Thanks to all that gave me help , as I thought it was all in my head.

[shal61]

I have at last been given B12 injections, 6 loading dose to start with then 3 monthly . Dr at last listened to my symptoms rather than the results

[GavinUK]

Glad to hear. Hopefully you will see some improvements. I would recommend keeping a symptom diary. That way, if things get worse again before the 3 monthly dose, you will have something to show the Doctor to back up the fact that you need it.

It may also help should there ever be an issue of them being continued - They should be for life now, unless you have one of the relatively rare conditions that can be resolved - From a previous post it seems clear it's not dietary in your case?

Gavin

[shal61 in reply to GavinUK]

Thanks, good idea as you say. Dr said test said I was not P A , but have many of the symptoms , see how things progress.

[fbirder in reply to shal61]

When a doctor says that tests show you do not have PA what they almost certainly mean is that a test for anti-IF (Intrinsic Factor) antibodies was negative. However, that test is notoriously inaccurate, giving false negatives in about half of all people who actually do have PA.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi shal61 please ask your doctor to check your Folate level too.

There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.

[SusanLMckinney]

If you have low B12, you will probably have low foliates and Iron. Nerve damage is not the only thing that happens with pernicious anemia / subacute combined degeneration. Your blood will not mature. Red cells become enlarged and oval but mostly they do not carry iron or oxygen. One thing you don't hear much about is the fact that many of us will suffer from shortness of breath. Way before I had numbness, I felt like I needed to yawn all the time. Eventually I felt like I could never breathe deep enough.

[shal61 in reply to SusanLMckinney]

Hi Yes my 2 test say large red blood cells my folic is low, taking counter folic. But she doesn't want to see me again just said 6 then 3 monthly jabs.

[SusanLMckinney in reply to shal61]

I continue to take monthly shots or large doses of sublingual. I took a spell where I didn't and my symptoms started returning and blood test showed low B12 again but of course not as low. So I can never trust that a diet will keep my levels up. You should never trust it either. I understand my niece is taking B12 due to a stomach by-pass surgery, she says that now they give her a shot in the hip and a triple dose every 3 months. I do the once a month in the arm myself and have been since 2001. I also understand that taking stomach acid inhibitors is a cause for low B12. (privacid, Nexium etc.) Take care of yourself.