B12 Injections?

[DayDreams_1]

Hi

I am new to the PA community.

I was recently diagnosed positive for gastric parietal cell antibodies and deficient in folate. These blood tests were carried out by my Dermatologist as I suffer from Polymorphic Light Eruption and she is trying to find out the cause of another rash I have have been experiencing for the last 5 years.

I have been told by my GP that no treatment is necessary for the GPCA but the low folate reading should be treated by a daily dose of Folic Acid.

I have been suffering from extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, bloating, indigestion, tingling in my hands and cramps in my calves and feet, in fact the list of symptoms is endless!

After reading many posts on this site should I be receiving B12 injections? I would very much appreciate comments from anyone who may be able to point me in the right direction with regard to receiving treatment I may or may not need.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi DayDreams_1 can you quickly find out your B12 level?

[DayDreams_1 in reply to clivealive]

Hi Clive

Unfortunately my GP did not disclose my B12 level but informed that it was normal.

[wedgewood in reply to DayDreams_1]

My doctor told me that mine was normal , and I believed her ! I eventually was diagnosed with PA, and found out that my B12 had been 150 , which is NOT normal . You have the right to see and have a copy of your blood test, so ask for it ! Best wishes .

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to DayDreams_1]

Hi DayDreams_1 as wedgewood says "normal" is based on an average and sadly 50% of us must be under average but doctors simply read their computer screens instead of listening to their patient's symptoms.

You were "recently diagnosed positive for gastric parietal cell antibodies and deficient in folate" and your symptoms "extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, bloating, indigestion, tingling in my hands and cramps in my calves and feet" to my mind suggests you should indeed be being given B12 injections in accordance with BNF Guidelines.

Treatment of cobalamin deficiency

Current clinical practice within the U.K is to treat cobalamin deficiency with hydroxocobalamin in the intramuscular form outlined in the British National Formulary, BNF,

Standard initial therapy for patients without neurological involvement is 1000 μg intramuscularly (i.m.) three times a week for two weeks.

The BNF advises that for Pernicious anaemia and other macrocytic anaemias patients presenting with neurological symptoms should receive 1000 μg i.m. on alternative days until there is no further improvement.

However, the GWG recommends a pragmatic approach in patients with neurological symptoms by reviewing the need for continuation of alternative day therapy after three weeks of treatment

I am not a medically qualified person but there are others on here who will be able to give you good advice and I wish you well.

[pvanderaa in reply to DayDreams_1]

Here in the USA, some labs add a caveat to B12 results that 10% of the population exhibit neurological symptoms when results are below 400 pg/ml. This is given the strange name of an "occult" deficiency, meaning hidden.

You are entitled to have your results. Please ask for them so you know for certain.

[DayDreams_1]

Hi

My GP did not disclose my b12 level unfortunately but informed me that it was normal.

[fbirder]

Ask your doctor for the actual B12 results - proper numbers (including the range). Often when doctors say 'normal' they mean 'only just normal'. It's possible to have symptoms of a B12 deficiency despite having 'normal' blood levels. Your positive GPCABs means that such a deficiency is very likely - and needs treatment at once.

You could ask for an MMA test. Methylmalonic acid is a chemical that gets used up in one of the reactions mediated by B12. In cases of deficiency the levels of MMA build up in the blood.

[DayDreams_1]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I will be contacting my GP first thing on Monday morning and will post how I get on.