Pumper_Sue (Feb 8, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Well, she has been back to the docs today, but couldn't see the doc who phoned her.  She has got Folic Acid supplements for her low Folates, but this doctor doesn't believe she has Fibromyalgia.  She says it's wear & tear for her age!  She is only 43!  She was given Naproxen, for all the good they will do.  She told the doc that her pains started not long after losing her father, and the doc said well, you can't expect to lose your parents at your age.  I'm sorry, but this is a really insensitive and offensive thing to say!



Hi Mark, yes the GP was a tad insensitive to say that about losing parents, even if it is true.
Back to you and your wife's problems, it almost to me seems as if you have diagnosed the problem and that's it, you are right they are wrong.
Give the folic acid a chance to work and you will see a massive improvement in your wife's health. (been there worn the T shirt). Naproxen is a very good anti inflammatory. Here are the symptoms of folic deficiency http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-vitamin-B12-and-folate-deficiency/Pages/Symptoms.aspx which you mention your wife has.
Wishing you both the best.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 8, 2016)

Thanks. It was a previous doc that diagnosed the Fibro, but this doc disagreed with his diagnosis.


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## KookyCat (Feb 8, 2016)

Sorry you encountered such an insensitive GP, some of them don't have the social skills of a small child.  I'd work on the principle that the supplements might resolve a number of the issues she's experiencing and encourage her to write down what improves and what doesn't.  A B12 deficiency can make some people very unwell, but others barely notice, it's just the luck of the biological draw.  If she notes her symptoms daily (hourly if necessary) and the improvement or lack thereof she can return armed with more data.  It will probably make her feel more confident at asserting her needs too.  I spent 12 months with a doctor insinuating that all my symptoms were psychological because my Dad had recently died and he had a B12 deficiency when he died and diabetes, which combined in a perfect storm.  So she decided that I was basically hysterical.  I wasn't, I had a critically low B12 level, anaemia and then finally diagnosed with diabetes.  The one thing I regret is not asserting myself more, but to be honest she convinced me I was being hysterical and I didn't have the energy to fight at that point.  I was utterly devastated when I lost my Dad, so I hope your wife is finding it a little bit easier to cope.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 8, 2016)

Thanks @KookyCat.  I will tell her to keep notes.  Hopefully the Folic Acid will help.  It would probably be a good idea to have another blood test in 4 weeks to see if they are working.  She will also be going back to see the first doc that diagnosed her to get a referral to a Rheumatologist.


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## Amigo (Feb 8, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> My wife has been suffering recently from severe tiredness, aches & pains all over her body & migraines.  She went to the doctors on Thursday who said it could be Fibromyalgia.  She had the full set of blood tests done and got a call from the doctor a few minutes ago saying her folates were very low.  This has really worried her as there is no reason to why this has happened.  She eats loads of vegetables including stuff that is high in vitamin B12, and like you do she has looked it up on the web and some of the things she has read has frightened her (including a form of blood cancer).  Just wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation and can reassure her (and me) not to worry too much.



Has the doctor considered pernicious anaemia Mark where there's lack of intrinsic factor and the B12 cannot be absorbed properly? This explains;

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitamin-deficiency-anemia/basics/causes/con-20019550

I have blood cancer and can assure her that as she's had a battery of blood tests, if there was any hint of that, it would have shown up! Seems more likely to be a form of anaemia with the low folates. Did they test her magnesium levels and Vit D? I ache like hell all over if mine are low.  My mother has pernicious anaemia and requires injections. Good luck but don't be worrying about worse case scenarios. You know what they say about Dr. Google? Keep reading it and one day you'll die of a misprint!


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 8, 2016)

Ive read up about Pernicious Anaemia, but the doc hasn't mentioned it. One of her blood results was inconclusive so she's had another test.


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## Amigo (Feb 8, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Ive read up about Pernicious Anaemia, but the doc hasn't mentioned it. One of her blood results was inconclusive so she's had another test.



Well hopefully they'll find the cause Mark. Stress about it won't be helping and sometimes doctors are not as sensitive as they should be. Hope it gets sorted...just knowing what things are helps.


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## Pumper_Sue (Feb 9, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Thanks @KookyCat.  I will tell her to keep notes.  Hopefully the Folic Acid will help.  It would probably be a good idea to have another blood test in 4 weeks to see if they are working.  She will also be going back to see the first doc that diagnosed her to get a referral to a Rheumatologist.


Hi Mark the blood test needs to be a about a month after the course of folic acid has finished other wise the results will show high levels of folic acid due to the supplement.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 9, 2016)

Thanks for that


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## Rosiecarmel (Feb 10, 2016)

I know it's only been a couple of days but has it helped your wife at all? Or does folic acid build up over time in your body?


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 10, 2016)

No change yet. The Naproxen she is on isn't helping the pain either.


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## Rosiecarmel (Feb 10, 2016)

Give it time  really hope it works


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## Amigo (Feb 10, 2016)

I wonder if a Tens machine would help for the pain?


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 10, 2016)

Amigo said:


> I wonder if a Tens machine would help for the pain?


