B12

[Thomas19]

B12 defiancy . My bloods are 167 . After 8 injections , I'm still feeling the same . I can't see any improvement . So tired , legs so heavy , muscles weak , hands sensitive . What do I need to do . I just want to get back to normal . How long before I can see improvement

[Secondchance]

Have you kept a symptoms diary/? This is useful for spotting subtle changes. If you have neuro symptoms treatment is alternate days until no further improvement

[Hidden]

Hi Thomas,

Firstly welcome here! Am sorry you are in this PA boat, but fear not; well treated you should feel a lot better!

It just can take time to notice the benefit of the B12 injections, it's also different per person, some feel a lot better soon after the first jab, for others it may take weeks or months, but you will feel a lot better. It took me some 3-4 months to notice any improvements (yes remember the heavy legs), I went back to GP initially saying you've got this wrong its doing nothing. But after 4 months I really started to notice the improvements, far more energy no heavy legs and as if I was far more awake.

Look after your self now, it's taken years to become B12 def, it can take time for your body to undo the damage done by a prolonged B12 def. Some symptoms may not go completely, but a lot will. It takes 3-4 months for all the faulty blood cells produced with out enough B12 to be replaced by new healthy ones.

Sleep lots, eat well and be patient, give your body time to heal;

Kind regards,

Marre.

[engels]

8 injections over what time period?

[Thomas19 in reply to engels]

2 weeks

[Gambit62 Administrator]

I was diagnosed in hospital as an aside to falling down and breaking my ankle. I was sent home with 8 shots - 6 loading over 2 weeks followed by 2 at three monthly intervals. I didn't notice any difference after the shots though part of that was not knowing what I was looking for. three months after the last shot I rang up to see about blood tests to see what might have caused the deficiency - still not really knowing what it was - burst into tears on the receptionist (which was more to do with something else) but she made sure the doctor rang and he booked me in for a top up shot and explained that the shots would be at least 3 monthly for life - but said that a lot of his patients seemed to need them more regularly than once every 3 months. Unfortunately he was a locum so haven't been able to see him since. I did notice a difference that time - got to 4pm in the afternoon and I wasn't totally dead to the world. Role on 6 months and I'd found out a lot more about B12 and knew that I'd had neuro-symptoms so should ideally have been on more than 6 loading shots ... and the B12 injections certainly weren't lasting anything like 3 months. Had one in the April then got a cold and a couple of days later I was totally dead. Went to see the GP wanting to talk about the treatment but, although he was very caring couldn't get him to listen and was just dismissing B12 and pushing antidepressants (not a fan). Left apologising for wasting his time and started using a nasal spray that I'd been using to help me keep going at 3x normal dose and within 2 weeks after months of struggling to walk I was quite happy perching at the top of a ladder to prune my grape vine. 3 months later I realised that the anxiety and depression that I'd suffered from for years were, to all intents and purposes gone.

So, that was all a long winded way of saying that sometimes your body seems to need more than the meagre rations that health services usually reply - I'm thriving again by treating myself with the doses that my body seems to need - though there are some symptoms that are still there - eg still have tinnitus - but most of the others have gone.

I think it does take time - the suggestion about a symptoms diary is a good one - hope you have a GP that will listen if you broach the subject of whether or not you have been on the right regime for loading shots if you have neuro symptoms.

You might also want to think about what your folate levels are like as body needs B9 (folate) as well as B12 to metabolise B12.

Really hope you start to notice some difference soon

[explainit2me]

Hi Thomas I am like you I dont see a change. IM tired weak my arms and legs tingling my musles are so sore and most of all my concentration just feel like im floating lost which is making me cry more. THIS is horrible..I reached out to a fb friendshentold me she had it 2 yrs ago she free.from it. She told me eat meat everyday in small portions even snacks , boil eggs cereals with good b12.. tonight I made chicken /beef liver for dinner I was exhausted but im writing this message and I have some energy. So make sure you Google what to eat when you have PA so we can derive b12 from our foods..I wish I can offer you more but im trying just as hard to find a remedy while my b12 shots and the b12 dissolvable pills im taking. I take 2- 5000mcg a day yesterday I took 4 just to releave my unstable mind of fog.