Looking for an answer; follow up

Allergies, blood and immune system
1

Hi

A couple of months ago I came onto the site to have a good moan about all my symptoms which suggested pernicious anaemia when I put them into this site's diagnostic tool.

I had a private bloodtest done with the following results;

vitamin b12; 324 ng/L  (normal range 197-771)

serum folate; 5.1 ng/L (normal > 3.0)

Anyway, with these results I did not feel that I would go to my GP, as I had pestered him to get cleared for thyroid/diabetes and he always assumes depression as a cause rather than an effect!

So I've done two things;

Taken myself off HRT as the bad symptoms came along when I started them although I realise that I had had "episodes" on the pill.

Been taking high dose methycobalin(?) tablets as the worse thing seems to be,as Sheldon Cooper said in the Big Bang Theory; "you get very expensive urine".

The good news; many of the symptoms of b12 deficiency seem so much better; my feet are talking with me again! although my memory is still totally trashed.

The bad news; menopause symptoms are bad with a vengeance; insomnia,night flushes,bladder control and panics/moodiness.

I know that I shouldn't self-diagnose but I'm going to take one battle at a time and get the menopause symptoms sorted as my doctor seems more tuned into this and I don't want exhaustion from lack of sleep to mask other problems.

I wish everyone a lot of luck with their story as this is obviously a minefield of misdiagnosis and suffering when the treatment is actually quite simple.

2

If your B12 deficiency symptoms have improved by taking the methylcobamalin then you are doing the right thing and fortunately you cannot "overdose" on B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine.

.It is also important that your Folate level is monitored as this is essential to process the B12.

There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.

Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:

symptoms related to anaemia

reduced sense of taste

diarrhoea

numbness and tingling in the feet and hands

muscle weakness

depression

Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body.

I am not a medically trained person but have had P,A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for over 45 years and I wish you well..

3

Many thanks for your response;

I'll see how things develop as it's early days.

It concerns me that B12 deficiency is so serious and so poorly understood by the medical profession.I'm concerned that all the auto-immune problems which my niece and her family have been diagnosed with could actually stem from this....particularly as they have now become vegetarians.My niece definitely has injections for iron deficiency and is looking at having to use support when walking with a fibromyalgia (?) diagnosis; I'll be chatting to her!

4

Being vegetarian puts one at risk of developing a Vitamin B12 deficiency as it is only sourced naturally from food by eating meat, fish, seafood, eggs, poultry and dairy produce.

Anyone at any age, can become B12 deficient. However, certain people are at an elevated risk. They include the following:

Vegetarians, vegans and people eating macrobiotic diets.

People aged sixty and over

People who’ve undergone any gastric and/or intestinal surgery, including bariatric surgery for weight loss purposes (Gastric bypass).

People who regularly use proton-pump- inhibitors. H2 blockers, antacids, Metformin, and related diabetes drugs, or other medications that can interfere with B12 absorption.

People who undergo surgeries or dental procedures involving nitrous oxide, or who use the drug recreationally.

People with a history of eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia).

People with a history of alcoholism.

People with a family history of pernicious anaemia.

People diagnosed with anaemia (including iron deficiency anaemia, sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia).

People with Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gluten enteropathy (celiac disease), or any other disease that cause malabsorption of nutrients.

People with autoimmune disorders (especially thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease) Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, lupus, Addison’s disease, ulcerative colitis, infertility, acquired agammaglobulinemia, or a family history of these disorders.