Actually, I was looking at them the other day. Maybe worth a try.


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## Pumper_Sue (Feb 11, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> No change yet. The Naproxen she is on isn't helping the pain either.


It will take a good couple of weeks before any difference is noticed.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 11, 2016)

Well, looks like we are getting somewhere.  Doc called her this morning (the nice one, not the witch) with the results of her last blood test & her x-ray she had on her hip (don't think I mentioned she went for an x-ray).  The x-ray showed that there are some nodules at the base of her spine, so he believes this could be a sign of Arthritis.  This could be what's causing the pain in other parts of her body.  Her bloods also showed an increase in white & red blood cells which apparently could also be due to Arthritis.  So, although obviously not good news, at least she feels like she's heading in the right direction and get herself sorted.  Doc has also upped the pain meds & prescribed Omeprazole to protect her stomach.


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## Stitch147 (Feb 11, 2016)

Finally getting somwhere. Like you say it might not be the best news but at least you are getting some answers. Hopefully they'll get her on the right meds and she will be in less pain soon. Send your wife the best from me. X


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks Stitch.


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## Christine Carl (Mar 17, 2016)

Hi, just reading through some of the posts as I am new - got told I have diabetes 2 yesterday and seeing my doctor tomorrow. Anyway I also have fibromyalgia, glaucoma with sight loss, pernicious anaemia (life long), hyper cholesterol and PCOS      I am also obese and find it really hard to lose weight.
So I have extreme fatigue and also I am in pain all the time. I just wanted to say that I tried pain killers and found that the side affects were worse for me than the pain itself and I work full time so I have to be able to use my brain (to some extent). So I gave up all the medication except for anything that either keeps me alive or stops me losing more sight. This isn't an advert but I tried an actipatch (from Boots) and it was really good for helping with the pain. I have to have one on my shoulder which was frozen for a year and one for my lower back. The patch helped me get back to work and took me from being bed bound to being able to hobble  - so have a look at this as an option because it helped me and is side effect free. 

Best wishes to all


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## Copepod (Mar 18, 2016)

Mark - one other thing to consider is vitamin D deficiency, which can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue and muscle / joint pain. Most healthy people get 90% of their vit D from sunlight (note, exposure to sunlight WITHOUT sunburn) and 10% from diet, such as oily fish, supplements in margarine etc. For white skinned people, exposing face and hands for 30 mins each day through the summer is enough to build up reserves to last through the winter. So, 30 mins walking, gardening, sitting outdoors etc gives vitamin D, plus exercise, social interaction with people you meet, flowers, vegetables etc, depending on what you wife can do / likes doing.


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## Copepod (Mar 18, 2016)

Welcome to the forum, Christine Carl. Please introduce yourself in Newbies, if you like. Some of my post about vitamin D might also apply to you?


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 18, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Mark - one other thing to consider is vitamin D deficiency, which can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue and muscle / joint pain. Most healthy people get 90% of their vit D from sunlight (note, exposure to sunlight WITHOUT sunburn) and 10% from diet, such as oily fish, supplements in margarine etc. For white skinned people, exposing face and hands for 30 mins each day through the summer is enough to build up reserves to last through the winter. So, 30 mins walking, gardening, sitting outdoors etc gives vitamin D, plus exercise, social interaction with people you meet, flowers, vegetables etc, depending on what you wife can do / likes doing.


She has been told her Vit D is low. We haven't had a great deal of sunshine recently which hasn't helped. She eats tons of veg & always had done. The doc thinks she is having problems with absorbing vitamins, and apparently this can be a side affect if Fibro.


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## Copepod (Mar 18, 2016)

Until the sun gets higher in the sky, sunlight passes through too much atmosphere to be usefully absorbed. Not that that means you should avoid sun in winter, just that it's important to build up stocks of vitamin D through the summer. It's a fat soluble vitamin, so buiding up stocks is possible, and unlike the risk of overdosing by taking supplements (or, for polar explorers, husky liver in the case of vitamin A) it's not possible to overdose on vitamin D from sunlight. Still important not to get sunburned, of course.


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## Christine Carl (Mar 19, 2016)

Hi, thank you for the advice about Vit D. I am low on this and was put on Adcal D3 by the Rheumatologist. It did actually help with the pain but a few months after taking it I got kidney stones which was terrible so I stopped taking it. I think you can get it without the calcium though.


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## robert@fm (Mar 19, 2016)

I was on Adcal D3 for a short while in December 2014 (apparently I have calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies due to suffering late-stage kidney disease), but (to my relief) I was switched to Calceos, which I find a lot easier to take because instead of dissolving the tablets in water you just suck or chew them. Perhaps you could try those?


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## Christine Carl (Mar 19, 2016)

robert@fm said:


> I was on Adcal D3 for a short while in December 2014 (apparently I have calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies due to suffering late-stage kidney disease), but (to my relief) I was switched to Calceos, which I find a lot easier to take because instead of dissolving the tablets in water you just suck or chew them. Perhaps you could try those?


Thanks Robert one of the blood tests I had was to check the Vit D situation again so if the doctor say's I still need it I will ask her about it.


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