Could I have a B12 deficiency??

[akel]

I am after some help..I am at my witts end on what to do. I have been suffering since October with an awful amount of symptoms that seem to be developing by the day

Pins and needles in hands/feet/left leg

Extreame Fatigue and Lethargy

have the occassional heavy limbs

brain fog

blurred vision

strange heavy feeling when waking up in the morings

heart palputations

anxiety ( have had a couple panic attacks

and many many more .....

I have been having regular trips to the gp. First I was told it was a folate deficiancy my lab results were 4.1 I took 3 months of folate and the reading is now 19.1 so has improved but my symptoms haven't. My b12 was low normal at 333 and after 3 months of supplements of b12 multi vit has gone up to 367! not a huge increase. My symptoms have improved a little with less tingling but the rest are still there and seem to have lost feeling completely in one of my fingers :(. Doctor has advised that the b12 seems to have improved things but rather than treat this has given me anti d's instead!! I am now using b12 patches online to see if I can build up my levels

Can anyone advise if they think I could have a deiciancy with these blood levels and symptoms??

[suki65]

hi have you tried b12s 1000ug tablets i have found them to help me tremendously i have been taking them for 2 months my b12 is now 600 and i feel so much better ,i also got my vitamin d checked this was low and now i also take vitamin d with calcium . a great eye opener a book could it be b12 written by 2 doctors well worth reading

[akel in reply to suki65]

Thank you for your reply. I haven't tried those but willing to give anything a go if it will help! I have heard of that book and will definately get that and give it a read. I am not sure if my vit d was checked? what were your levels before you started taking the tablets?

[B12Turbo]

Hi Akel

You don't say if your GP has carried out any other tests, simply working from a B12 Serum level is of little or no use at all. First you need to acquire tests for Intrinsic Factor, then Parietal Cell Antibodies, These should come back as NEG. Then you need to arrange a test for your HoloTC readings and then depending upon that level, you may need to test your M.M.A. readings. Once you have all this, then I would strongly suggest that you ask your GP for a full set of blood tests:- FBC - U's & E's - LFT - TFT - Folates - Bone Profile -Glucose - Amylase - Bilirubin - Fasting Lipids and Plasma Viscosity. Following all these results, you and your GP should have a much better idea of exactly what your problems may or may not be. Without test results, you are simply shooting in the dark and self medication can be both counter productive and even dangerous, it will even run the danger of messing up all the above test results. Whilst simply taking high levels of Folic Acid, can mask a B12 deficiency. Ascertaining exactly what your problem is, requires test results, (that is why hospitals always run them first) and then an expert interpretation of those results is required. Working with your GP is sometimes difficult, but it should be your best course of action. Regarding your HoloTC and possible MMA readings, these can be carried out by Guy's / St. Thomas's Hospital in London, a postal service is available, try contacting Denise O'blien on 0207 - 188 - 7188 or E- mail her on [e-mail]

Hope all this helps, the HoloTC done privately will cost you about £18 + £12 postage at the last count, but your GP may cover this for you, some will. However if required, the MMA will cost you around £98, but you really need these results, with or without your GP's financial help. All other tests should be FOC on the NHS.

Hope you soon get sorted and feel better.

B12 Turbo.

[johnbarriesmith]

Just in range is no good , but I suspect you may have other underlying problems Ask for a 2nd opinion with an Endocrinologist but get the GP to a full bood analysis before the appointment , do your own research on the various self help endocrine sites to recognise all your symptoms , also check in you family history for clues because auto-immune is hereditory . Gather your thoughs write down all your symptoms and past health incidents to give a picture of the onset of all of your problems , that way if the consultant is at all interested he will have a better insight to work with .

[tmoxon]

HI Akel

I posted the same question last September, here is a link to the responses I got

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/qu...

Hope this helps you, as it helped me a lot, without this site and the coeliac disease one I still think I would be feeling ill.

When I was tested again after this post my level was 257, the immunologist I go to found I was also Vit D and Zinc deficient, but didn't highlight or was interested in the low Vit B12, he had no knowledge of the active test, however my GP has prescribed me the injections and I am having my 6th one today, I also asked him to prescribe my daughter them ( her level was 227)and she is also having them. She is also Vit D deficient and we are also on iron tablets and although she hasn't been diagnosed as coeliac she has started a gluten free diet. We both feel much better.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to check your results yourself and don't simply let the surgery tell you "they are normal " which is what will happen. If you don't get anywhere with one gp try another and if no one will listen then gather evidence and go to the PCT, there are nice guidelines which say what treatment you should receive. The doctors seem very happy to hand out prescriptions for depression which is what one GP I went to suggested I have, my daughter has been on and off these for years and I dread to think how many others are prescribed medicines they could do without if they were treated correctly. Hope this helps, good luck