Vitamin B12 deficiency

[Fidgety]

A new video is out from the US that should be watched by everybody who is worried about neurological illness whether it is autism or dementia or MS or the multitude of others. Diagnosis of b12 deficiency is worse in the UK than in the video on here. Treatment is also worse in that although they give hydroxocobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin they only give it once every 3 months. If you think you or the ones you care about have been diagnosed you need to make a noise.

 

[craigmason]

this is an excellent book for people with b-12 deficiency

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pernicious-Anaemia-Forgotten-Consequences-Deficiency/dp/1781610045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359736165&sr=8-1

[Fidgety]

Forget the book - watch the video. A picture is worth a thousands words. People have to see what it does to believe it.

 

---------- Post added 01-02-2013 at 18:19 ----------

 

...and an important reminder. If you suspect b12 deficiency, have all the relevant blood tests done BEFORE you take any b12 either orally or by injection or any other means of supplementation. All the tests they currently do, will normalise if you take it but this does not mean the b12 is getting through to your tissues or cells. However, doctors will look at your 'normal' test readings and tell you there is nothing wrong.

Get the tests done before supplementing. Always. Or you have no evidence that the original deficiency caused neuro damage.

 

---------- Post added 04-02-2013 at 10:20 ----------

 

And just to add some info additional to the video: Early symptoms can be, hair loss or thinning either body or head, fibromyalgia type symptoms, burning soles of the feet, shin splints (pain in shins for no apparent reason), pain in back, pain in buttocks (like sciatica), confusion over numbers or spelling that weren't there before.

[Kymwheat]

Hi im after some advice, recently ive had a lot of the symptoms associated with b12 deficiency. Im 33 and quite active and ever since having my last child I've had these symptoms; Tiredness, short of breath, strange feelings in hands and lower legs, visual disturbances, anxiety, headaches, tinitus. Anyway my doc did a few tests and my iron ferritin level was 18 and is treating me with 200mg iron which i take with 500mg vit c twice a day. I asked him to also test my b12 after the iron tablets wernt making any difference to the way i felt. My b12 level was 267 and folate 9.5 and the doc says no further action as its normal ?. Perniscious anemia runs in my family and im thinking maybe it could be on the low side and i need supplements or something. Ive decided to supplement myself with b12 1000mcg from h&b and have a phonecall lined up with the doc this week to talk to him about further testing. Will my supplementing affect the results of any further tests? Are my levels low? Any advice would be appreciated ??.

[dangerousedd]

your b12 does seem a bit low but in the normal range from what ive read, but I also read that some people are more affected then others by low but in normal range b12 levels.

 

I did read that taking supplements can affect b12 tests but cant seem to find anything about it now.

[Anna B]

Is B12 deficiency picked up in ordinary blood tests?

 

I have just been tested for an underactive thyroid. Doctor took a second sample to check T cells. She was very surprised when it came back borderline / normal. I seem to have many of the symptoms, and am on quite a lot of medication. (I also take a few supplements but not B12) Would blood have been checked for B12 as a matter of course?

Edited August 12, 2015 by Anna B

[dangerousedd]

I had some blood tests done a week or so ago, b12 was a separate test amongst the ones I had done so I don't think its done routinely.

 

they could have done a b12 test though, you could always ring them up and ask them.

[Anna B]

Good idea.

 

Thanks.

[code word]

Hi… Please don’t take this the wrong way. But b12 injections are mostly for Heavy drinkers. Normally for people with swollen fatty livers. Constant feeling lethargic etc. Start drinking sugar fee coke etc, Slowly cut down on the booze.

[dangerousedd]

Hi… Please don’t take this the wrong way. But b12 injections are mostly for Heavy drinkers. Normally for people with swollen fatty livers. Constant feeling lethargic etc. Start drinking sugar fee coke etc, Slowly cut down on the booze.

 

I don't think so see :- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-vitamin-B12-and-folate-deficiency/Pages/Introduction.aspx

 

What can cause a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency?

 

There are a number of problems that can lead to a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, including:

•pernicious anaemia – where your immune system attacks healthy cells in your stomach, preventing your body from absorbing vitamin B12 from the food you eat; this is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in the UK.

•a lack of these vitamins in your diet – this is uncommon, but can occur if you have a vegan diet, follow a fad diet or have a generally poor diet for a long time

•medication – certain medications, including anticonvulsants and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), can affect how much of these vitamins your body absorbs

 

Both vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency are more common in older people, affecting around 1 in 10 people aged 75 or over, and 1 in 20 people aged 65 to 74.