I've been diagnosed with pa had loading doses and was initially put on 3 monthly injections and then successfully argued with GP for 2 monthly. I Si alongside this so I have been on monthly injections and that seemed to be working. Recently though this isn't enough as I 'crash' physically with tiredness, pins and needles etc. The big thing though is the emotional 'crash' as I feel very depressed and tearful and yet there's a bit of me that knows this isn't 'real'. In this state I don't seem able to think straight about frequency of injections.
One thing that's causing me to hesitate about increasing the frequency is that I've got the spots/ small boils on my neck from the last injection 3 weeks ago. Is this a sign my b12 level is too high?
My folate, ferritin and Hb levels are fine.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Amesbury
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Have you got copies of these test results or were you just told by GP that levels were fine? I learnt to always get copies of blood test results after being told everything was fine/normal and then finding abnormal and borderline results on copies.
The acne isn't caused by B12 being 'too' high, but by being higher than it was.
The bacteria that causes acne can make its own B12, but it would rather use the stuff that you supply (lazy beggars). So they tend to have a growth spurt.
Luckily, it seems to be temporary in most people.
While waiting for it to calm down, ask your pharmacist for something to treat it.
Hi Amesbury the spots or pimples are not uncommon among B12 "users" and if they are a matter of concern have a word with your local pharmacist. It may be that you are allergic to one of the "ingredients" of the injection, or your body is "pushing out" some impurity or other.
Fortunately you cannot have "too much" B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine.
You say your folate level is fine - is that the result of a recent test or from one taken before your loading doses?
It is not uncommon for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better as the B12 starts repairing the damage done to your nervous system and your brain starts getting multiple messages from part of the body it had "forgotten about" or lost contact with.
I sometimes liken it to a badly tuned radio on which you have turned the volume up high trying to catch the programme you want when all of a sudden the signal comes in loud and clear and the blast nearly deafens you.
A lot will depend on the severity and longevity of your B12 deficiency as to how long before there is no further improvement or recovery. Some symptoms will "disappear" quite quickly whereas others may take months or even years. There is no set timescale as we are all different.
If you can get to see a doctor please also ask him/her to check your Folate level as this and B12 help your iron to make red blood cells and to function properly.
I am not a medically trained person but be assured, there is life after P.A. as I'm still "clivealive", have had it for more than 45 years and am now over 75.
Thank you for your replies. I'm not sure if you'll read this as I've taken a few days to reply. You reassured me and I did Si and now feel much better. Last year when I was diagnosed my vit D was in the severe deficiency level and my folate just in the normal band. My GP didn't say anything about these but I can access my results online and through reading here I picked up that I needed to address these. My folate was 12 (3-20ug/L) and vit D was 169 (50-200nmol/L) in recent test.
I think I was hoping that I'd cracked it and found a level and frequency of injections that was working so I was very disappointed to find I was struggling before I got to 4 weeks after the last injection. I've learnt this week that I just need to listen to my body and Si when I need it.
I think I've had pa for many years as my Hb was always very low even on iron tablets. Now my Hb is good and I've not taken an iron tablet since I was diagnosed. I'm left though with poor balance etc.
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