B12 deficiency?

[0000]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 26 June 2021 at 17:55

[andrewrob]

0000 said:

Anyone else have this?

My doctor will only give me the injection every 12 weeks. At different practices in other parts of the country I know there are people getting more frequent injections.

He won't inject me more often because he claims it's placebo; my levels at 8 weeks after an injection are usually around the 350 mark on the blood serum test. This doesn't count to him as low, it has to be below 180; the US apparently say 350, Europe and Japan 500-550. All units pg/mL. He believes this variation is down to the hokum around B12.

I have a long list of symptoms that clear up with the injection, some of which are physical, just one of which is depression. Apparently I can "try" anti-depressants to "see if they work" but taking a non-toxic vitamin is out of the question.

I feel like I haven't got a leg to stand on - there's no relevant public research I can find to support either of our positions so I'm at the mercy of a GP who thinks I'm a nutter. Which I might be, but I'd like to rule out the other option first.

B12 is available over the counter in other European countries and I'm tempted to order some online and inject myself but my wife screams bloody murder every time I mention this. Anyone have any better ideas?

My wife has B12 injections every 6 weeks I think. She had a lot of medical issues at birth and she doesn't produce her own B12 (or nowhere enough of it).
I'll double check but thought it was every 6.
Wouldn't fancy trying to inject it myself, it looks like its painful enough with a professional doing it

[Steviesam]

They will NOT give my father them more regulaly than 12 weeks either.

8 weeks post injection, he can hardly walk and his mental function is through the floor.

They still will not do them more regulaly.

very frustrating indeed.

[CAPP0]

Found this thread in a search. I have just been diagnosed with low B12. Prescription is 5 x "loading doses" every other day, then a booster every 3 months.

Good to hear that it does help though. I have just had my second of the loading doses this afternoon, and the nurse asked me if I felt any better. Only had the first one on Weds, so no, haven't noticed anything yet. She says that almost everyone she sees who is on this reports significant improvements.

[DuncanM]

I'm curious about this having recently gone vegetarian.

Is it only injections? I have vitamin tablets that state 100% RDA B12 on the back?

[DuncanM]

Thanks for the reply 0000, very helpful

[CAPP0]

Hi 0000. Well, as I think I mentioned above, I never got the "wow" feeling after the initial 5 loading doses so I queried with the GP. She took blood again recently to check and my B12 levels are now OK. Just had the 12-weekly booster. My lifestyle changed completely at around the same time I was first diagnosed so it's difficult to say, but of the common conditions it is supposed to help:

Fatigue - haven't noticed any difference, I guess I am generally on the tired side of lively
Weakness - tbh yes, I'm not that strong/powerful, certainly not for my size, so no, I don't think this has helped
Constipation - not had any problems there, ever, really
Loss of Appetite - au contraire, I am eating like a starving saddleback!
Numbness and tingling of extremities - not noticed any of this
Depression - B12 hasn't altered any issues I have had with this condition. Long(er) story.
Confusion - no issue
Poor Memory - I do have poor memory, still do, B12 hasn't changed anything
Soreness of the mouth or tongue - no issue

So, as a snapshot, I have noticed really zero difference but I didn't have any specific conditions to flag this to start with - it arose from a set of routine blood tests. All I can hope is that my body is at least functioning more closely to how it should be

[CAPP0]

Time to revisit this one for me. Recently I've been feeling utterly exhausted after small amounts of physical effort (eg walking the dogs) and my head/brain has been very mushy. Suddenly realised that I haven't had a top-up since November; I completely forgot about it. Had a jab yesterday afternoon and I'm waiting to see if that improves things. How long do the jabs usually take to have effect?

Current status on the symptoms above:

Fatigue - very much so, see above
Weakness - I think this has been the case as with the fatigue
Constipation - no
Loss of Appetite - still eating far too much!
Numbness and tingling of extremities - not noticed any of this
Depression - B12 hasn't altered any issues I have had with this condition. Long(er) story.
Confusion - yes, I've been a bit more mushy of brain recently
Poor Memory - as before, my short-term memory isn't great
Soreness of the mouth or tongue - no change

[LordGrover]

IANAD but wouldn't a B-complex pill be useful? E.g. click.

[CAPP0]

LordGrover said:

IANAD but wouldn't a B-complex pill be useful? E.g. click.

Thanks, but no - the whole issue is that when you have this condition, the body can't absorb B12 from food or supplements, so I could ingest as much B12 as I like and it would just go straight through me. Hence the 3-monthly injections - for the rest of my life.

[CAPP0]

Sorry to hear that 0000, hope things stabilise for you

[Monty Python]

http://www.naturesbest.co.uk/vitamin-b12-1000-meth...

[CAPP0]

Monty Python said:

http://www.naturesbest.co.uk/vitamin-b12-1000-meth...

Thanks, but as per a few posts above, pills are no good to us

[Monty Python]

CAPP0 said:

Thanks, but as per a few posts above, pills are no good to us

What condition is it?

[CAPP0]

There's apparently some debate about whether B12 deficiency causes Pernicious Anaemia or the other way round, but the bottom line is that my body cannot metabolise B12 from food, so no matter what I eat or take, the liver won't get B12 from it. Hence the compulsory 4 jabs a year to keep my levels up.

[Rick_1138]

I get the jab every 12 weeks since my bowel resection, and about week 11 i just feel like i just dont sleep. I sleep plenty but always feel like i have just been wide awake for days on end and cant be bothered with anything.

I asked the docs to move me to 11 week jabs, which they agreed with, but that was my cronh's specialist, so it has to go to my local GP and as they are so busy i never get an appointment and then they dont sort out the change, its bloody frustrating but i have just given up with it now.

Its great when you get your boost, but you dont realise your beckoning tired and a bit irritable until you remember that your jab is soon.

I am 10 days away from my next one and am just knackered, its amazing the difference it makes.

[p1stonhead]

Thread bump if anyone can help?

I recently got tested due to various symptoms. I have a family history of low B12 so my mum told me to get tested straight away.

To their credit the doctor ordered the test straight away.

But...

My level was 220 against a 'normal' range apparently of 190-1000. Now they say i am 'in range' so I guess thats that?

Can that be right? Surely its very borderline - Is it really that clear cut?

I had full bloods done and everything else is apparently normal too.

Can I sort of press the doctor to re-consider and give me supplements to try even though they dont think I have low B12?

Thanks all.



To recap on the list;

Fatigue - yep
Weakness - I guess so due to above
Constipation - no
Loss of Appetite - nope
Numbness and tingling of extremities - yes
Depression - hard to tell? Perhaps a bit down but maybe because its winter?
Confusion - not that I have noticed
Poor Memory - not that I have noticed
Soreness of the mouth or tongue - nope

[Four Litre]

If you can find a private clinic - they will sell it to you, but at way over cost.

Order online from germany, injecting is a doddle. Inject into thigh (fat). There will be loads of utube vids showing how.

You cant OD as its soluble so you will just piss out what you dont need.