Extreme Fatigue

[Chakra111]

Hi all, I was recently diagnosed with IgA Vasculitis and very low b12. I was vegan for 10 years and not eating properly and going through stress.

Over the past 3 weeks iv had extreme fatigue eyes rolling shut..although not tired in the head but the eyes feel drowsy.

I'm not on medication but I finishes my laoding dose of b12 injections on October 6th. Could it be the b12 effects as I'm due to get my 1st 2/3 monthly injection soon for life.

Or is it chronic fatigue? I wonder could it be something serious I'm scared.

Thanks.

[bookish]

Hi, how low was your vit B12 before loading doses started and what else did they check (folate (B9), vit D, ferritin or iron panel, thyroid, full blood count etc). B12 is anti-inflammatory and has a myriad of other essential uses in the body. It may be that you are low in co-factors to support your body making healthy red blood cells. Healing from a B12 deficiency can take a very long time (especially if you are only getting a jab every two or three months!) and is an exhausting business. Massive fatigue is a common symptom ofdeficiency.

As they have said injections for life, have they diagnosed Pernicious Anaemia? For a 'dietary' deficiency, you would often only get loading doses and then put onto oral supplements (which are not guaranteed to work but do for some, which makes things tricky as you can get a lot worse while thinking you are taking what you need to take and your blood may look ok but cells not be getting the B12.) Are you still vegan?

[Chakra111 in reply to bookish]

Hi, Yeh they checked I was low in b12, folate and albumin.

They started me on oral b12 tabs for 4 weeks. Folate tabs and did tests for pernicious anemia which showed I wasn't positive for that.

But I am anemic.

No I started craving a fried egg when a family member was talking about making egg on toast 🙃 I thoroughly enjoyed it first in about 12-13 years. So I try to keep eating eggs now.

Although I read egg only has 1% b12?

Iv been eating a but better.. I do eat fresh veg every day anyway.

Hopefully it's just taking some time like you said and it will get better.

They did do tests for thyroid etc all else seems well just one of the blood tests markers showing still high I will find out at my appointment booked a week away.

I'm so glad to have found this group to talk to others. It's been hard.

[bookish in reply to Chakra111]

Hi, presumably the oral B12 didn't increase your serum B12? Otherwise I would have thought they would have left you on oral. Once on injections they should not retest serum. If your level was very low when found you should have had injections straight away, not oral.

There are no tests which can rule out PA (or B12 deficiency of other cause). Plenty of tests which may indicate/diagnose a deficiency, but none to rule it out. You will almost certainly not have had all the tests that are available.

You do not have to be anaemic to have PA (or B12D). But there are many forms of anaemia.

Did they give you folic acid tabs? How long and what strength? The B12 should have been started first.

Can I suggest that you get copies of all your test results so you can see what has changed over time and what has been missed in testing so far.

Best wishes

[Chakra111 in reply to bookish]

Yeh 5mg folic not for long about 2 weeks.I could ask GP for the test results

[bookish in reply to Chakra111]

I'm glad it wasn't for too long. Results a good idea, you may need to get more advice and it is hard without full details.